Page 73 of Winterset

“The twins and I discovered Frank Johnson’s body,” Anna reminded him.

“True. But you wouldn’t have concealed that fact years later—not when someone you liked and trusted asked you. When what you could tell them might help solve another set of murders.”

“Are you saying you think Nick could have killed Estelle? That’s absurd!”

“Why? Look, he is the only person I’ve seen so far who could have killed the first two and been able to kill two more people now. Even if he is almost eighty, he’s still quite sturdy. He could subdue a girl, don’t you think? Or even a young man, if he took him by surprise.”

Anna stared at him. “Surely you don’t believe this.”

Reed shrugged. “It’s possible. And the fact that he was not truthful with you when you asked him about the original murders makes me wonder.”

“He could not have been the man that Estelle was seeing,” Anna said flatly.

“No. I’m sure not. But we don’t know that her lover is the one who killed her. It may have been that the killer simply came across her as she was going to or from a meeting with her lover.”

“Then why hasn’t the lover come forward? Said something?”

“Because he is afraid that everyone will think he is the one who did it,” Reed replied.

“I don’t know why Nick didn’t tell me about finding the body. I—it hurts me that he didn’t. But that doesn’t mean that he killed anyone. Let’s just go to him tomorrow and ask him about it. Confront him with our knowledge and find out why he wouldn’t talk about it.”

Reed nodded. “All right. But we’re going to have to listen to what he says with an open mind.” He paused, then added, “You know, Anna, whoever committed the recent murders is likely to be someone you know.”

She cast him a glance, then sighed. “I know. Obviously it has to be someone who knows about the earlier murders. I have wondered…”

He glanced at her when she hesitated. “Wondered what?”

Anna cast him a shamefaced look. “I feel a traitor to even think it, let alone say it.”

They had reached the inn. There was a bench outside it, and Anna sat down. Reed followed.

“What are you thinking?”

“I have wondered about…Dr. Felton.” Anna looked at him to see his reaction to the news.

A little to her surprise, he nodded. “I have, too.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “I keep thinking I’m being foolish. The man is a doctor, dedicated to saving lives. How could he kill anyone?”

“Yes, but he would not be the first doctor to take a life,” Reed pointed out. “And he, above anyone else, knows all about the earlier murders.”

Anna nodded. “They have long been an area of fascination for him. That and anything to do with the Beast. That is why his patient gave him all those clippings she had collected—she knew he was interested in the subject.”

“Even before his father died and left him the journals?”

“I think so. His father died about ten years ago. Of course, he could have talked about the murders with Dr. Felton.”

“So he was interested in the killings. He found out everything he could about them.”

“In all fairness, so have we,” Anna pointed out.

“True. Many people are fascinated by unsolved murders. It’s human nature, I suppose. But what if his interest went beyond curiosity? What if it turned into obsession? He could have studied those journals, thought about what instrument was used. What if he decided to try out an instrument to see if it would work? He knew all the details—where the victims were found, the type of wounds….”

“Yes, I know,” Anna agreed. “That is why my mind keeps coming back to him. But still, I cannot bring myself to believe it. I’ve known him all my life. I have never seen any violence in the man. And why would he attack Kit? That doesn’t fit with the other murders. There were only two the first time.”

“Maybe he liked it. Maybe he could not stop.”

“But Kit had just been at his house. How could he have gotten to that spot to waylay Kit before Kit got there?”