Death of a Maid (17 page)

‘And getting stoned by the locals. I’ll handle it. You’re due at the House.’

Superintendent Daviot gave orders for police to be fitted out in riot gear and armed with stun guns and tear gas.

They arrived in force at the barricade on the Strathbane road.

The villagers on guard raised their guns, their faces grim.

Daviot opened his mouth to give the order to charge when his phone rang. It was his secretary, Helen. ‘The prime minister’s office phoned. You’re to stand down. The papers sent
to Archie Maclean were a mistake. No one is to be charged with anything. It’s to be calmed down and out of the newspapers as quickly as possible.’

The villagers manning the barricade watched uneasily. Then Daviot approached the barrier.

‘The decommissioning papers were sent to Mr Maclean by mistake. So take down this ridiculous roadblock. I would arrest the lot of you, but I have orders from Number 10 that there are to be
no prosecutions.’

Hamish, in his cell, heard the cheering. He unlocked his cell and walked outside the police station.

Villagers were surging along to meet the cheering men returning from the roadblock.

Archie Maclean saw Hamish and cried, ‘There he is! There’s my hero!’

The crowd gathered around Hamish and lifted him up and carried him in triumphal procession from one end of the waterfront to the other.

Up on the Strathbane road on a crest of the hill looking down on the village stood Inspector Mary Gannon.

‘Give me a pair of binoculars, someone,’ she shouted.

A policeman handed her a pair. She lifted them to her eyes, focussed them, and glared down at the magnified sight of Hamish Macbeth being carried round the village.

‘So that rogue policeman is responsible for this fiasco,’ she muttered. ‘What a waste of police time. I’ll have that man.’

She turned to the woman police sergeant beside her. ‘Keep your handcuffs ready,’ she said, ‘and follow me.’

The triumphal procession carrying Hamish was heading for the pub when they found themselves confronted by one very angry police inspector.

‘Put him down!’ shouted Mary. ‘Hamish Macbeth, I am arresting you for inciting riot. Anything you –’

‘No, no,’ said Archie, glaring up at her. ‘This is by way of an apology. We locked the poor man up in his cell. He had nothing to do with it at all.’

Mary faced the crowd. ‘Is this the truth?’

There came a chorus of agreement.

Mary suddenly knew she had made a terrible mistake. She saw she was being filmed and recorded for television. She knew Number 10 wanted the story killed. She did not believe for a moment that
Archie had been sent the wrong papers. She would be blamed for keeping the story running.

Mary turned on her heel and marched away.

Hamish fled to his police station and locked himself in to keep away from the press.

Then a note was shoved through the letter box. It read, ‘Let me in. Elspeth.’

Hamish opened the door. ‘Come in, quick,’ he said.

Elspeth slid in. She looked tired. ‘Great story, Hamish. I’ve been filing stories since I got back from Glasgow, and I haven’t had any sleep.’

‘I think I’ll have a whisky,’ said Hamish. ‘Feel like joining me? I felt at one moment I’d made an awful mistake. I could see the poor Currie sisters with their
eyes streaming with tear gas and some of the locals being shot with stun guns.’

‘I’m surprised our divine leader didn’t fly up. He and his wife breathe photo opportunities.’

‘Maybe he was frightened he’d be massacred. Whisky?’

‘Yes, I’ll join you, and then I’m going to bed.’

‘Alone?’

‘What sort of question is that?’ demanded Elspeth angrily. ‘And what right have you to ask it?’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Hamish. ‘I don’t know why I asked that. Stop bristling at me and sit down. You look like Sonsie when the cat’s fur is up.’

‘Where are the beasts?’

‘Out for a walk. I lifted them out through the kitchen window.’

‘How will you know when they want back in?’

‘Sonsie leaps up and raps on the glass.’

‘What came over that police inspector? Daviot said there were to be no arrests. Made a good story, though.’

‘You didn’t, did you?’

‘We all did. Why did she do it? She struck me as a career police officer.’

‘I think she likes the authority her position gives her. I think someone like me really annoys her. Where’s Luke?’

‘Up at the hotel with the other press. Mr Johnson will be glad when the story dies down because he can’t give any tourists a booking. The press have taken up most of the
rooms.’

‘Isn’t that good for business?’

