Free In the Company of Others by Jan Karon

a willful patient. But, as for sitting at a bridge table, he’d rather have a root canal.
    ‘Perhaps I’ll think about it.’ He shook Feeney’s hand. ‘Our warmest thanks for your kindness.’
    ‘Hope you can join us day after tomorrow. Seamus turns out a fine lunch. ’t would be champion of you.’
    Feeney trotted down the stairs, passing Liam and the uniformed officers coming up. ‘Try to make quick work of it, gentlemen. The lady has had a great fright.’
    He felt her anguish as if it were his own—indeed, it was his own.
    ‘Anything gone missing?’ asked Liam.
    ‘I did a quick search—don’t think so.’
    ‘’t will be crowded in there. I’ll just be in the hall if you need me, I’m tryin’ to run down the ESB on th’ mobile.’
    He went in with two officers and a photographer from the Crime Unit and stood by her as they asked questions and made notes. Bursts of light from the camera flash lit the room.
    Tall, quite tall, yes. He covered his face with one hand and it was very dark, only a candle burning, she had no idea what he looked like. She had no memory of his hair color—it seemed his head was covered in some way. He must have been young, as he was very quick going over the sill and out the window. She had come into the room only moments before opening the door of the armoire. When he bolted out, he’d thrown his other hand in front of him and struck her arm, all of which caused her to stumble backward and turn her ankle.
    Had the Kav’nas discovered anything missing? They had not.
    A Gard pulled on a glove and opened the right-hand door of the armoire. Peered in, closed it. Opened the door on the left—drawers only.
    ‘Anything missing?’
    ‘Haven’t looked carefully, but don’t think so.’
    Cynthia speculated that the intruder had been in the room when he heard them coming along the hall earlier than expected, and had hidden himself in the armoire. The Gards speculated that the intruder may have been looking for easy pickings while the guests were at dinner, and since no one at Broughadoon had found anything missing, perhaps he was frightened off at the top of his rounds. Very likely, they agreed, the intruder had not singled out the Kavanaghs.
    Was Mrs. Kav’na known to travel with jewelry?
    Only her wedding band, a watch, a strand of pearls, two pairs of earrings.
    Was Mr. Kav’na known to travel with cash?
    No more than a couple hundred euros, in this case. And he always kept his wallet in his pants pocket, never in a guest room.
    Had their room door been locked?
    There were no guest-room keys at Broughadoon.
    A Gard reported that the soil beneath the window was freshly raked of footprints; a rake was found propped by the gate which opened to a gravel path; the herbs beneath the window were trampled.
    Had the Kavanaghs seen anyone in the hall? Noticed anyone suspicious about the place since they arrived? Would the Kavanaghs mind being fingerprinted, and having fingerprint work done on various surfaces in their room?
    They wouldn’t mind.
    Cynthia leaned her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes. Anna appeared at the door with a pot of tea. The travel club passed along the hall with chamber sticks, peering into the room and speaking in hushed voices. This would be a long night.
    He stepped out to the landing with Liam.
    ‘I asked them to dust the power box for fingerprints while they’re at it,’ said Liam. ‘God’s truth, I hate this for you. We won’t charge you anything, ’t is on th’ house entirely.’
    ‘Don’t think about it, please.’
    ‘Nothing like this ever happened before. We’re a very quiet, very decent sort of place.’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘Anything missing, Reverend?’
    ‘I don’t think so. Please call me Tim.’
    ‘Ah, no. I’ve never called a clergyman by his Christian name, Catholic or Protestant.’
    ‘Give it a try when you feel up to it.’
    ‘Yes. Well. A whiskey, then?’
    ‘Not for me, thanks.’
    ‘Seamus has gone