The Dark Fear (12 page)

              ‘Yes, that’s right. Can we speak in my office?’

              ‘Of course.’

              The Assistant Head made sure that the door was firmly closed before she began the conversation. ‘Is this about the accident that killed Gerry Cormac?’

              ‘Yes. The boy’s father was murdered last week. It has resulted in us looking again at the man’s background. The tragic death of his son came up in our inquiries.’

              Brewer slumped onto the seat behind her desk. ‘When I left Scott Academy, it was agreed that the incident would not be mentioned on my record. Nobody here at Ladywell knows about what happened.’

              Dani felt like rolling her eyes. Did these private schools think they were above the law? ‘There’s no need for your current employers to find out. I just want to hear your side of things, that’s all.’

              Alison Brewer looked relieved. ‘It was a very long time ago and I wasn’t really in charge. There were about twenty boys with us, aged either thirteen or fourteen. Hamish had the itinerary. He never opted for the organised tours, he liked to swot up before we arrived and give the lads a talk himself.’

              ‘That was Mr Dewar – the Head of History?’

              She nodded. ‘Hamish tended to do his own thing. I was only twenty four back then. It wouldn’t have been my place to question his decisions.’

              ‘Just describe the events as you recall them.’

              Alison blinked vigorously, as if she had something in her eye. ‘I stood at the bottom of the spiral staircase as the boys began to climb up. When I saw Charlie Underwood go past, I slipped in behind him. The boy had bad asthma. I’d been keeping an eye on him for the whole trip.’

              ‘What was Dewar doing at this point?’

              ‘He was at the back somewhere. He’d been chatting with one of the guides. After we’d been climbing for ten minutes or so, Charlie started wheezing. That’s when we realised he didn’t have his inhaler.’

              ‘Who went back for it?’ Dani jotted down some notes in her pad.

              ‘It was Hamish.’

              ‘So you were the only one left with all those boys?’

              Alison sighed. ‘I didn’t really have much choice.’

              ‘But you didn’t think to call the others back down, to wait until Dewar returned from the coach?’

              ‘No. I was totally focussed on Charlie. The others seemed like they could fend for themselves.’

              Dani raised an eyebrow.

              Alison leant forward. ‘It’s completely different now. I help to train the new staff and it’s all about child protection and risk assessments. In ’88 we simply didn’t think in that way. I’d never make those lax decisions with the safety of the pupils here.’

              ‘When did you arrive at the top of the tower?’

              ‘Hamish came back with the inhaler. Charlie took a few drags on it and said he wanted to continue. There were five boys behind us, so we carried on. Everyone was in good spirits. I was relieved that Charlie had perked up. We stepped out onto the battlements. A cold breeze rushed into my face. I recall gasping at the severity of it. The boys were all standing around. At first, it wasn’t at all clear that anything was wrong. Hamish even began delivering his talk. Then we saw one of the lads, crouched on the stone floor. He had his hands covering his face.’

              ‘Do you remember the name of this boy?’

              Alison frowned. ‘Oh gosh, he was a thin lad, very quiet. Red-haired and freckly, I believe. Not one of the students who remained in your memory.’                

              Dani noted that James hadn’t recalled the name of the boy who got into the altercation with Cormac either. ‘When you realised what had happened, what did you and Dewar do?’

              ‘I never looked over the battlements – I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. We hustled the boys straight back down. Gerry’s body had already been found by a couple who were visiting the castle. They both gave statements to the police.’

              ‘I’ve read them.’

              ‘An ambulance had been called. The next few hours past in something of a haze. I suppose we were all in shock. A lady at the café insisted the boys all have a hot chocolate. She was middle-aged and mumsy. She sat us down in the tearoom and tended to the lads, a few of whom were in floods of tears. For me, that raw, emotional response came much later. Straight afterwards, I was simply terrified.’

              ‘Were you frightened for your job?’

