Shallow Water

by Hunter J Walker

  After three attempts they knew how to set up the conference call and Nicola punched in the number for the British Embassy in Dubai.

  *****

  ‘Hello, are you Miranda Florence Sutherland, nee Sowersby?’

  ‘Yes,’ Miranda Sutherland replied.

  ‘And you are married to, but separated from, Samuel Arthur Sutherland?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you have a daughter, Annabel Candace Sutherland?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Are you aware of your daughter’s present whereabouts?’

  There was a hesitation before she answered. ‘She has a flat in Glasgow and is studying at the University as far as I knew until this afternoon, when I read your email.’

  ‘Does your husband pay money towards your daughter’s education?’

  ‘Not directly, the money comes out of my allowance.’

  ‘When did you last speak to your daughter?’

  ‘Oh God, two weeks ago, Monday I think, and she did send me a text later in the week.’

  ‘Did she say anything out of the ordinary on either occasion?’

  There was a pause before the reply came. ‘It was just chat, normal mother–daughter things.’

  ‘Are you aware of your daughter’s present location?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘We have reason to believe your daughter may have been abducted. Has anyone else been in contact about your daughter?’

  ‘Oh God,’ Miranda Sutherland said and a pause followed. ‘No.’

  ‘Do you know of any reason why anyone would want to abduct your daughter?’

  A pause. ‘No.’

  ‘How are Annabel’s relations with her father?’

  ‘Last I heard they were reasonable, she worked for the bank last summer as an assistant to the Trading Floor Manager. I can’t remember his name but she liked working for him.’

  ‘Has she had any boyfriends inside the last year or so?’

  ‘She mentioned one, an older man but she wouldn’t give me any details.’

  ‘No details at all?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Thank you Mrs Sutherland, if your daughter gets in contact with you, or if anyone makes contact with you demanding a ransom, or any other action, please ring Strathclyde Police or contact the Embassy. The Embassy will also give you another number and anyone you speak to on this number will treat any information you give in absolute confidence.’

  The Embassy ended the call.

  Nicola pressed the button to return the phone to normal. ‘Well, the two sets of answers mostly tally, apart from the job, her father didn’t mention that.’

  ‘It may just have been one of those made-up jobs for the boss’ daughter and the mother doesn’t seem overly upset?’ Tanya said.

  Nicola pondered this statement for a moment. ‘She’s had some warning we were going to talk to her – I’ll speak to the Embassy later and get a better idea of her reaction.’

  ‘What about this older boyfriend?’

  ‘Did you get the CCTV files from Shona Doherty’s hard drive?’

  ‘It took a lot of yesterday afternoon to find which techie had it.’

  ‘Right, today’s task for you two, is to wade through the files on the hard-drive. Check the visitors passing through the hallway and make sure you log everyone you see coming out of the lift and going towards Annabel’s flat, including visitors, postmen and other workmen.’

  ‘Starting from the present and working backwards?’ Douglas asked.

  ‘Yup,’ Nicola replied.

  ‘And the car park?’

  ‘Do that afterwards, unless you find someone of particular interest. Now off you go.’

  *****

  Douglas dropped into his chair and glared at the computer screen. ‘We need to get this hard drive copied.’

  Tanya sat on the edge of his desk. ‘I’ll take it back up to the techie people and ask them nicely.’

  ‘OK Tanya,’ Douglas said while looking at the long legs showing from under her skirt. ‘If sex appeal doesn’t work, try twisting their arms.’

  ‘I’m sure reasoned argument will work.’

  ‘Doesn’t always work for me,’ Douglas said and handed over the drive.

  *****

  Tanya returned twenty minutes later with two DVDs. ‘Copies of the files,’ she said and handed Douglas one of the discs. ‘This is the foyer one for the last week, including your visit.’

  ‘How did you manage to get these off the techie guys?’

  ‘I had a reasoned conversation with the boss, Alison Henderson.’

  ‘Not the guys on the bench?’ Douglas asked.