‘Not really. The hotel relies on regulars to come back year after year. Most of the press will be gone by tomorrow.’

Hamish poured two shots of whisky and put a jug of water on the table.

‘Aren’t you going to open your mail?’ asked Elspeth looking at a few unopened letters on the kitchen table.

‘Probably bills. I’ll look at them tomorrow.’

Elspeth flipped through them. ‘Here’s one that looks personal, and the postmark’s Inverness.’

‘Let me see.’ Hamish opened the envelope and scanned the letter inside.

‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ he said.

‘Probably,’ said Elspeth. ‘What is it?’

‘It’s from Mr Abercrombie, that student’s father, you know the one who claimed that Sander had stolen his book. He says a woman came to visit him the other day and said she was
a friend of his son’s and that they’d been at university at the same time. She was shocked to learn Sean was dead. She said she remembered Professor Sander had given him a job typing
out his manuscript, a book on Byron. She said Sean went a bit mad after that and started claiming the book was his own. He kept swearing to come off the drugs.’

‘So that’s one blackmailing theory out the window,’ said Elspeth.

‘No, on the contrary. There must be something else. Someone as pompous as the professor wouldn’t put up with a bossy charwoman unless she had something on him. Inspector Gannon
wanted me to follow him. Maybe she was on to something. I think I’ll get back on it tomorrow. I’ll have a talk to the stepdaughter first. She may have remembered something.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ volunteered Elspeth.

‘You’ll get me in trouble. I’m not supposed to have civilians in a police vehicle unless I’m arresting them.’

‘But, idiot, we’ll take my car. You don’t want to be seen tailing him in a cop car.’

‘Forgot that. I took Angela’s car the last time. But the neighbours saw me parked out all day and called the police.’

‘A couple is better camouflage. Let’s guess it’s something to do with where he goes outside Braikie. In order to go to Strathbane or Inverness, he’d need to go along the
main street. So we wait there.’

Hamish still hesitated. Elspeth surveyed him with amusement. ‘Yes, Hamish, we will take your odd animals so you don’t need to sit there working up courage to ask Angela to look after
them for you.’

‘Thanks. Angela was getting fed up with me. I’ll meet you here about noon. That’ll give me time to go and see the stepdaughter.’

The following day was fine, with only an edge of cold heralding the coming of the long, dark Scottish winter. The very mountains in the distance were blue, as if taking their
colour from the cloudless sky above.

The sea opposite Heather Gillespie’s house was calm. Seals lay on the beach, basking in the sunlight. At the sound of Hamish’s approaching vehicle, they started to waddle towards the
sea like so many arthritic and elderly gentlemen.

To Hamish’s surprise, Tom Morrison, Heather’s ex-husband, answered the door. ‘Surprised to see me?’ he said with a grin. ‘We’re back together. We’ll be
getting married again next month.’

‘That’s grand,’ said Hamish. ‘Is Heather at home?’

‘Come in. I’ll get her.’

When Heather appeared, she looked happy. Hamish hoped it would not turn out that she had murdered her mother in a fit of rage. He suddenly wondered why it was when he had been stalking the
professor that the neighbours had all noticed his presence and yet had seen no one at all on the day of Mrs Gillespie’s murder. Could someone have masqueraded as a postman, or as someone the
neighbours would expect to see?

He realized Heather was looking at him with amusement. ‘I’ve asked you two times if you want tea or coffee,’ she said.

‘Sorry, I suddenly thought of something. Nothing for me, thanks. I wondered if you had remembered anything about your stepmother that might be useful.’

‘I don’t think I can. Apart from humiliating me and breaking up my marriage, I don’t really know what else she got up to.’

‘Did she ever hint that she had some sort of power over any of her employers?’

‘No, she was too busy exercising power over me and Dad. I’m glad she’s dead. Dad’s cancer has gone into remission. They say it’s a miracle.’

‘I know you’ve had a lot on your mind, what with the murder of your mother and getting your marriage back together, but when you get a quiet moment, try and think of anything she
might have found out about anyone and let slip.’

She promised and Hamish left. Now to meet Elspeth and follow the professor.

It was a long and boring day for Hamish and Elspeth. As evening approached, Hamish began to feel irritable because of the attraction Elspeth held for him. He wanted to say
something and yet feared a rejection. Also, he knew Elspeth would settle for nothing less than marriage, and he really didn’t feel he wanted to get married.

