IT WAS A PITY HE DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO MAKE THE MURDER look like an accident. It would have made his life so much easier. He had considered the possibility of suffocating Monroe, but a dying man could very well summon the strength of ten when he was fighting for his life. No, suffocation was too risky.

And so was drowning. What if he were a stronger swimmer? Or a screamer? One loud shout could bring him help. Drowning, he had decided, was also out of the question.

He had considered several other methods that would pass for accidents, but he eventually ruled all of them out. Some were too complicated, others relied too heavily on strength and timing.

In the end he had settled on using a knife. A sharp blade was a quick and easy kill. Unfortunately, no one would ever believe it was an accident. How could anyone accidentally fall on a knife five or six times? It took several good thrusts to kill Laird Monroe.

He had killed before, but never like this. Because of his position of power he would usually give such an unpleasant duty to someone else. But this was different. He didn’t dare trust anyone else with this onerous task. He had to do it alone. It was the only way to make certain the trail wouldn’t lead back to him.

Fortunately Monroe had become complacent in recent years. He didn’t take care like he should, and his followers had become just as lax in their guard. They didn’t expect trouble because their laird didn’t have enemies. How could he? He never took sides with one clan against another, and he never wanted more than what he already had. The laird had absolutely no ambition and was as lukewarm as old bathwater.

The laird never varied his routine. Every night just before sundown he took a long stroll, no matter what the weather, no matter where he was staying. He always walked alone.

Crouching in the darkness and waiting for Monroe had been uncomfortable and tedious, but once the rustle of leaves told him Monroe was coming, he gripped his knife tightly and patiently waited for the perfect time to spring.

It was unfortunate, but it was unavoidable. Laird Monroe had experienced a very unpleasant death.