Death of a Village (8 page)

Hamish swung round and said to Jamie, ‘I hear you’re getting married. Do you know she is already married?’

‘We’re getting married just as soon as her divorce comes through,’ said Jamie.

Hamish looked at Bella. ‘Have you applied for a divorce?’

‘She hasn’t had the courage to face that beast yet. The way he treated her!’ exclaimed Jamie.

Hamish stood up. ‘You’ll be hearing from the RSPCA, Bella. Jamie, a word with you outside.’

Jamie walked outside into the garden and then turned and faced Hamish. ‘Why the hell are you persecuting the poor girl?’

‘I am here to warn you, laddie,’ said Hamish. ‘Listen to me, and listen to me carefully. Bella is a husband beater. If you don’t believe me, you should go talk to her
husband ower in Lochdubh. She’s a dangerous woman and has a police record for assault.’

Jamie looked at him arrogantly. ‘She told me everything, about how that Sean twisted everything to make it look as if she was the guilty one. I love her, and nothing you can say will make
me change my mind.’

‘She is one o’ the best liars I’ve ever come across,’ said Hamish. ‘Have you any money?’

‘What?’

‘Are you comfortably off?’

Jamie looked at him, puzzled. ‘I’m a canny man and I’ve a bit put by. My mother died last year and left me a good bit.’

‘Then hang on to it or that one will clean you out. And do me a favour. Don’t make a will.’

‘I’ve a good mind to report you for slander!’

‘Go ahead,’ said Hamish wearily. He fished in his tunic pocket. ‘Here’s my card. If you need any help, call me.’

Jamie ripped up the card and threw the pieces on the ground, then turned on his heel and marched back into the house.

Hamish climbed back into the Land Rover and looked at Lugs. ‘I’ve done my best,’ he said. ‘What else can I do?’

Back at the station, he sent a report to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He felt he was wasting his time. Once they had heard Bella’s
fictitious story about the savage dog, they would decide they had not enough to take her to court. Sean could protest for all his worth that the animal had been gentle. He hadn’t been there
when the dog was killed. Bella could argue that the dog had turned vicious because of the absence of its master. And the police had dropped the case.

The kitchen door opened and he heard Jimmy Anderson’s voice shouting, ‘Anyone home?’

Hamish went out to join him. Jimmy was holding a full bottle of whisky.

‘Where did you get that on the Sabbath?’ asked Hamish.

‘The Tommel Castle Hotel. I told the manager to put it on your bill.’

‘I don’t have a bill at the hotel!’

‘Well, you do now. Pour us a dram.’

‘After all the whisky of mine you’ve drunk, you might at least pay for some.’

Jimmy gave his foxy grin. ‘If it weren’t for me, you wouldnae have any inside information about anything.’

Hamish lifted down two glasses from the kitchen cupboard and set them on the table. Both men sat down. Jimmy poured a large measure for himself and a small one for Hamish.

‘How can cops go around arresting people for driving over the limit,’ complained Hamish, ‘when a detective stinks o’ booze?’

‘Stop grumbling, drink up, and listen. It wasnae a sophisticated bomb. It was a fertilizer bomb.’

‘But the IRA use those.’

‘Aye, but it does point to the locals. The blast was caused just as much by the major’s Calor gas tanks exploding as from the bomb. You know the major, don’t you?’

‘Only ever had a few words with him. Pleasant enough man,’ Hamish commented.

‘All the cops and me can get out of the locals is that it was caused by the wrath of God. They say the major and his summer guests were in the way of having wild parties, full of loose
harlots and drugs.’

‘My my. Loose harlots! Is that exactly what they said?’

‘Of course. You don’t think I would put it that way. In vain did we point out that the major’s friends, all upstanding middle-aged and elderly citizens, were nothing like that;
they all just look stubborn and refuse to say anything else.’

‘I can’t understand this religious mania. I went to one of Mackenzie’s sermons and there’s nothing violent or rabble-rousing in them.’

‘Maybe he toned it down because you were in the congregation.’

‘I don’t think so. I’ve got leave owing me. I might go up and live there for a week. If I was actually amongst them, one of them might crack and tell me something.’

‘You going to clear it with Blair?’

‘Not on your life. So what other news?’

‘Nothing more except it’s got the major out of Sutherland. He’ll collect the insurance and he says he’ll get somewhere down in Perthshire where folks are civilized. He
thinks it’s this anti-English mania.’

