Stranglehold

by Rena George

  'What about Rachel?' he said. 'Did she find the support she needed in the church?'

  Mandy's shoulders rose in a shrug. 'It was Angus who persuaded her in that direction. They knew each other from the bank. He was her boss.'

  'Angus is a Wee Free?' Rougvie asked.

  'Oh, didn't I say?' Mandy gave him a cold stare. 'Angus is an elder in the Free Church.'

  Twenty

  The two detectives sat in the car looking back at Mandy Stranger's house. 'What did you make of that?' Rougvie asked.

  'I detected a wee bit of prejudice.' Drummond smiled.

  'Yeah, she really doesn't like Angus, does she?'

  Drummond pursed his lips together. 'We don't know how much her opinion of the man affects her friendship with Rachel.' But he was getting a clearer insight into why Emily left home. He had detected no religious streak when the girl had been under his roof, so he could see why she would rebel against Angus McLeod's domineering ways. It didn't explain though why a respectably brought up schoolgirl had turned to prostitution – and drugs.

  'Where to now, guv?' Nick Rougvie asked.

  Drummond was tempted to suggest the pub, but he knew he wouldn't relax until they'd spoken to Emily's mate. He pulled his tattered notebook from his pocket and ran his eye over the scribbled notes he'd made when he'd first spoken to Rachel. 'According to her mother, Emily's friend, Iona Gant, is a student at the college here…the University of the Highlands and Islands she called it. Do you know it?'

  Rougvie nodded. 'The campus is out on the airport road. Do we know what course she's taking?'

  'Beauty? Is there such a course?'

  'I know students get offered plenty of choices, so probably,' Rougvie said.

  Drummond thought the University of the Highlands and Islands looked more like an international hotel as they walked into the reception area. Judging by Rougvie's purposeful stride to the information desk he clearly knew his way about the place. Both officers produced their warrant cards. The woman behind the desk gave them a cursory glance.

  'We'd like to see one of your students, Iona Grant,' Drummond said.

  The woman tapped into her computer and looked up at them. 'Is Iona Grant on our Beauty Care and Make-Up?'

  'Sounds about right,' Drummond said.

  The woman did some more tapping. 'Ah, here she is.' She adjusted her glasses. 'She should be in a class now. Do you want me to contact her?'

  'No, it's fine.' Drummond smiled. 'If you could just point us in the right direction.' The woman leaned across the desk and pointed to the lift. 'That department is on the second floor. You can't miss it.'

  She was right. They had walked into what looked like an oversized beauty salon. Everywhere they turned there were rows of chairs in front of mirrors, but not many students. In the absence of anyone official looking to ask, they just walked in. Drummond felt distinctly out of place in these female surroundings. A woman approached and asked if she could help them.

  'Iona Grant,' Drummond said, giving the woman a polite smile. 'Is she here?'

  The woman looked from one to the other. 'The receptionist downstairs told us to come up,' Rougvie explained.

  'OK,' the woman said slowly, her eyes still suspicious. 'Who shall I say wants her?'

  'Just tell her she has visitors,' Drummond said.

  The woman moved away, glancing back at them over her shoulder as she went.

  'I don't think she likes us,' Rougvie said, watching as she moved briskly away. They saw her stop and beckon for a young woman to join her. Their heads came together as though sharing a confidence. The newcomer looked up sharply and began to walk towards them.

  'I'm Iona Grant,' she said, her clear blue eyes narrowing. 'Do I know you?'

  Drummond and Rougvie produced their ID. 'We'd like a few words if that's OK,' Drummond said, doing his best to sound friendly.

  'Is this about Emily?'

  Drummond nodded. 'Emily's mum told us you were friends.'

  'Is Emily dead?'

  The detectives exchanged a glance. Drummond indicated they should move to a window where it was quiet. 'You haven't told me,' Iona persisted. 'Is she…is she dead?'

  Drummond's face stretched into a frown. 'I'm very sorry. Emily's stepfather identified her body yesterday.'

  Two large tears slid down the girl's freckled cheeks and she brushed them slowly away. 'I knew it. Poor Emily.'

  'Did you know her well?' Drummond asked.