  ‘Always go to the right end of the horse, it saves time in the long run.’

  ‘Oh, right, do you want a drink?’

  ‘Thanks, diet coke…and we owe them a pack of DVDs.’

  Douglas paid for two cans from the drinks machine. He dropped the diet coke on the desk Tanya was sitting at. ‘How did you get this desk, Julie used to sit here?’

  ‘Sergeant McCray allocated it to me. He thought as we were working together, we should sit together.’

  ‘Very considerate, coming from McCray,’ Douglas said and dropped the can of lemonade on his desk before slotting the DVD into his computer.

  ‘Any chance of getting the viewing suite?’

  ‘Why are you asking me, Douglas?’

  Douglas heard the hiss of a can being opened. ‘I thought with your last success with Ms Henderson that you could have another one.’

  ‘Why do you call her Ms Henderson?’

  ‘Check out the canteen gossip with your pal McCray, she has a reputation.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘She is reputed to frequent the Pink Pelican Niteclub.’

  Tanya slotted her DVD into her computer before replying. ‘And the significance of that is?’

  ‘How long have you lived here?’

  ‘In Glasgow? Not long.’

  ‘There is a Blue Pelican Niteclub, which is for men to look at women. The Pink one is for women to look at women.’

  ‘I see…and you know this how, Douglas?’

  ‘It’s all in the intelligence reports.’

  ‘Have you actually checked that?’

  ‘Let’s just say it’s good intelligence.’

  *****

  By lunchtime Douglas’ eyes were sore, his forefinger ached from pressing the mouse and no person of interest had entered, or left, the lift in the week before Annabel’s disappearance. He had pages of notes of people leaving and entering the lift with times and dates. He knew the occupants of the flats from their clothes and walk; he could tell Shona wore jeans, jackets and low shoes most the time, but she liked to wear high heels and short skirts at the weekend. The middle aged woman wandered in and out of the lift at all times of the day and night. The occupants of the other flat left in the morning and came back in the late afternoon. He called across to Tanya. ‘Time for lunch – there won’t be anything left to eat if we leave it much later.’

  ‘Is the DI around?’ Tanya asked.

  ‘You won’t find her anywhere near the canteen,’ Douglas said and stood up.

  ‘Where is everyone?’

  ‘Out and about or skiving.’

  *****

  When they returned from the canteen Douglas watched as Tanya began searching the video.

  ‘Have you found any interesting ones so far?’

  Tanya wrinkled her nose. ‘I have an odd one, I’d say from his clothes he’s an older man and he’s wearing a hat so no face on the video.’

  ‘Let’s have a look at him,’ Douglas said and leaned over Tanya’s shoulder at the scene as she searched for the day and then the time. Finally she found the correct starting and ran the scene forward slowly.

  Douglas instantly recognised the tall man in the dark overcoat and wide brimmed hat; he watched him walk out of the lift in slow motion and move towards the door of Annabel Sutherland’s flat. The actual door of the flat was just o
ut of shot, but he clearly wasn’t making for Shona’s door.

  ‘When does he leave?’

  ‘Roughly two hours later – do you want to watch that as well?’

  ‘Yes, I want to see if he goes straight to the lift,’ Douglas answered.

  Tanya consulted her list again and moved the video forward until she reached the time she’d noted. He saw the tall man enter from the right and slowly move to the lift and wait for the doors to open. Tanya increased the speed and Douglas saw the doors open and the man walk in and the doors close again.

  ‘The DI will want to see this – that’s Tony Doherty.’

  ‘But his face is covered by the hat all the time he’s on camera.’

  ‘Yep, that’s the point, he’s aware of the camera, most people aren’t. Run it back to the point where he leaves the lift. I’ll get the boss,’ Douglas said before going in search of Nicola.

  Nicola wasn’t convinced, but came nevertheless.

  Tanya started with the figure in the dark overcoat and wide brimmed hat going to the lift and ran the video back two hours to where the figure left the lift. ‘This man was in the flat for two hours and he made a visit at roughly the same time the week before.’

