Epilogue

Things to keep in mind:

• Both Diana and Jock Broughton physically capable of killing Erroll.
• Diana did not testify at the trial and "took the secrets to her grave."
• Diana may have had more of a motive than Broughton for killing Erroll.
• Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
• June, Diana's best friend, clearly perjured herself at the trial, giving everyone an alibi.
• The evidence certainly suggests although Broughton was physically capable of killing Erroll had he been sober but preponderance of evidence suggests he was way too sleepy if not outright drunk on the night of the murder. 
• Wilks' intution may have been right on the mark
• a woman's intuition

July 5, 2020: re-reading key passages in the book -- this was most likely time line of events:

• pre-meditated
• a week or so before, Broughton arranges for a horse to be tied in the meadow near the murder site;
• three days before the murder, arranges for aviation petrol to be placed inside his bedroom
• on night of murder, sneaks down the stairs to get inside the Buick before Erroll drives off
• execution-style murder near where the horse was tied
• rides horse home
• June perjures herself, saying Jock saw her twice that morning, giving Broughton an alibi
• plenty of noise in the house when Jock returns to the house, but June, who has already perjured herself, would simply tell Ms Wilks (if she heard the noise) that it was Diana and June up talking, walking down the corridor;
• before murder is even announced, Jock mentions to junior policeman that he (Broughton) is the prime suspect; at the time he said that, no foul play was officially announced; 
• when he returned the horse to owner, it was clear to the owner that Broughton was the murderer; the owner of the horse, old man Erskine, already was aware of the fatal gunshot wound to the head; Broughton said he did not know (if Erskine knew, Erskine knew that Broughton had to have known);

July 4, 2020: There is a possibility that I'm overthinking things, but at the moment my thoughts:

1. The straightforward story: Broughton simply snapped; couldn't take it any more.

Began making plans to kill Erroll three days before the murder. Waits for opportunity. If so, not much to the story; just a simple story of jealousy. Has been married only two months to Diana; she cheats on him, and plans to leave him. He snaps and that's it. Big deal. Yawn. How he got out of the house without Diana, June, and/or Miss Wilks, hearing him is the only mystery, à la Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to be titled: "The Dachshund of Happy Valley: The Dog That Barked."

2. Much more interesting: No fury hath a woman scorned. Diana (and June) killed Erroll.

Close reading / re-interpretation of events (which is much more plausible) suggests Diana had motive, means. June perjured herself at the trial providing alibi for Broughton. Immediately after the events, Miss Wilks was asked point blank who she thought killed Broughton and she blurted out "Diana." Never repeated and she quickly walked back that story. Right now, I'm leaning toward Diana and June. Or possibly ... see paragraph 5 below.

3. I initially thought Gwladys.

I still haven't found her alibi, but if she has an ironclad alibi, then she's out of the picture. In addition, I didn't see her with Broughton, Diana, June, Erroll, Wilks in the last 48 hours. She was out of the loop it appears in the crucial 48 hours -- but like I say, I have to find her story, again.

4. The story that Broughton was too old, slow, arthritic to have done it, is absolutely wrong. Likewise, Diana was very, very capable of shooting Erroll, but she might have needed help. Certainly, afterwards, she needed an alibi which could only be provided by June.

It appears after the car stopped in the ditch, he was forced into a crouched position on all fours under the steering wheel; his hands clasped in front of his head; sounds like an execution-style murder. I have to go back and read description of how his body was found. The initial investigation was botched when first responders moved the car and the body. They didn't see the gunshot wound at first; thought it was a single vehicle accident.

5. What doesn't fit in any of this: Erroll had a 15- minute to 45-minute head start by car in his Buick when he left the Broughton house where everyone else was staying.

Diana, June, and Broughton were altogether in the Broughton's house, and whether it was Broughton or Diana, he/she would have had to drive like a bat out of hell to catch up with Erroll. So, if that can't be satisfactorily answered, we have to come up with a much more difficult scenario with someone waiting for Erroll on his way home. I'll come back to this later.

But that's where I am right now.

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Most enigmatic: Miss Wilks.

Most compelling argument for pre-medication: Broughton having aviation petrol placed inside his bedroom three days before the murder.

Most interesting possibility: Diana, the murderess, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Know the true story: Broughton, Diana, June.

Thinks she knows the true story: Juanita Carberry.

Execution-style murder: description of Erroll's body when found dead. Who was more likely to execute him in this manner? A male or a female? I can argue this either way. Diana, by herself, could not have pushed Erroll unto all fours under the steering wheel after he was dead.