  'She's my best friend.' She paused to correct herself. 'She was my best friend. We went to school together.' She glanced back to the beauty department where Drummond could see students involved in various stages of applying make-up to the faces of what appeared to be fellow student volunteers. 'We should have been doing this course together. That was the plan. We were supposed to graduate together.' Her voice broke and she looked away. 'We were going to open a salon in Inverness.'

  Drummond suppressed a sigh. What had been going on with Emily? She had a future all planned out for herself here in Inverness and yet she'd turned her back on it for a seedy existence in Glasgow's red-light zone. He wondered what Iona would say if she knew about this, but now wasn't the time to share it.

  'Have you any idea why she would go off as she did?'

  Iona shook her head and the single plait of brown hair swung. 'I was gutted when she left. She didn't tell me she was planning to do that.'

  'So, you had no contact with her after she left? No phone calls, text messages, letters?' Drummond asked.

  Tears welled in the girl's eyes as she shook her head. 'Nothing. I tried ringing her, but it sounded like she had disconnected her phone. Why would she go off without telling me? If she'd been in some kind of trouble, we could have talked it out…' Her voice trailed off.

  'And she'd never done anything like this before?' Rougvie cut in.

  'Emily had never gone off like that before, if that's what you mean. I know it's crazy, but at first I thought she must have been abducted.' She fished a screwed-up tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. 'I went to see her mother, Rachel. I wanted to know if they had reported Emily's disappearance to the police.'

  'And had they?' Rougvie asked.

  Iona flashed him a cross look. 'You must know they didn't. Emily's mum told me Mr McLeod said it wasn't necessary as Emily had texted her saying she was fine. Apparently, she told her mum she needed some space. She wanted time to think about her future and she needed to be on her own to do that.' She took a deep breath, steadying herself. 'It all sounded very iffy to me, but Rachel had the text on her phone, so I had to accept it. I was just miffed that she hadn't bothered to contact me too. I was her best friend after all. At least that's what I'd thought.'

  'Do you know if she contacted anyone else?'

  Iona shook her head. 'No idea.'

  'Did Emily have a boyfriend?' Drummond continued. He didn't think so, but he had to ask.

  Iona shrugged. 'Not that I knew about, well, nobody special, but after going off like she did, who knows?'

  Rougvie glanced at Drummond for permission to jump in again. He got the nod. 'Was Emily normally secretive?' he asked.

  Iona thought about that. 'I wouldn't say secretive. We did confide in each other, but if there was something she didn't want you to know she was very good at clamming up.'

  'Was there much Emily didn't tell you?'

  'How would I know if she didn't tell me?'

  Drummond turned his head away to hide his smile. She had a point. 'You said there was no particular boyfriend. Would you have known if there had been?'

  Iona gave a slight smile. 'I think I would have known.'

  'We'll need the names of the boys she was friendly with.'

  Iona raised an eyebrow. 'Emily didn't go for boys. It was older men she was into.'

  Drummond and Rougvie exchanged a look.

  'Like I said, there was nothing serious.' She slid Drummond a wary glance. 'I don't want to get anyone into trouble.'

  'Why would you think t
hat?' Rougvie asked.

  'The man I'm thinking of is married.'

  Drummond's eyes were glued to her face. 'We'll be discreet,' he said.

  Iona was still looking doubtful about whether she should say more. She gave a resigned sigh. 'He's a tutor here at the college.'

  Drummond and Rougvie waited, watching the girl swallow. She looked away, biting her bottom lip. 'You've probably already met him.'

  Drummond frowned. He hadn't met that many people in Inverness. His mind scrolled through the possibilities. And then he stopped, his insides contracting. Was she talking about Emily's stepfather? He was picturing him at the mortuary, the tears streaking down his cheeks as he stared at the girl's body. He'd thought it was grief, but could it have been more than that? But no, he wasn't a college tutor. The girl was talking about someone else.

  He squared his shoulders. 'Who was the man, Iona?'

  The girl's fist tightened around the ball of damp tissue. She hesitated, still unsure, before taking an unsteady breath. 'It was Ian Stranger,' she said. 'The McLeod's next-door neighbour…Mandy's husband.'