  Nicola asked her to run the sequence again. ‘Well, that certainly looks like Tony Doherty. Let’s see what comes from the stuff we sent for analysis, and if necessary we can send a SOCO into the flat to have a careful look for Doherty’s prints. And you two have to go back and ask Shona what she knew about her uncle’s visits.’

  *****

  An hour later Douglas and Tanya returned to the MIU without seeing Shona. He took out a coin and tossed it into the air. ‘Heads or tails?’

  Tanya chose tails and lost, knocked on the office door and waited for the call.

  ‘Come.’

  Tanya opened the door and entered.

  Nicola looked up. ‘Let me guess – Shona’s gone on a ten week holiday to Torremolinos and Douglas sent you to break the bad news.’

  ‘No, ma’am, but she wasn’t home.’

  ‘Hmm, see if you can find out what she was doing and tell Dougie he can swan off to the country.’ Seeing Tanya’s expression she added: ‘Lord Glendinning has a stately pile called Herreck House somewhere south of Edinburgh.’

  ‘Ma’am.’

  ‘OK, go tell him that he’s free until ten tomorrow morning.’

  *****

  Douglas opened the door of the flat – Susanne had finally given him a copy of the key. ‘Hi,’ he called out.

  ‘Good, you’re back in time,’ Susanne said. ‘I’m in the bedroom.’

  Douglas put his head round the door and saw Susanne in her white work underwear gazing intently in to the open wardrobe.

  ‘Trouble choosing?’ he asked.

  ‘It’s always a problem at mother’s – the outfit has to be right for the occasion.’

  ‘What do I wear?’

  ‘Black Tie this evening, casual the rest of the time.’

  ‘Jeans?’

  ‘Yes, if you must, my parents have reached the twentieth century if not the twenty-first.’

  ‘I’ll see if the moths have been at my Black Tie.’

  ‘I checked and its fine, now are you going to help me?’

  ‘The small black one.’

  ‘You haven’t even looked in the wardrobe.’

  ‘Its evening and we’re not doing anything outside so wear the short black one.’

  ‘Suppose my mother’s wearing black?’

  ‘You have better legs…more importantly, have you been in the shower?’

  ‘Yes, but don’t spend all day in there – we need to be off soon and you haven’t packed yet.’

  ‘Jawohl mien Furher,’ Douglas said and headed for the shower. He emerged twenty minutes later to find a pile of his clothes and a pair of black shoes arranged next to a brown leather holdall. A matching holdall sat on the floor next to the bedroom door.

  ‘Is this bag for my stuff?’ Douglas shouted to Susanne through the door.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And we’re taking your car.’

  ‘Yes, if we arrive in yours the neighbours will think Herreck House has a traveller problem.’

  Douglas checked that Susanne had remembered all the basics and stuffed all the clothes into the holdall. ‘How about I drive this time?’

  ‘OK, but if you’re caught on the speed cameras it will be points on your licence not mine.’

  ‘Fine, are we ready to go?’ Douglas asked and assuming Susanne’s move towards the front door was an affirmative he picked up the two bags and followed her.

  *****

  As they left the fifty limit on the M8 heading east Douglas sped up to seventy-five and relaxed – with the light traffic he judged the journey would only take forty minutes. He turned on the radio and the sound of an orchestra filled the car.

  ‘Can we have Clyde 8?’

  ‘You’re a Vandal? I like Sibelius.’

  ‘I don’t mind his Symphony Number 3 either, but I want to listen to the local news at seven.’

  Susanne reluctantly pressed the search button, found Radio 1. She pressed the button again and kept pressing until she found Clyde 8. She stored the station on the last available channel number on the radio. ‘It’s on channel sixteen if you ever need it again.’

