by M C Beaton
Olivia drove up to the peat bog several miles up on the moors outside the town. “Get out!” she ordered her brother. “The brake isn’t on. Help me push.”
“But she wasn’t dead!” cried Charles.
“She soon will be! Push!”
There was an incline down to the peat bog. They both pushed hard and the car gathered momentum until the front pointed down into the bog and began to sink.
“Right,” said Olivia. “Let’s go. We’ll let ourselves into the house the back way so no one sees us. If they don’t have a body, they can’t do anything to us.”
But the front of the car struck a large rock sunk in the peat bog and stopped sinking.
In the boot, Hannah recovered consciousness.
Shepherd Diarmuid Burns, walking back across the moors with his sheepdog at his heels, heard a faint cry coming from the direction of the peat bog. He saw the car upended and heard cries coming from the boot. He knew if he went up to the car, he might sink in the bog. He took out his mobile and urgently called the emergency services, saying to bring ladders as someone was in the boot of a car in the peat bog. He then shouted to whoever was trapped in the car that help was coming.
Hamish got a message from Strathbane, roused Dick Fraser, jumped in his Land Rover, and set off for Braikie with the siren howling.
Charles Palfour, crouched at the end of his bed, heard the sound of that siren. He knew he should wake his sister. Olivia had taken a sleeping pill. Then the thought of actually being caught and arrested came to him on a wave of relief. He hoped against hope it was all over and he could be free of his sister at last.
When Hamish arrived on the scene, the Braikie fire brigade had put a ladder across the bog and a fireman was cautiously crawling along it to the car. The fireman popped the lid of the boot. On a rise above the peat bog, Hamish saw the white face of Hannah Fleming.
Another ladder was produced. Two ambulances had arrived on the scene. A paramedic crawled along the second ladder, and he and the fireman gently drew Hannah out of the car. Together, the ladders side by side, they carried Hannah to safety.
“What happened, Hannah?” asked Hamish, noticing the dried blood matting her hair.
“I was at the Palfours’,” she said. “I was trying to help you.” Then she lost consciousness.
Hamish dialled Jimmy. “I’m up at Braikie. Those Palfours have tried to kill Hannah Fleming. They hit her on the head, stuffed her in the boot of her car, and dumped the car in a peat bog. It didn’t sink. Send backup fast.”
It was a long night. Charles and Olivia Palfour were arrested and charged with the attempted murder of Hannah Fleming.
Then Charles confessed that they had murdered the Russian, Andronovitch, and they were charged with that murder as well.
Olivia said nothing. Her eyes were glazed. Superintendent Daviot said they should wait for the results of a psychiatrist before questioning her further.
Jimmy took Hamish and Dick aside. “Look, Hamish,” he said urgently, “you’re going to be in trouble. When Hannah’s judged fit enough to speak, Blair himself is going to interrogate her and it’ll all come out about you having spent the night with her. He’ll get you suspended for starters.”
Dick slid quietly away. He usually masked his intelligence under a show of lethargy, but now his brain was working overtime. He knew Blair was always looking for an excuse to shut down the police station. It would mean the end of the best job he’d had in his life. He loved his usually lazy days and the comfort of the police station. He phoned up the manager of the Tommel Castle Hotel. “Hamish is in trouble,” he said. “I wasnae at the hotel. I spent the night at the police station as usual.”
“Why…?”
“Just do it.”
Dick headed for Strathbane hospital at the same time as a policeman arrived carrying a large handbag. “It’s that Hannah female’s bag,” said the policeman. “She’s been screaming for it.”
“I’ve got orders to see her about something,” said Dick. “I’ll take it up to her.”
“Grand.”
Dick seized the handbag and went into the hospital. He easily gained access to the private room where Hannah was lying.
“Oh, my handbag,” she cried. “Will the press be here? I must fix my face.”
Dick pulled a chair up to the bed and said in a low voice, “You’re about to lose Hamish his job. If it gets out that he spent the night with you, he’s toast.”
“Oh, poor Hamish. I won’t say anything. Hold that mirror for me.”
“You’d better say you had read that case about the Palfours and decided to have a look at them for yourself—nothing to do with Hamish. Keep him out of it.”
“But Hamish and I are sweethearts.”
Dick cunningly eyed the make-up repairs going on and all the lipstick, eye shadow, and mascara now spread out over the bed.
“Och, a beauty like you doesn’t want to waste your time on a village bobby,” he said. “You’ll be on telly, a beauty like you. You could be in films. This could be your big break.”
This went straight to Hannah’s narcissistic soul. Her eyes widened. “You think so?”
“I know so. I mean, look at Hamish. He’s aye avoided promotion. He’s no’ going anywhere up the ladder. You’ll be stuck in a police station during the long winters. Nothing to do. Thought o’ that?”
“But poor Hamish will be so hurt if I dump him!”
“Not as hurt as he’ll be if he loses his job. When Detective Chief Inspector Blair arrives to question you, you’re to say that Hamish put you up for the night and slept in a bed in the cell.”
The door opened and a doctor and nurse walked in. “What are you doing here, Constable?” the doctor demanded. “The patient must rest.”
