by M C Beaton
Hamish leapt over the nearest garden hedge and crouched down. “Come on, Elspeth,” he heard George say. “What about coming back to Inverness? You could maybe get a job on the Courier.”
“I might at that,” Elspeth replied. “This is a bit of a dead-alive hole. Nothing ever happens here.”
Except two murders, thought Hamish bitterly.
A voice behind him made him jump. “What are you doing in my garden, Hamish Macbeth!”
Nessie Currie stood looking down at him, her arms folded across her aproned chest.
Hamish straightened up and handed her the large box of chocolates. “I wanted to surprise you. These are for you.”
“Oh, Hamish. Thank you. I never guessed. I mean, an old woman like me. Mind you, there was this interesting article in Elle magazine about summer-winter relationships…”
“Nessie!” called her sister. “What is happening out there, out there?”
“Nothing,” called Nessie. She winked at Hamish and smiled roguishly. “Let it be our secret.”
Hamish let out a squawk of alarm and jumped back over the hedge and headed away as fast as he could.
He went straight to the Brodies’ cottage. Angela let him in. “What’s up, Hamish? You’re all flustered. Come in.”
“You’ve got to help me, Angela. I’m in a right mess.”
He followed her into the kitchen and told her about his meeting with Nessie Currie. Angela laughed until the tears streamed down her cheeks.
When she had finished laughing, Hamish said, “How do I get out of it?”
“I don’t think this Elspeth is having a romance with this George person. Yes, he’s staying with her, but she’s got a female friend staying there as well. I would watch until he leaves and then go and tell Elspeth what happened. Ask her to look like your girlfriend to help you out. That way Nessie will feel she’s been jilted for a young woman, and as she thinks you’re a Lothario anyway, she’ll only be nasty for a bit. Then with Elspeth playing at your girlfriend, you’ll get to know her better and it might turn into the real thing.”
“I’ll try.”
“His car’s a Volvo, parked outside her flat. I’ll let you know if I see him leave.”
Angela phoned at lunchtime the following day to say that she had just seen George loading an overnight bag into the Volvo and drive off. He had Elspeth’s girlfriend with him.
Hamish was about to leave the police station when he saw Nessie heading purposefully in his direction. He ran up the back way, vaulting over dry stone walls, across muddy fields, and so in a large circle and then back down into the village again.
He ran to the newspaper office. Sam said that Elspeth was over in Drim, covering a concert, but was expected back at any moment.
Hamish waited and waited. The light was fading fast. The sun went down about two in the afternoon, now the winter nights had set in.
At last he saw her car driving up outside and rushed out to meet her.
“Hamish,” said Elspeth. “Are you waiting for me?”
“Yes, I need to talk to you.”
“Can it wait until I’ve typed out my report?”
“Yes, I’ll wait for you. Don’t be long.”
Hamish sat down in the reception area of the newspaper office. It was great to finally take action. Time to go on living. After an hour, she came out. “Now what is it?”
“Let’s walk a bit and I’ll explain.”
They went outside. There was a full moon, and the black sky was thick with stars.
“It’s like this, Elspeth,” said Hamish, stopping and looking down at her.
“You’re so serious. Not another murder?”
“God forbid. No, I’ve done something daft. You see…”
“Hamish!” cooed a voice.
He stiffened. There was Nessie Currie leering up at him. “I left a casserole for you on the kitchen step…darling,” she said. “Come along.”
Elspeth stared at Hamish.
“Can’t it wait, Nessie?” he said desperately.
“No, come quickly before Jessie sees us.” She hooked a surprisingly powerful arm in his and began to drag him away.
Hamish twisted his head back and looked at Elspeth.
“Hamish Macbeth,” she said clearly, “you’re weird.”
THE END