  It was ten past seven by now and Douglas had missed most of the general news and the female newsreader was now reading the traffic news. He half listened to it until the last item:

  …the M80 is blocked southbound by an articulated lorry, which lost two wheels. The contents of the trailer – glass bottles, steel containers and machinery are still blocking all three lanes of the motorway. Clearing operations are likely to continue until the early hours of Sunday morning. The two occupants of the lorry are apparently unhurt and were reported running away from scene of the accident. Police have yet to trace them. Now over to…

  ‘You can turn back to the music now,’ Douglas said.

  ‘Was that worth all my effort?’

  ‘Yes it was, another piece of the puzzle has just fallen into place.’

  Susanne looked askance at him. ‘Ha, what exactly did you deduce from a traffic report?’

  ‘My dear Glendinning, it’s elementary.’

  ‘Don’t give me the great detective routine, Douglas; it was an accident – the sort of thing we have to deal with every day. At least they were able to run away, it’s when they can’t move it gets messy…and watch the road, I don’t want to be another accident statistic.’

  ‘Your first assumption is wrong, it wasn’t an accident, wheels don’t just come off lorries someone arranged for that to happen.’

  ‘Ha, how do you know that?’

  ‘The contents of the trailer were alcohol, flavouring, glass bottles and bottling machinery; and one of Tony Doherty’s men arranged for the wheels to come off.’

  ‘So you’re saying they crossed Doherty; why?’

  ‘The fact they ran away from the accident suggests they were doing something illegal and the contents of the lorry mean it’s the whisky scam.’

  ‘Oh, that one.’

  ‘They hire a factory unit every so often and set up their bottling plant. They run off whisky, gin, vodka, or whatever to order and they sold some of their product to one or more of Doherty’s pub’s without his knowledge; hence the accident.’

  ‘All right, I’ll give you that one. Now, concentrate on your driving…men can’t do two things at once.’

  A little less than forty minutes from starting out Douglas turned the car off the main road and after half a mile saw the entrance to the drive.

  ‘Park by the kitchen,’ Susanne said.

  Douglas carefully manoeuvred the car round the side of the house and parked near the kitchen towards the arch leading to the stables. He parked next to a battered old Land Rover.

  ‘Leave the bags for now,’ Susanne said.

  He wearily got out, locked the car and followed her towards th
e kitchen door.

  *****

  Tanya waited for the call standing by the window in her hotel room looking out at the lights of the city. This time he was only five minutes late and she answered it within two rings.

  ‘Vidak.’

  ‘Have they identified the body?’

  ‘Yes, they have a DNA match with items from Marcus Triffit’s flat.’

  ‘That’s some progress; do they know what he was doing?’

  ‘They have a good idea and they’re intending to trawl through his documents looking for evidence he found the Holy Grail.’

  ‘Who pointed them in that direction?’

  ‘A software man at the company by the name of James Cameron-Smythe.’

  Tanya waited a good thirty seconds for a reply. ‘We need to send in a clean-up team to Marcus’ apartment.’

  ‘They’ll need a large van – the computer he built is two metres high and three metres wide.’

  ‘They are experts at this…they will be in touch soon…if you would be so good as to liaise with them.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘And Ashburner?’

  ‘I’m sure he has some kind of relationship with Shona Doherty. The recordings show he was in her flat for over an hour before the two of them emerge.’

  ‘So…he was pumping her for information, she’s well connected.’

  ‘And during our visit she was very attentive to him and a little hostile to me.’

  ‘Did she, or he, try and conceal the evidence of his visit?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘That’s in his favour and a relationship with her wouldn’t necessarily count against him either, she has never been arrested for anything – not even a speeding offence.’

  ‘What about her job at the Blue Pelican Niteclub?’

  ‘She doesn’t work there; she’s a director of the holding company.’

  ‘The gossip is that she performed for him, showed him her tits, according to one Sergeant McCray.’

  ‘It seems to have worked.’

  ‘It could be entrapment.’

  ‘There are many types of entrapment – perhaps she wants to marry him?’

  ‘Would he marry her, sounds unlikely?’