“Just a wee interview,” said Dick. “Does she need an operation?”
“Fortunately not,” said the doctor. “Her head must be like iron. But she must have peace and quiet to recover from a concussion. Aren’t you supposed to be on guard outside the door?”
“Oh, aye,” said Dick, making his retreat.
As Dick left, he glanced back down the corridor and saw the policeman who was supposed to be on guard returning, carrying a cardboard container of coffee.
He only hoped the doctor thought one policeman looked like another.
Hamish wondered what on earth had happened to Dick. But Dick was back in Lochdubh, having hitched a lift, and doing what he did best: manipulating and gossiping about how Hannah had been ruthlessly chasing after Hamish but he had turned her down, being too good a member of the police force to have an affair with the sister of a suspect. Hannah had lured him into having dinner with her by saying she had important information on the murders, which, it turned out, she did not. Then she had said she was too drunk to drive and poor Hamish had to put her up for the night and sleep in the cell. Dick had taken a staff room at the Tommel Castle Hotel, next to the kitchen, and only the manager had seen him come and go. And so, when questioned by Blair, Dick was able to claim that he had been at the police station on the night in question and that nothing had taken place between Hamish and Hannah.
Hamish waited uneasily for the axe to fall. Jimmy called on him that evening. “I don’t know what happened,” he said, “but Blair is fit to bust. Hannah Fleming says you put her up at the station because she had too much to drink and you had to sleep in the cell. Dick sent over a memo to that effect.”
“I would ha’ thought Blair would be too busy grilling the Palfours to bother about her,” said Hamish.
“Oh, he was so carried away wi’ the idea of getting rid of you that it fair went to his head,” said Jimmy. “I looked in on the lassie myself. She gave me this note for you.”
Hamish gingerly opened the sealed envelope. Hannah had written: “Dear Hamish, I was drunk and made a bad mistake. Please forget all about it and don’t tell anyone. Hannah.”
Hamish passed the note to Jimmy, who read it and chortled, “You’re dumped! Just as wel
l.”
“So what about the Palfours?” asked Hamish.
“Charles is singing like a canary. Olivia’s got a lawyer and says it was in self-defence.”
“Think a jury will go for that?”
“Could do. Andronovitch was responsible for the death of her parents. He was a Russian mobster. Charles is begging to be kept in prison. He’s now terrified of his sister. Anyway, it’s back to our own murders.”
Chapter Five
Rarely do great beauty and great virtue live together.
—Petrarch
A month went past after the arrest of the Palfours. Hamish haunted Cnothan, questioning and questioning, hoping always to find someone who would admit to having seen anything of importance.
He could only be glad that Hannah had left for Glasgow. He felt ashamed of his reaction to her fake appearance and certainly did not want to see her again.
In between his investigations, he often wondered why there had been no news of Elspeth Grant’s marriage to her boss, Barry Dalrymple.
He would have been amazed had he known that Elspeth often thought of him.
Elspeth Grant’s engagement to Barry had fizzled out. At first, at the height of their romance, it had seemed as if they were soul mates. Then gradually, it began to appear that they had little in common. Elspeth could not help marking the relief on Barry’s face when she handed back her engagement ring.
She had a new worry to occupy her thoughts. She had been secure in her job as Strathclyde’s main television news presenter. She presented the news at the important slots of the day—the one o’clock news and the six o’clock news. But she felt a rival had cropped up to threaten her position.
Hannah Fleming’s beauty had so impressed the television executives that they had hired her to present a children’s programme, screened twice weekly at five o’clock in the afternoon.
Her beauty and her lilting highland accent captivated the viewers—and Barry Dalrymple as well.
To Elspeth’s dismay, Hannah was suddenly promoted to news presenter, taking over the early-morning and evening slots.
Elspeth was often at war with her own ambition. She often wished she could throw the whole business over and return to her undemanding job as local reporter in Lochdubh. It wasn’t only ambition, she thought ruefully, but money. She was earning a top salary and had become used to the comforts that had brought her. She loved her apartment overlooking the Clyde. She enjoyed buying new clothes without looking at the price.
So that when Barry ordered her to go north to do a feature on the murders, her heart sank. Hannah was to take over until her return. In vain did Elspeth protest that the story was dead. There had been no breakthrough in the murders.
She found herself gloomily taking the road to the Highlands complete with crew of researcher, soundman, and cameraman.
Hamish Macbeth had learned of her imminent arrival from the manager of the Tommel Castle Hotel who had taken a booking of the crew.
He was waiting for Elspeth in the car park when she arrived.
Elspeth’s heart gave a lurch when she saw him. He looked the same as ever with his flaming red hair, hazel eyes, and tall figure.
For his part, Hamish felt he would never get used to the new Elspeth. The old Elspeth had worn thrift shop clothes and had frizzy hair. The new Elspeth had straightened hair and was expensively dressed.
“The other press have all gone,” said Hamish. “What brings you?”
“Wait until I check in,” said Elspeth. “We’ll have a drink and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Seated in a corner of the hotel bar half an hour later, Hamish said, “You look worried. What’s up?”
