“If they haven’t thrown it in the loch already.” That was the vicar, once again showing he’d put a disturbing amount of thought into the matter of murder.

“I don’t think they have.” And that, to Liza’s mild surprise, was Liza. “I found another set of footprints coming to and from the woods. They were careful to come and go from the south, out of sight of the hotel, and I don’t think they’d have risked being seen throwing the gun away.”

“But they wouldn’t be keeping it in their room?” That was Mrs Ackroyd, and it was definitely a blurt.

“Of course not, dear lady.” Professor Worth patted her arm again. “They probably hid it somewhere in the hotel. Or on the grounds perhaps?”

“Too snowy.” Liza was slightly shocked at her own confidence. “There’d be footprints.”

Colonel Coleman was on his feet. “Right, well, enough sitting around. I say we put the boffin’s plan into action and go find the shooter.”

“Capital notion.” Sir Richard joined him. “But might I suggest, if we’re going to do so, we take groups of at least three? That way nobody gets left alone with a murderer. And might I also suggest we start after dinner?”

“Well, I shan’t be a part of it.” Mrs Ackroyd was stumbling away from the table, supported by the professor. “I’m going to have an early night, and good luck to all of you.”

Without quite planning it, Liza stopped her. “Before you go, you didn’t … see anything earlier, did you? From your room, I mean.”

“See anything?” Vivien Ackroyd stiffened.

“Your room overlooks the loch.” Liza turned to Ruby. “Yours too. I just thought—if you’d happened to be looking out when the shot happened, or just after, you might have seen the killer leaving.”

“No,” said Mrs Ackroyd at once. “I mean—I might—I mean…”

“Now, now, you don’t have to answer any of these questions if you don’t want to.” Putting a reassuring hand on Mrs Ackroyd’s back, the professor turned to Liza. “Can’t you see you’re flustering the poor woman?”

“I didn’t see anything either,” Ruby confirmed. “When guns start going off, I get away from the windows; I don’t dash towards them.”

Professor Worth escorted Mrs Ackroyd out of the dining room, and the remainder of the guests debated over their meal whether “Operation Search the Hotel” was a good one or not. By the time the professor had returned they’d decided that on balance it was, and, following Sir Richard’s suggestion, they had broken into teams of three. Ruby had latched onto the colonel and the vicar, the professor had attached himself to Sir Richard and his aunt, which left Hanna and Liza with Mr Burgh. Ms White declined to join them, citing her actual job.