started leavin’ them around town, as if he were showin’ the world what he could do.”
Why did Ewan believe there were only seven victims? Did he not know about those in the river?
“’Twas late October when he took Dierdre MacAllister,” she paused and took in a deep, steadying breath. “But she survived.”
“How?” Keevah asked breathlessly.
“God’s grace?” Euphemie asked with a shrug. “Honestly, I dunnae ken.”
“How do ye ken about this woman?”
“She had been left for dead in the alley across the way,” Euphemie said. “’Twas Charles who found her. He brought her here straight away.”
Charles was a new addition to Euphemie’s place. Prior to him, a man named Connor MacDrew was her protector. Connor, she had learned from Bessie earlier, had moved on for reasons no one knew. Keevah was thankful that Charles had come to the woman’s rescue.
“I fear I dunnae ken Dierdre,” Keevah said. But then she didn’t know every prostitute in Inverness either.
Euphemie smiled wanly. “She and I go back many years,” she said. “Her mother and mine were good friends.” She pulled her gaze from the fire and looked at Keevah. “She had been raped, repeatedly.”
Keevah’s stomach tightened. “Did she say if she recognized the man who attacked her?”
“Nay,” she said with a shake of her head. “She hasn’t spoken a word since the attack.”
That bit of news was disheartening. Crestfallen, she said, “Nae a word?”
“She could nae speak, Keevah. Her throat had been slashed. ’Twas nae a deep cut, but ’twas deep enough.”
Keevah decided to share with her what she had been able to glean from Ewan. “Ewan believes he is takin’ them somewhere before he kills them. Somewhere close by.”
“Why does he think that?”
“Because there has been very little blood where the women were found. If their throats had been cut where they were discovered, there would be pools of blood.”
“I did nae ken that,” Euphemie said.
“Did Charles say if ’twas a very bloody scene? Where he found Dierdre?”
“Nay, but we can ask him when he returns.”
“Where has he gone?”
“To get reinforcements. He fears he cannae keep my girls safe anymore.”
She felt relieved knowing there would be more men here to help protect the women. “Something else we have discovered is that all of these women are former prostitutes.”
Euphemie thought on it for a long moment, her brow furrowed in concentration. “Now that ye mention it, I do believe ye are right. None of the women who were killed still worked. Many had moved on, either for marriage or to start legitimate businesses of their own.”
“I find that as odd as I do interesting,” Keevah admitted. “The men believe this man is someone who hates prostitutes.”
Euphemie raised a brow. “Well, that is obvious.”
“But if he hates prostitutes, why is he nae killin’ those who are still workin’?” That was a question she’d asked repeatedly over the past two days. Thus far, no one had an answer.
“Why do men kill?” Euphemie asked.
Keevah listed the reasons she had given the men the day before. “Coin, jealousy, for God and country.”
“Dunnae forget revenge,” Euphemie said. “Mayhap this man seeks retribution for some wrong done to him.”
That was a very strong possibility. “No matter his reasons, we must find a way to stop him.”
“How?” Euphemie asked.
“By speakin’ to the one woman who survived.”
“That poor woman has nae uttered a word since the attack,” Euphemie reminded her. “I tell ye she is nae in her right mind.”
Keevah supposed she was right. But she couldn’t help but to think Deirdre was the key to solving this mystery. “What do ye remember?”
Euphemie’s brow furrowed with concentration. “’Twas verra early morn, just like the others. Just before dawn. Charles came runnin’ inside yellin’ for help. He had Deirdre in his arms. She was bleedin’.” Her fingertips went to her throat. “And she was cryin’.”
“So she was awake?”
“Just barely. She was delirious. Kept sayin’ ‘He is goin’ to kill. He is goin’ to kill us all.’”
A shiver of repulsion traced down Keevah’s spine.
“We took her above stairs and sent for a healer. Deirdre floated between cryin’ and sleepin’ for hours. She was talkin’ in her sleep, but it made no sense. The healer did her best. Stitched her up, gave her sleeping potions, bandaged her. There was verra little else to be done.”
Keevah’s heart broke for Deirdre as she listened to Euphemie tell her story.
“She was like that for days. We truly thought she would die. When she finally woke, all she could do was stare at nothing. She did nae speak a