Hamish Macbeth - Death Of A Village Part 5

"Now," said Hamish gently, "she'd been beating you, hadn't she?"

There was a long silence and then Sean said wearily, "How was I to know? She seemed so pretty, so fragile, like a wee bird. It started soon after we were married. She'd get this blank look in the eyes and then start hitting me with anything that was handy. The other day, I said I wasn't taking any more, I was leaving her. She laughed in my face. And then still looking at me, she punched herself in the eye-hard. "I'll say you did that," she said."

"You'll need to file charges."

"I cannae do that, Hamish. I'd be the laughing stock o' the Highlands."

"She killed one o' your collies." Hamish told him about the grave.

He turned a muddy colour but said, "I can't let folks know she was beating me."

"They'll know soon enough. Police and forensic have been crawling over your croft house looking for your dead body."

"But if it goes to court, it'll be in all the papers. I cannae do it."

Hamish sighed and looked around. "Who owns this place?"

"Some couple. They rent it out to summer visitors. They havenae been able to rent it for a while."

"Do you have a phone?"

"Over there. It's a coin box phone. Everything's got a coin box-the gas and the electric."

"You can't go on living here. Think of your beasts. It's hot weather and Bella's more likely to take a hammer to them than give them water."

He shuddered. "Give me a bit o' peace, Hamish, till I get my courage back. But I'm not pressing charges."

Hamish took a note of his phone number. "I'll be back," he said.

Once outside, Hamish walked back to the Land Rover and phoned Jimmy again. "So far, he won't press charges."

"Well, the RSPCA will," said Jimmy, meaning the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "We found a bloodied hammer. Haven't got a report back yet on where the blood came from, but it's got her fingerprints on it, and if Sean's alive, then it stands to reason it's the dog's blood. And Sean will pay her fine and be stuck in Stoyre until his croft rots."

"Where is she now?" asked Hamish.

"Johnny Peters is driving her home."

"Good luck to him. I'll go and see her."

Once more to Lochdubh to file another report and out to Sean's croft. As he approached the door, he knew instinctively that there was no one at home. He tried the door.

Locked. Maybe she wasn't back yet. And yet he had taken his time over the report.

He got back in the Land Rover and drove down into Lochdubh and stopped outside Patel's grocery store. A daily bus would have left for Inverness half an hour ago.

He went into the shop and asked Mr. Patel, "Did anyone see if Bella Comyn left on the bus?"

Nessie Currie appeared behind him, her eyes gleaming behind thick gla.s.ses. "The poor wee thing left on the bus; with two big suitcases. A policeman drove her to Lochdubh. What's been happening?"

Hamish didn't answer. He went back to the police station and phoned Jimmy.

"Bella Comyn left for Inverness on the bus. Johnny Peters drove her there. What was he on about?"

"I'll see if he's back yet and ring you."

Hamish took Lugs out for a walk and then fed the dog. He was just wondering whether to ring Jimmy again when the phone rang. It was Jimmy.

"Peters didn't know anything about why she was at police headquarters," he said. "He'd just come on duty and was simply told to take her back to Lochdubh. She spun him a story that she had gone to report her husband missing and that she was so upset, she wanted to stay with relatives in Inverness. She packed in a short time and he drove her to Lochdubh. She'd called the bank and whatever she heard upset her."

"I told Sean to tell the bank to freeze the account. It was a joint account."

"Anyway, she got on the bus and off she went."

"You'd best phone Inverness police. We'll get her for the dog if nothing else."

"Will do."

"Thank G.o.d she couldnae drive or she'd have taken Sean's car as well. I'll get over to Stoyre and give him a lift home."

"Why Stoyre?" asked Harnish as he drove the crofter towards Lochdubh.

"It was the cheapest rent I could find," said Sean. "I only took it for a month-holiday let."

"Have you any idea where Bella might have gone?"

"She's an only child and her mother and father are dead."

"What about relatives at your wedding?"

"There weren't any. We were married in the register office and two of my cousins acted as witnesses."

"Any friends?" Hamish wondered whether to ask about the man in Inverness that Bella had said she ought to have married but decided against it.

"Not that I know of."

"Didn't that strike you as odd?"

"No, I thought she just wanted to be with me. I couldnae get over the fact that someone so young and pretty could fancy me."

"I hope you're over her, Sean. And if she comes back, you're to phone me immediately."

"I'll do that. She shouldnae have killed my dog. Which one?"

"Don't know."

