But neither Rutledge nor Nettle had ever fully explored the background of the neighbors-what opportunities they might have had to meet the three dead women, what reasons they might have had to commit murder. There was no evidence at all that pointed in their direction, even though Henry Cutter’s wife seemed to know more about the victims than Mrs. Shaw had. She had read about them in the newspapers… so she claimed.

Instead he had focused on two facts: that Ben Shaw was often in the homes of the deceased. And that after he was charged, Ben Shaw had all but admitted he was the murderer.

But what if he hadn’t been-what if, afraid from the start that his wife might be guilty, he’d confessed to distract the police from her?

Hamish said, “Or fra’ someone else he cared for.”

It wouldn’t be the first time that a husband or wife risked hanging out of fear of the truth coming out. Or out of fear that the other was in danger…

What if, looking deeper, Rutledge found himself thinking, he’d come across unexpected evidence that proved clearly that the most obvious pointers were not the most likely after all…? In one case in ten, digging deeper brought out new facts. And yet at the time, he was convinced that he had dug deeply Speaking up after a long and brooding silence, Hamish said, “What if ye find that I’m no’ the first victim whose death can be laid at your door? What if this man died a worse death than mine, because ye were no’ the clever policeman you thought you were?”

As Rutledge laid the last of the pages aside, he wondered if he would come to regret his decision to retrieve the file.