  Twenty-One

  The college receptionist showed a bit more interest when the officers returned to ask for Ian Stranger. She didn't need to check for his department. 'I know he's here,' she said. 'I saw him come in this morning.'

  Iona had told them she wasn't sure about the man's subject, but Drummond suspected she felt she'd said enough. He didn't push it.

  'You'll most likely find Mr Stranger in the cafe. He should be between classes at the moment,' the receptionist said.

  The appetizing smell of freshly brewed coffee reached them as they entered the cafe. About half of the tables were occupied. The detectives scanned the room.

  'What about that chap on his own over by the window?' Rougvie suggested.

  Drummond nodded. It was as good a place as any to start.

  The man looked up as they approached. If this was Mandy Stranger's husband, he was considerably younger than her.

  'Mr Stranger?' Drummond enquired. The man looked up, frowning. 'Who's asking?'

  Drummond and Rougvie showed their IDs. Neither of them missed the immediate flash of unease that crossed the man's grey eyes. He blinked. 'How can I help you?'

  Both men sat down. 'It's about Emily Ross,' Drummond said. 'I understand you knew her.'

  'Emily?'

  'Your next-door neighbour.'

  'Yes, I knew Emily.'

  'What can you tell us about her disappearance?'

  The colour drained from Ian Stranger's face. He looked genuinely shocked. 'I don't know anything about Emily's disappearance. Why are you asking me?'

  Drummond gave him a scathing look. 'You know why we're asking you, Mr Stranger.' He paused. 'Did your wife know you were having an affair with a seventeen-year-old girl…with the daughter of her best friend in fact?'

  Stranger sprang to his feet. 'What are you talking about? Of course, Emily and I weren't having an affair.'

  Drummond waved him back down. 'Please stay calm, Mr Stranger, and tell us just what your relationship with Emily Ross was.'

  'We were friends, that's all.'

  Drummond and Rougvie exchanged a deliberate look. 'Friends?' Drummond repeated. 'We heard it was a bit more than that.'

  'Look, I don't know who you've been talking to but–'

  'Emily Ross is dead, Mr Stranger, and we're investigating the circumstances, so believe me it's not in your interest to mess us about.'

  Stranger pushed a nervous hand over his hair, his eyes darting around the room. They were attracting attention from some of the other customers. 'Can we take a walk?' he asked.

  'Good idea,' Drummond said. 'You lead the way.'

  There was a small lake in the landscaped grounds of the university and the three men strolled across to it.

  'Emily's parents are already devastated by what's happened. If you suggest to them there was anything untoward going on between us it would kill Rachel,' Ian Stranger said.

  'I don't expect your wife would be exactly happy either, knowing you were in a relationship with Emily,' Rougvie said.

  Stranger swung round to glare at him. 'This isn't about me. I've done nothing wrong. Why don't you believe me? Emily and I were not having an affair.'

  Drummond faced up to him. 'So why do you think people were getting that impression?'

  Stranger stared out across the water. 'People like to gossip, but they got us all wrong. Emily and I were friends, that's all.' He nodded back to the building. 'It's impossible for paths not to cross in there. We all use the cafe. If Emily spotted me at one of the tables, she would join me. There was nothing wrong with that. I think she liked the idea of confiding in an older man.'

  'Confiding?' Drummond's ears pricked up. 'What did she confide to you?'

  Ian Stranger dragged his eyes back to the detective. 'Emily wasn't happy…at home I mean. She didn't get on with her stepfather.' Drummond waited, aware that they might learn more if the man was not interrupted. 'Angus McLeod rules the roost in that family. He imposes his will on them like he's running some kind of army camp.' Stranger pulled a face. 'And all that praying. It's not right. Emily hated it and I didn't blame her.'

  They walked on in silence as the detectives waited for him to continue, but the man seemed to have said all he was going to.

  'Did Emily suggest her stepfather was violent?' Drummond asked.

  'Not to her. Emily was no shrinking violet. If Angus had touched her, she would have given back as good as she got.' Drummond concealed a sad smile. He was remembering how fiery the girl could be. 'But I think he was abusing Rachel, at least that's what Mandy thought.'

  'Do you or your wife have any proof of this?' Rougvie asked.

