Death of a Gentle Lady - M. C. Beaton [40]
‘Lochdubh is all very well,’ said Priscilla. ‘But it can get very claustrophobic in the winter.’
‘Lochdubh has everything a body could want,’ said Hamish defensively.
‘Ah, well, that’s the difference between us.’
‘I wish …’ began Hamish, and then hurriedly crammed another sandwich in his mouth.
Priscilla waited until he had finished eating. ‘Wish what?’
‘Oh, that? I wish I could figure a way to get back into that nursery for another search.’
‘You’ll think of something.’
‘Are you going back to rehearse with Harold?’
‘I’ll leave it. He’s got a rehearsal in the village hall tonight, and I’ll go to that. It’s quite fun, really.’
Hamish collected his pets and went back to the police station through the ever-thickening mist.
He did a few chores around his croft, returned to the police station, and checked for messages. There were none.
He was just sitting having a cup of tea and wondering how soon he could get back into that nursery when the phone rang. It was Jimmy. He was exultant. ‘We’ve got the bastard!’ he said. ‘His employees cracked and said they’d been paid to say he was there all the time. He was actually away for the time covering everything from the family reunion to the death of Irena and the murder of Mrs Gentle.’
‘And does he confess to murdering Mrs Gentle?’
‘Not a bit of it. We finally let him get a lawyer.’
‘Jimmy, are you really sure he did it?’
‘Oh, don’t start, Hamish. We’ve got our man.’
When he had rung off, Hamish sat, thinking hard. He knew why he had proposed to Irena, but other people might think that they had been close, and that she’d perhaps confided something dangerous to him. If he spread that around, the murderer might come after him! But he would need to find a good excuse for sitting on any supposed evidence this long.
He decided to go to that rehearsal and spread the word that he did not think Mark Gentle was the killer – and something Irena had told him had made him suddenly realize it.
Chapter Eight
Let’s briefly put on manly readiness,
And meet i’ the hall together.
– William Shakespeare
Although he was glad that Anna had not called on him or even contacted him, Hamish, as he walked along to the village hall, was surprised that Jimmy had not rung to give him further news of Mark Gentle. He had tried to phone the inspector but his mobile was switched off and headquarters said he was busy.
The mist was still thick and the lights along the waterfront shone dimly, as if suspended in the air without any means of support.
From the loch, he could hear the gentle plash of the waves and the far-off chug-chug of a donkey engine. And yet he could not get the relaxed feeling he usually had when a case was over.
He decided to go ahead with what he had planned and to put it around the gathering tonight that Irena had told him something important. He knew the news would spread like wildfire all the way to Braikie.
The three witches were in rehearsal. ‘A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come,’ howled Mrs Wellington as Hamish walked into the hall. A roar of laughter ensued.
‘That’s enough!’ cried Harold. ‘We’ll take a break.’
There was a surge towards tables set at the side of the hall which were laden with cakes and sandwiches, a tea urn and cups.
Priscilla came to join him. ‘This is great fun,’ she said. ‘Everyone’s having a grand time although I gather there’s an arrest and Banquo, that’s Matthew, is over in Strathbane.’
‘How do they get Jessie to say her lines without repeating the last words?’ asked Hamish.
‘Harold decided to ignore it. He’s very patient.’
Hamish raised his eyebrows in surprise. He would have thought Harold too arrogant to be patient about anything.
‘I’m still not happy about this arrest,’ said Hamish.
‘Not happy about the arrest?’ boomed Mrs Wellington, who had overheard him.
‘It’s because of something Irena told me.’
‘Then you should tell your superior officers.’
‘I’ll keep it to myself for a bit.’
‘Did you hear that?’ Nessie Currie asked her sister.