So Elspeth told him all about the ambitions of Hannah Fleming, ending by saying, “My boss is fascinated by her.”
“Aren’t you going to marry him?”
“No. That fell through.”
“Why?”
“Mind your own business, Hamish. Now, about these murders. I feel this is all a waste of space unless you have any idea of the identity of the murderer.”
“You know what Cnothan’s like, Elspeth. It’s impossible to get anyone to speak.” His face brightened. “Wait a bit. With you being a television star and all, they might talk to you. You could be a great help.”
“I’ll try. Tell me what you’ve got so far.”
As Hamish talked, Elspeth took notes.
At last she closed her iPad and looked at him with her odd silvery grey eyes. “All I can do is ask a lot of questions and hope someone will tell me something they didn’t tell you. I don’t want to be up here very long. Did you know Hannah Fleming?”
Hamish looked at her and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I took her out for dinner one evening, but she drank a bit too much so I had to give her a bed at the police station.”
“But isn’t she the sister of a suspect?”
“Yes, but she isn’t one herself, having been in Glasgow when it all happened.”
“You must have talked to her about the Palfours. Is that why she decided to play detective?”
“Must have been,” mumbled Hamish.
“That one seems to take men over everywhere she goes,” said Elspeth acidly. “I find her quite dull. But men never seem to look beyond the outward appearance. She’ll probably end up someone’s trophy wife.”
“Is Barry into trophies?”
“Hardly, since he was once engaged to me.”
“Your personality is better than any beauty, Elspeth.”
“Meaning I’m plain? You certainly know how to turn a nice compliment.”
“You know what I mean,” roared Hamish, turning almost as red as his hair.
Elspeth stood up. “I’d better get to work.”
She marched out and Hamish sadly watched her go.
Elspeth decided to start at the pub where Morag claimed she had been drugged. It was late afternoon, and there were only a few customers. Stolly Maguire, the barman, beamed at her. “Not often we get a celebrity in here,” he said. “It’s on the house. What’ll you have? A wee dram?”
“Nothing for me.” Elspeth slid a ten-pound note over the bar. “But have one yourself.”
“Very kind. I’ll hae one later.”
“You look like a very intelligent man,” said Elspeth. “On the night Morag Merrilea claimed she was drugged, can you remember anyone who was in the pub?”
A blank look wiped out the welcome from his face. “The polis have asked and asked, miss. But to tell the truth, I cannae mind anyone in particular. Just the usual crowd.”
“But when she went to the toilet, did you see anyone approach her table?”
“Och, you know how tall Sutherland men are. The place was busy and I couldnae see over the heads to see who was doing what.”
Elspeth turned her attention to the customers in the bar. She diligently began to question one after the other, but no one claimed to have seen anything.
She was used to people being bowled over by her celebrity, but the customers in the pub actually seemed to resent her. At last she gave up and went outside, checking her notes, and deciding to visit the factory.
To her disappointment, she was told that the boss, Harry Gilchrist, was in London. She checked her notes and asked if the personnel manager was available.
Soon Pete Eskdale was vigorously shaking her hand and saying what an honour it was to meet her. But a cautious look came into his eyes when Elspeth began to question him about the hiring of Morag Merrilea.
“I’ve told the police all about that,” he said. “I had to check Morag out in London first to see whether she would be suitable. It’s all my fault. I should have given Stacey her notice on my return. That’s why Mr. Gilchrist felt obliged to give the lassie some sort of payoff.”
“Does he have a new secretary?”
“I’m still looking around.”
“So what does he do for a secretary in the meantime?”
“We rotate girls from the typing pool.”
“Do you still have a typing pool in these computer days?”
“Och, it’s just an old-fashioned name that’s stuck.” He glanced at his watch and affected a stagey look of surprise. “Goodness! Is that the time? Got to rush. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
Elspeth left the factory and sat down on a bench outside. She had become used to people asking for her autograph, but as she had walked back through the factory, heads were bent and eyes averted from her.
There must be one person in Cnothan who might tell her what was going on. She thought back to her local reporting days and remembered the minister of the Church of Scotland in Cnothan as being an amiable man.
She drove up to the manse and knocked at the door. The minister, John Gordon, answered the door himself and looked at her in surprise. “Is it yourself, Elspeth? Come in.”
He was a tall, cadaverous man with thinning grey hair and stooped shoulders. He led the way into his study, a gloomy room lined with old books.
“Have a seat,” he said. “Tea?”
“Nothing for me,” said Elspeth. “Mr. Gordon, what’s going on in Cnothan? No one seems to want to talk to me at that factory. It’s like being in Soviet Russia. Are people afraid to talk about the murder?”
“I think it’s because of the recession,” said Mr. Gordon.
“What’s the recession got to do with murder?”
“It’s been a sink of unemployment up here. Gilchrist opens the factory and suddenly, it seems, there are jobs for lots of people. So if folks are told not to talk to anyone about the late Morag Merrilea, they won’t, for fear of being back on the dole.”
“Do you think Gilchrist has something to hide?”
“I shouldn’t think so. He’s a good member of my church and seems to be a devout man. But the factory is his baby. He doesn’t want any adverse publicity.”