‘Could be. By the way, I found the horrible Bella Comyn. She’s living over in Bonar Bridge with a new victim. She’s going to divorce Sean and marry this one.’ Hamish told
Jimmy more about his visit.

‘We’ll soon be searching the peatbogs for that one,’ said Jimmy. ‘I’ll be off.’ He stood up, screwed the top back on the whisky bottle, and made to put it in
his pocket.

‘Don’t you dare,’ said Hamish wrathfully. ‘I paid for that hooch, so here it stays. And buy your own usquebae next time!’

The following day Hamish decided to try the Bain family once more. This time he saw what must surely be Harry Bain, digging at a flower bed in the front garden.

‘Mr Bain?’

‘Aye. What’s up?’

He was a small man with rounded shoulders and long arms. His thick hair was black and curly and sat on top of his head like a wig. His eyes were light grey and narrow in his weather-beaten
face.

‘You’ve heard about the major’s cottage being blown up?’

‘Aye, that was a bad business.’

‘What’s going on in Stoyre? What’s all this religious business?’

He turned away and picked up the spade which he had thrust into the earth when he had seen Hamish. ‘I don’t know nothing about that,’ said Harry. ‘We aye kept ourselves
to ourselves.’

‘So why did you move here?’

‘Stoyre’s a bit remote.’

‘Lochdubh is hardly the bright lights o’ the city.’

‘The school’s better here. The lassie wasnae learning quick enough.’

‘You must have noticed something,’ said Hamish impatiently. ‘You’re hiding something.’

‘There’s nothing to hide,’ he snapped. ‘Haven’t you any criminals to catch?’

‘Yes, I have. For a start, there are the criminals who blew up the major’s cottage.’

‘I cannae help you there. Now, can I get on wi’ my work?’

Defeated, Hamish walked off. He returned to the police station and collected his dog and drove off to Strathbane. He called at police headquarters to arrange for a week’s leave and met
Superintendent Daviot on the stairs. ‘What brings you here?’ asked Daviot.

‘I’m owed a few days off, sir,’ said Hamish.

‘At such a time? Still, I suppose with everyone from the antiterrorist squad to Blair going over what happened at Stoyre, you won’t be needed. Get Sergeant Macgregor at Cnothan to
cover your beat.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘When will you be leaving?’

Hamish thought quickly. He should give things a couple of weeks to settle down. If he went to Stoyre right away, Blair would still be there and Blair would interfere with any investigation.
‘In two weeks’ time, sir.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘I might visit my cousin in Dornoch,’ said Hamish, his hazel eyes taking on that limpid look they always got when he was lying.

‘Have a nice time. How is Miss Halburton-Smythe?’

But Hamish did not want to discuss the once love of his life who was now set to marry someone else.

‘Fine.’ He touched his cap and moved up the stairs.

His business at police headquarters having been settled, Hamish went to the estate agent and rented the same cottage that Sean had stayed in. They gave him the keys, saying
that no one else would want to rent anywhere in Stoyre at the moment.

On his return to Lochdubh, Hamish called on Sean Comyn to tell the crofter about his meeting with Bella. ‘I hope she does ask me for a divorce,’ said Sean. ‘But I’m not
paying her a penny.’

‘I don’t think you’ll have to,’ said Hamish. ‘She wouldn’t want her criminal record exposed in court. Why the deer fences?’ He pointed to where a new
section of deer fence stood at the beginning of a field.

‘There’s no money in the sheep at all,’ mourned Sean. ‘I’m going to try the deer.’

‘Good luck to you.’ Hamish turned away.

‘If you hear anything more about Bella, let me know,’ called Sean.

‘Will do.’

When Hamish arrived at the police station, it was to find Elspeth waiting for him. ‘Is this a friendly visit?’ he asked. ‘Or are you after news?’

‘I just heard from Mrs Wellington that Bella had been sighted over at Bonar Bridge.’

‘Come in and have a cup of tea and I’ll tell you about it.’

Elspeth listened carefully while Hamish made a pot of tea. When they were sitting at the kitchen table, she said, ‘I somehow can’t see Bella just asking for a divorce without getting
something out of it.’

‘She can’t really do anything. Like I was saying to Sean, she probably knows that her previous criminal record would come out in court.’

‘So he’ll be all right.’ Elspeth took a sip of tea. ‘That is, unless he’s made a will in her favour.’

‘What?’