Suddenly Elspeth said, ‘There he goes!’ They set off in pursuit of the professor.

Elspeth was driving. ‘Keep well back,’ Hamish warned her. ‘The roads are so empty, and we don’t want him catching sight of us.’

Professor Sander took the Strathbane road, and Hamish groaned. ‘Maybe that bookshop he visited last time is open late. He’ll buy books and head back home. A whole day
wasted.’

‘May as well keep going,’ said Elspeth, negotiating a hairpin bend. ‘I’ll be glad when we get to the straight bit. That way I can keep him in sight from a long way
off.’

As soon as she saw the professor’s car disappear into the town, she accelerated.

‘I’ve lost him,’ she mourned.

‘No, you haven’t,’ said Hamish. ‘I just saw him turning into the multi-storey car park.’

There were two cars now behind the professor looking for parking spaces. Professor Sander parked on the third floor. Elspeth slid her car into a bay a little way away.

When the professor got out and walked to the lift, they both headed for the stairs and sprinted down.

The streets were busy, so they were able to follow him easily without being seen.

Then, to their surprise, their quarry turned into a McDonald’s.

‘We can’t go in there,’ said Elspeth. ‘He’d see us.’

‘Let’s wait across the road. He surely won’t be long. It’s fast food.’

After only twenty minutes, Sander emerged and headed for the car park.

‘The wee scunner is going home,’ complained Hamish.

‘You never know,’ said Elspeth. ‘Let’s get the car and follow.’

But the professor’s car veered off on a road down to the docks. They followed, keeping well back.

‘Stop here,’ said Hamish. ‘He can’t go much further. This road’s a dead end. Let’s get out and have a look.’

Keeping in the shadow of dark warehouses still smelling of soot, they crept forward. The professor’s car had stopped, but the engine was still running.

Three youths emerged from the shadows. ‘I hope he isn’t going to be mugged,’ muttered Elspeth. ‘Then we’d have to do something.’

They saw Professor Sander lower the car window. ‘Is it drugs?’ whispered Elspeth. ‘Seems to be some sort of deal going on.’

Then two of the youths melted back into the shadows, and one went round to the passenger side of the car and got in.

‘Not drugs,’ said Hamish. ‘Rent boy. In the front of the car so a quick blow job. Should be over soon.’

‘Are you going to arrest them?’

‘I got a good look at the boy from the light in the car when he leaned over with the others. He’s over age.’

‘But still . . .’

‘It goes on the whole time in this dump of a town,’ said Hamish wearily. ‘Prostitutes, rent boys, drugs, the lot. But now I can call on him tomorrow and find out if this is the
reason Mrs Gillespie may have been blackmailing him. I am not going to single the professor out and ruin his life. Can you imagine what Blair would make of this?’

‘I heard Blair had been suspended.’

‘Probably back on the job. The way that man oils up to his superiors is little short of genius. Let’s go.’

They walked back to Elspeth’s car and got in.

‘I’m beginning to think Braikie is a den of iniquity,’ said Elspeth.

‘I’m sure none of us would like our private lives dug into,’ said Hamish.

‘Can I come with you to the professor’s tomorrow?’

‘Now, Elspeth, how do I explain bringing the press along? And remember, all this is off the record. Stop the car when we’re clear of the town. I need to feed the beasts, and
I’m right hungry myself.’

Back home, Hamish checked his answering machine and was surprised to find there were no messages for him at all. He had been sure that either Blair or Mary Gannon would have
been on the phone, demanding to know what he was doing.

He washed and undressed and got into bed, followed by the dog and cat. ‘You’d better stay here yourselves tomorrow,’ he told them. He suddenly found himself wishing that
Elspeth, instead of his animals, were lying beside him. But Elspeth was no longer interested in an affair. It would need to be marriage.

Hamish was prepared to handle the matter of the rent boy delicately – and wished for years afterwards that he had done so – but Professor Sander greeted him with an
initial tirade about police harassment and the stupidity of local coppers which he put down to inbreeding.

So Hamish came right out with it. ‘What were you doing soliciting a rent boy in Strathbane last night?’

Hamish had been kept on the doorstep. The professor’s face turned a muddy colour. ‘Come in,’ he said faintly.