Chapter Twenty-Six: Checking Alibis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Perez drops his son James at nursery in Harray, feeling guilty for not keeping him home during the holiday lull. At the station, Ellie resentfully reports that Archie Stout made no calls to Johnson’s mobile on the night of his death; she has also checked Johnson’s service provider and the Nistaben landline without results. Frustrated, Perez shifts strategy: he asks Ellie to track the movements of Westray residents on the Orkney mainland the afternoon George Riley was killed, using credit card records. He assigns himself Stromness to check Rosalie Greeman’s alibi while opening his mind to other suspects.

At the Tormiston Mill car park near Maeshowe, Perez meets Belinda Thorne, a confident woman walking her puppy. Thorne saw George drive in around 1:30 PM on the day of his death but only waved because her dog was impatient. She confirms the car park was empty when she arrived and only Perez’s car was there when she returned after an hour and a half. In Stromness, Perez speaks with gallery manager Grace, who confirms Rosalie dropped off samples and left a phone message—but admits this does not prove Rosalie couldn’t have killed Riley before driving to the gallery. The cafe is too busy to question staff, so Perez decides to return later, aware that his certainty about Johnson may have been misplaced. He wonders if Riley was killed simply because he witnessed something related to Archie’s death.

Key Events

Perez drops James at nursery, feeling parental guilt about the holiday season.
Ellie reports no calls between Archie and Johnson on the night of Archie’s death; further phone records are blocked by lack of a warrant.
Perez redirects the investigation: Ellie will trace Westray people’s movements on the mainland, while Perez goes to Stromness to check Rosalie’s alibi.
At Tormiston Mill car park, Perez meets Belinda Thorne, who saw George Riley arrive around 1:30 PM on the day of his murder.
Thorne confirms the car park was empty except for Perez’s car later; no other vehicles or walkers were present.
In the Stromness gallery, Grace confirms Rosalie dropped samples and left a message, but cannot verify Rosalie’s lunch timeline.
Perez postpones questioning cafe staff, recognizing his own certainty about Johnson may be dangerous.

Character Development

Jimmy Perez: Shows vulnerability through parental guilt and growing self-doubt about his theory. His methodical nature leads him to explore alternate suspects, acknowledging that certainty can blind an investigator.
Ellie: Demonstrates competence and resentment when her work is questioned; her Yorkshire accent becomes more pronounced under stress.
Belinda Thorne: Introduced as a confident, entitled woman with a direct manner and a bond with her untrained puppy, providing the first potential witness to George’s arrival at Maeshowe.
Grace: A friend of Willow’s, she is cooperative and businesslike, confirming Rosalie’s story but not exonerating her.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Alibi and Verification: The chapter revolves around checking alibis—phone records, restaurant receipts, witness statements. Each piece of supposed confirmation is shown to be inconclusive, highlighting the difficulty of proving a suspect’s timeline.
Certainty vs. Doubt: Perez explicitly acknowledges the danger of being “too fixed on one theory.” His decision to revisit Rosalie’s story and to search for alternative suspects marks a thematic shift from conviction to openness.
Parental Guilt and Holiday Pressure: Perez’s guilt about James being at nursery near Christmas mirrors his internal deadline to solve Archie’s murder before the Ba’ celebration. The seasonal atmosphere contrasts with the stalled investigation.
The Dog as a Distraction: Belinda’s unruly puppy prevents her from speaking to George when she first sees him, possibly costing him a chance to be saved. The same dog later pulls her across the road, nearly causing an accident.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a turning point in the investigation. Perez abandons his singular focus on Johnson and begins to consider other suspects, specifically Rosalie Greeman. The introduction of Belinda Thorne provides a fresh witness who confirms George Riley’s arrival time at Maeshowe but also underscores the lack of other evidence. By choosing to work alone in Stromness, Perez physically and mentally distances himself from the case’s prevailing assumptions, preparing the ground for new developments. The chapter also reinforces the pressure of Christmas as a deadline and Perez’s personal stake in solving the murders.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Perez decide to check Rosalie Greeman’s alibi in Stromness?
Perez feels the need to be somewhere different and alone to open his mind to other suspects. He suspects Rosalie because she was on Westray when Archie died and on the mainland when George was killed. Her route to Stromness could have taken her past Maeshowe, and he hopes that visiting the site might trigger a new idea.

2. What does Belinda Thorne reveal about the timeline of George Riley’s arrival?
Thorne says she saw George drive into the Tormiston Mill car park around 1:30 PM on the day he died. She was listening to “The World at One” before arriving, so the time is precise. She left immediately for a walk and did not speak to George because her dog was impatient.

3. How does Grace’s testimony fail to prove Rosalie’s innocence?
Grace confirms that Rosalie dropped off samples at the gallery and left a phone message, but she cannot verify when Rosalie had lunch in Stromness. Rosalie could have killed Riley before driving to the gallery, so the alibi remains incomplete.