              Alison shook her head. ‘That wasn’t it at all. I was shaking like a leaf for at least two hours after. It was the thought of that poor boy falling. I couldn’t get the idea out of my mind. I just kept wondering what had gone through his head on the way down. I felt like I was standing on that ledge myself. The feeling remained for days, weeks even.’ The woman shuddered.

              ‘What did Dewar do in the aftermath?’

              ‘Hamish was very quiet. He handled things professionally, as I recall. Which was just as well. I was an absolute mess. The staff from the castle were good too.’

              ‘Was there ever a question of the castle owners being at fault? These days someone would undoubtedly sue.’

              Alison smiled ruefully. ‘Quite right. There weren’t any signs back in the 80s reminding you that you explored the walls purely at your own risk. It never crossed anybody’s mind to blame the owners of Dornie. A castle was a castle in those days. You were expected to know what you’d let yourself in for.’

              ‘But you were blamed?’

              ‘Actually, the school management were very understanding. It was only when Gerry’s father became involved. Then the Headmaster told me he had no choice but to let us go.’

              ‘Did you hold a grudge against Mr Galloway, Gerry Cormac’s father?’

              ‘Not in the slightest. My children are in their late teens now. If one of them had been killed on a school trip, I’d want a full investigation. At the very least I’d expect the teacher in charge to be sacked. Losing my job was nothing compared to losing a child.’

              ‘What about Mr Dewar, was he as forgiving as you?’

              ‘I never saw Hamish again after we left Scott Academy. I heard he’d taken up a teaching post overseas. I never really knew what the man thought about it all.’

              ‘He went to work for a British school in Abu Dhabi. Hamish Dewar retired in 2009, returning to the UK where he died of prostate cancer two years later. He never married.’

              ‘I’m sorry to hear he’s dead, but we didn’t stay in contact. He wasn’t the sort of man I’d ever employ to teach here at Ladyhill.’

              Dani nodded. ‘He was strictly of the old school.’

              ‘Exactly,’ Alison replied, sensing the detective had got Hamish sussed.

              ‘I don’t think I need to ask anymore.’ Dani stood up, allowing Mrs Brewer to walk her to the reception desk. As Dani turned to leave, the Assistant Head caught her arm.

              ‘Rory.’

              Dani crinkled her forehead. ‘I beg your pardon?’

              ‘The boy who was crouching down at the top of the tower – I believe his first name was Rory.’

              ‘Thanks. That at least gives me somewhere to start.’

Chapter 22

‘I
still don’t remember it, even now you mention his name. I suppose teachers take better notice of that kind of thing.’

              ‘She was quite ordinary looking - Alison Brewer, I mean. You said all the boys fancied her.’ Dani sipped her wine, wriggling her toes in front of the open fire.

              ‘It
was
twenty seven years ago.’ James grinned. ‘Mind you, we all looked at her differently after the accident. Before that, she’d seemed young and fresh. When we returned from the trip, she’d transformed somehow. To us, even her facial features had altered.’

              ‘It was the stress that changed her.’ Dani leant her head against his shoulder. ‘I’ve seen people altered in the blink of an eye. They open the door to you, attractive and fresh-faced. Then we deliver the worst possible news to them and they look suddenly like a different person. Lines can appear to form on their skin, before your very eyes.’

              James fell silent. He was thinking about the mother of the boy who went missing when their family were on holiday in southern Spain several years back. It had been all over the papers. The before and after photographs of her were unrecognisable. ‘It’s very sad,’ he muttered quietly.

              ‘At least David March finally contacted City and Borders. Bob Gordon’s sending out a DC to take a statement tomorrow. It’s so long after the event, there’s unlikely to be any evidence left.’

              ‘I don’t think David is being deliberately obstructive. They’re simply used to handling the stuff that goes on in the estate themselves.’

              ‘Hmm, that’s one way of looking at it.’

              James laughed, deciding not to take Dani’s antipathy towards the Earl of Westloch personally. ‘What could they possibly have to hide?’