‘If he’s made a will in her favour, then he should change it pronto and let her know.’

‘You don’t think she’d do anything to him?’

‘Why not? She hammered that dog to death. She’s got a new lover who’ll probably swear blind she was with him the whole time if she did anything to Sean.’

‘Maybe I’d better tell him to alter his will,’ said Hamish slowly.

‘Do it now.’

Hamish went through to the office and dialled Sean’s number. There was no reply. He returned to the kitchen. ‘Not there. He’s changing over to deer and building fences.
He’s probably out in the fields.’

‘Well, run over there and see him.’

‘Elspeth. You’re panicking. Bella’s got a new patsy and he seems to have money. She’ll be happy with that.’

Her gypsy eyes surveyed him. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

‘Look, Elspeth, chust because you write that astrology column doesn’t mean you haff the second sight,’ said Hamish, his Highland accent becoming more sibilant in his
irritation.

‘In that case, you lazy copper, I’ll have a word with him myself.’

‘Do what you like.’

Interfering busybody, thought Hamish sourly after she had left, and then almost immediately he felt guilty Elspeth had only been trying to help.

He worked around his croft that afternoon, enjoying being out in the sunshine and clear air. When he was in the upper field, he heard the telephone ring inside the police station. He reluctantly
headed back indoors to check the answering machine. Sean’s voice sounded out. ‘Bella’s coming to see me. She’s not going to ask for anything. Just a straightforward divorce
on breakdown o’ marriage. She’s bringing the papers over.’

Hamish remembered Elspeth’s words. He got into the Land Rover and set off along the waterfront. He saw Elspeth leaving the newspaper office and jerked to a halt. ‘Jump in,’ he
called. ‘Sean’s phoned. Bella’s on her way to see him.’

Elspeth hopped in. ‘So you do think there’s some danger, after all?’

‘Better to make sure there isn’t.’

‘Then don’t drive right up to the door. Park a little way away. If she’s up to anything, we want to catch her in the act. If we’re not too late, that is.’

Hamish parked down at the bottom of the dirt road which led up to the croft house. There was a new Ford Metro parked outside. ‘Looks as if she’s here,’ he said. ‘She must
have learned to drive. Let’s hurry.’

‘Look in the kitchen window first,’ urged Elspeth. ‘If they’re just sitting there talking, we’ll knock on the door.’

There was no garden. Only springy heather below the cottage windows to muffle the sounds of their approach. Hamish crouched down and peered inside the kitchen window. Sean was lolling in a chair
by the fireplace, his eyes closed. An open bottle of whisky was on the table with two glasses. Bella was standing with a shotgun, loading it. She was wearing thin plastic gloves. Then she knelt
down and began to try to press one of Sean’s inert hands round the trigger.

Hamish darted to the door and flung it open. Mad with fright and rage, Bella turned round and Hamish and Elspeth threw themselves to the ground as the blast from the shotgun deafened them.
Hamish leapt to his feet before she could fire again. He wrested the shotgun from her and got her down on the floor and handcuffed her while she screamed abuse. Hamish checked Sean’s pulse.
He was still alive. He guessed that Bella had drugged him and was about to fake a suicide.

By the time reinforcements had arrived from Lochdubh, Bella was crying and saying that Sean had been trying to commit suicide and she had been trying to stop him.

‘Well, that’s that,’ said Hamish wearily when Bella had been taken away and Sean borne off in an ambulance. ‘At least we’ve got her now.
She’ll be away for a long time.’

‘That’ll teach you to listen to me in future,’ said Elspeth. ‘Now I’m off to write up the story for the nationals.’

‘Sub judice.
You can’t say anything until after she’s charged.’

‘Oh, yes I can. I just don’t mention her name. I just describe everything and say a woman is helping police with their inquiries. What about buying me dinner one night?’

‘I’ll take you for dinner tomorrow night. The Italian’s.’

Back at the police station, Hamish sat down and typed out a lengthy report. Poor Jamie Stuart. The police would have already borne him off to Strathbane in case he turned out to have been
Bella’s accomplice.

The next few days passed quietly for Hamish. Sergeant Macgregor over in Cnothan had sourly agreed to cover for him while he was away on ‘holiday’. The bombing of
the major’s cottage had disappeared from even the local newspapers. Elspeth had cancelled their date for dinner, just saying she was ‘on a story’. Hamish had been mildly surprised
at his own disappointment.