  Stranger frowned. 'No, but then who knows what goes on behind closed doors.'

  The more they listened to the man the more Drummond was inclined to believe him. He didn't think Stranger had been having an affair with Emily. 'Did you know Emily was planning to run away?'

  Stranger shook his head. 'If she'd said anything, I would have tried to persuade her not to do that, but she didn't.'

  'Were you surprised when she left?'

  The man screwed up his face. 'Yes and no. I'm not sure. Emily could be unpredictable. She liked to shock people. I wondered if it was a gesture and she'd been trying to teach someone a lesson, her stepfather maybe.'

  From what they'd heard, that was a distinct possibility. But Drummond didn't believe the girl he'd known as Evie would have left her mother in a situation of harm. Unless of course she didn't know Angus had been abusing Rachel.

  He wondered why Stranger had said nothing about Emily's drug habit. They'd turned and were heading back to the college building. 'Was Emily taking drugs?'

  The man looked genuinely shocked. 'No, of course not.'

  'Why are you so sure?' Rougvie asked.

  The man paused, thinking about this. He frowned. 'I think I would have known if Emily had been taking drugs. I saw no sign of it.' He pulled a face. 'Anyway, her stepfather would never have allowed it.'

  'OK,' Drummond said. 'Thank you for your help. We won't detain you any longer.'

  'What happens now?' Stranger asked. 'Will you be going to see my wife?'

  Drummond's mouth was a hard line. 'I think it's you who needs to speak to your wife, Mr Stranger, not us.'

  Stranger swallowed. 'Yes, you're right. I'll do that.' He met Drummond's stare. 'Emily and I really were just friends, you know.'

  Drummond nodded. 'Thanks for your time, sir.'

  They watched him walk back through the campus.

  'What did you make of that, sir? Did you believe him?' Rougvie asked.

  Drummond pulled a face. 'Probably,' he said. 'But he's not off the hook yet. Maybe you could find a reason to pay him another visit after I leave? Nothing heavy, I just want him to know he's still in our sights.'

  'Will do.' Rougvie nodded. They'd returned to the car and were heading back to the city. 'Is it back to the
nick, sir?'

  'Are you kidding?' Drummond gave him a sideways look. 'I'm depending on your local knowledge to find us the best pint in town.'

  Rougvie's face split into a wide grin. 'I know just the place,' he said.

  The pub Rougvie took them to was on the edge of Inverness, on the road to Dingwall. It felt homely and just far enough away from the city centre for Rougvie to be confident they were unlikely to bump into any of his colleagues.

  'Not bad,' Drummond said appreciatively, taking a sip from his pint. He thought better with a glass in his hand. He liked this place.

  Rougvie was watching him. 'We're right on the edge of the firth here. There's an old fishing village just behind the pub on the other side of the railway line. It's another world down there. You'd never think you were still in Inverness.'

  Drummond nodded. He was beginning to feel quite mellow.

  Rougvie straightened the beer mat under his pint. 'Look, tell me if I'm speaking out of turn, but I've been following this strangler business in Glasgow ever since your first call.' He hesitated. 'Is it my imagination or is there something else going on with Emily Ross?'

  'Something else?' Drummond frowned.

  'Well, if what I've read is right, the circumstances of Emily's death were different from the other murders. For a start the others were hookers.' He looked at Drummond and when he didn't respond he went on. 'And she was the strangler's second victim that night. He's never killed twice in the one night.'

  'Not until that night,' Drummond said. 'It doesn't mean he won't be trying to do that again.'

  Rougvie put down his empty glass and stared at it. 'Multiple murders in the same night? It doesn't fit the profile of killers like this.' He shook his head. 'No, I don't buy it.'

  Drummond leaned back and his chair creaked. 'OK. Tell me your theory then.'

  'I'm still thinking about it,' Rougvie said, standing up and nodding to Drummond's empty glass. 'Refill?'

  Drummond handed him the glass. 'Thanks,' he said, watching him going to the bar. He was thinking about what Rougvie had said, his mind scrolling back to the night in the dark alley when he stood staring down at Emily's body. She had been Evie to him back then. He grimaced. What the hell – Emily…Evie? What difference did it make? She was still dead.