              Dani shifted round so she could meet his eye. ‘I’ve no idea, but in my experience, when trespassers start taking pot shots at people on their own property, they’re usually pretty quick to tell the police about it.’

              ‘Well, maybe there are some circumstances that fall outside your experience, Detective Chief Inspector.’ He placed his lips over hers, stifling any further response.

              Dani was happy to allow him to do so, letting the warmth of the flames soothe her, but also knowing that James was quite wrong. The same rules applied to the landed classes like David March and his wife, as they did to everyone else.

*

That morning, Andy had woken up with a splitting headache. The doctors warned him this might happen from time to time over the following few weeks. He’d been given a prescription for ibuprofen.               Carol wasn’t happy about him driving back over to the east, but Andy promised her he felt fine. The painkillers didn’t take long to kick in.

              The detective drove straight to Duns High School. He had an appointment with the Head of the Upper School, just after registration. Andy sat in the man’s office whilst Colin Lamb was fetched from his classroom and brought along to speak with him.

              Calder took in the boy’s appearance as he entered. Colin was tall for his age, but not heavily built. He wore dark rimmed, designer glasses, appearing every bit like the budding young student.

              ‘I’m sorry to take you out of lessons, son. I just need to clear up a couple of things.’

              ‘Does my mum know you’re questioning me?’ He sat down warily.

              ‘She doesn’t have to, you are over sixteen.’

              ‘Okay. I suppose it can’t hurt. Being cooperative can only help Dad’s case. We’ve got nothing to hide.’

              Andy put the kid down as precocious. ‘On the evening of the 14
^th
July, your mum told me that you were at home with her and your dad. Is that correct?’

              ‘That was the night before the raid, yeah? Well then I was. The police asked me about it already.’ He scratched the bridge of his nose.

              ‘Did your dad ever talk to you about his work?’

              ‘No. He wasn’t allowed to. We knew Dad worked undercover, so Lin and I never asked.’

              ‘It must have been incredibly difficult not to. At times, you must have been very curious about what your father got up to - especially when he was away at weekends, birthdays and Christmases. It would have taken a great deal of self-restraint not to try to find out more.’

              ‘What are you driving at?’ Colin screwed up his face.

              ‘Nobody would blame you if, on occasion, you looked at your dad’s phone – the one he uses for work. It’s perfectly natural to want to know what a person you love is doing with their time.’

              The boy shook his head vigorously. ‘I never did. Ask Mum, she knows I wouldn’t.’

              Calder clasped his hands together in his lap. ‘Your father claims he didn’t use his work mobile on the night before the raid. But somebody did, we have a record of it. Either your dad is lying, or another member of the household made a call from that telephone.’

              Colin sighed. ‘If I said I used his work phone that night, would it help Dad?’

              ‘Only if it’s the truth.’

              Tears sprung to the young man’s eyes. ‘If I thought it would make a difference, then I’d admit to using that bloody mobile phone a thousand times over. But I don’t even know who I was supposed to have called on it. The police refused to say and Mum won’t tell me. So, unless you’ve got something else to interrogate me about, you can leave me the hell alone.’

Chapter 23

D
CI Bob Gordon whistled through his teeth. ‘How many firearms have you got in this place?’

              Aiden ran his hand along the bank of glass fronted cupboards that covered the length of the gun room. ‘Twenty five shotguns in total. We keep them all under lock and key. I carry the keys around on my ring and Mr March has another set in a desk drawer in his office. The licenses for them all are thoroughly up-to-date. The shooting weekends we host are a major part of the estate’s business.’

              ‘What about hand-guns – pistols, for instance. Do you keep any of those?’

              ‘Absolutely not. Smaller guns don’t play a part in the shoots.’ Aiden placed his hands on his hips, indicating he had no more to add.

              ‘In an old house like this, there must be some other pieces of weaponry lying about. A legacy of the war years, perhaps?’ Bob had received a phone call from DCI Bevan. She had suggested he ask this question.