"Probably Bob," he said gloomily. "Always was a friendly dog. Now, Queenie, the other, was mortal scared of her."

As they approached Sean's croft, Sean said, "It's odd. Things'll be the same as they were afore I married her. But not the same, if you know what I mean. I'll aye be frightened I'll turn round and see her standing there."

"She's wanted on a charge for killing the dog-cruelty. She's made a run for it. I doubt if she'll be back. Get yourself a lawyer and get a divorce."

Hamish parked the Land Rover and Sean climbed stiffly down and then heaved his suitcase out of the back. "Thanks, Hamish."

"I'd best come in with you," said Hamish. "See if she's taken anything she shouldn't have."

Sean unlocked the door. Hamish waited in the kitchen while Sean looked around the place. "Nothing taken but her clothes and things," he said. He went to the door and gave a shrill whistle. A collie came bounding up to him. "This is Queenie," he said, fondling the animal's coat. "I'll be all right now, Hamish."

"Don't keep the truth of the matter to yourself, Sean. She's put it about that you were the one who was bullying her. There's no shame in it. Folks wouldn't expect you to hit back at a la.s.sie."

"I'll think about it."

Hamish went back to the police station and phoned Jimmy Anderson. "Any news?"

"Not a sight of her," said Jimmy. "Police were waiting at Inverness station but she never got off the bus. The driver said she got off at Dingwall. No record of her having taken another bus or even the train from Dingwall. She's gone to ground somewhere."

"Are the police at Dingwall checking the taxi services?"

"n.o.body's checking anything any more, Hamish."

"Why?"

"Blair says it's a waste o' manpower looking for a la.s.sie who killed a dog. He instructed us all to have nothing more to do with it."

"Doesn't the silly cheil know she might kill a man or woman the next time?"

"He doesn't care."

"While you're on the phone, have you heard any reports of anything going on in Stoyre?"

"Where's Stoyre?"

"It's a wee village up on the coast."

"That's your beat. No, I haven't heard anything."

Hamish thanked him and rang off. Then he phoned Mrs. Wellington and told her the truth about Sean's marriage. At first she wouldn't believe him until he told her about the death of the dog. "A woman who would do that is capable of anything," said Mrs. Wellington.

Hamish then phoned Angela Brodie with the same information and then asked, "There's a new family in Lochdubh called Bain. Where's their house?"

"Up the back. The one that belonged to the dustman's wife, Martha Macleod. Remember, she and your ex-policeman moved up to live in the Tommel Castle Hotel after they got married."

Clarry, Hamish's policeman when Hamish had last, briefly, been elevated to the rank of sergeant, had left the force to become a chef at the hotel.

"I'll call on them tomorrow," said Hamish.

"Why?"

"Just to be friendly, that's all."

But Hamish remembered that Elspeth in her psychic way had not trusted Bella. And Elspeth had said the Bains were frightened.

Hamish walked past Patel's and up the lane at the back to the Bains's cottage. He knocked on the door and it was answered by a small, thin woman. She had sallow skin and small black eyes, which regarded him warily.

"Mrs. Bain?"

"Yes, what's happened? It's not Mairie, is it? I sent her down to the shop."

"No, it's only a friendly call. I heard you had moved from Stoyre."

"Yes, that's right. We're fine." She made to close the door.

"I chust wanted a word with you," said Hamish, not used to unfriendliness. "Is your man at home?"

"He's asleep. He's been out all night at the fis.h.i.+ng."

A small voice behind Hamish piped, "I got the milk, Ma."

Hamish swung round. A little girl, about ten years old, stood there.

"Get in the house this minute!" ordered her mother.

The girl slid past them and vanished into the cottage.

"And is everything all right with you?" pursued Hamish.

"Yes, yes. Fine. Now, if you don't mind..."

"Was anything going on at Stoyre?"

She had been about to close the door but hesitated. "No, why?"

"There was a strange atmosphere when I was there."

"Well, ye cannae be arresting an atmosphere," and with that she closed the door firmly.

Hamish pushed back his cap and scratched his fiery hair. He turned and walked back down to the waterfront and along to the harbour. Archie Maclean, a fisherman, was sitting on the wall outside his cottage, puffing on a hand-rolled cigarette.

"Grand morning, Archie," said Hamish, sitting down next to him.

"Aye, it is that."

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"I will be having a kip this afternoon. Herself is cleaning again."

The sound of frantic activity sounded from the cottage behind them.

"I went up to see the Bains," said Hamish.