Part 18 (1/2)
”If he thought he had a big cheese to blackmail, why aren't you thinking of Colonel Halburton-Smythe?”
Hamish fell silent.
”Well?” demanded Jimmy. ”Or is it that your girl friend's father is beyond suspicion?”
”She's not my girl friend,” said Hamish hotly. ”I am looking into all aspects of the case, that's all.”
”Get me something concrete on Ionides, and I'll have your search warrant. There's something wrong about you and this case, Hamish. I think your mind's beginning to wander. Not holding out on me, are you?”
”No, no,” lied Hamish, now anxious to get off the phone. ”I'll let you know if there's anything further.”
He sat chewing his knuckles in a sudden fit of nerves. What if he really was clutching at straws? What if Priscilla's father should turn out to be guilty?
There was a knock at the kitchen door. Hamish went to answer it, sure that it would not turn out to be any stranger. They always knocked at the front door.
Josie Darling was standing there when he opened it.
”What is it?” asked Hamish.
”Can I come in?”
He stood back. She hobbled into the kitchen on stiletto heels and sat down in a chair. ”You've been asking people if they remembered anything?”
”Aye.”
”Well, I didn't think much of it cos I was so terrified about everyone finding out about me and Murdo. But there was one little thing.”
”What?”
”I was down on the waterfront...”
”When?”
”Two days before Fergus disappeared.”
”And...”
”I saw him with Callum McSween.”
”So?”
”He was jeering at Callum and saying he knew Callum would soon be broke, and Fergus was bragging about his new salary and saying that he bet Callum would like some money like that, and Callum said, ”Get away from me or I'll break your neck.””
”And you never thought to tell me afore this!”
”Like I said, I was frightened that folks would find out my wedding was off. I remembered and told Mother, and Mother said it was funny Callum hadn't gone for work at the new hotel like a lot of other people because they were paying labourers good money.”
”Thanks, Josie, I'll look into it.”
”Do you think Callum killed Fergus for his job?”
”I doubt it. Callum was recommended by me. But I'll have a word with him. He should have told me about the row with Fergus.”
Hamish saw her out. Then he got into the Land Rover and drove up to Callum's croft.
Callum and his wife were sitting in their kitchen eating steak and chips. The kitchen door was open so Hamish walked in.
”Welcome, Hamish,” said Callum. ”Would you like some food?”
Hamish's stomach gave another rumble. ”No, I'm in a hurry. I've got an appointment.”
”So what brings you? Sit down, man, and take the weight off your feet.”
Hamish removed his peaked cap and sat down.
”Callum, why didn't you tell me you had a row with Fergus?”
Callum looked awkward. ”Care for a dram?”
”No, Callum. What was it about, and why didn't you tell me?”
Callum looked down at the table and pushed his food around his plate with his fork.
”Somehow he'd found out I was in financial trouble, and he knew I'd failed to get a job at the hotel.”
”Wait a bit. You didn't get a job at the new hotel? Why? A lot of it is chust plain labouring.”
”I don't know why. I was interviewed by that Greek.”
”Ionides?”
”Yes, him.”
”Funny, you'd think he'd have a manager or have got that secretary of his to do the hiring.”
”It was himself. And he said he was pleased to be giving work to the locals knowing how we'd all suffered with the drop in the price of sheep.”
”And then?”
”He said he didn't want any of the carpets or furnis.h.i.+ngs or building materials wandering off. He said he knew us Highlanders had a reputation for theft. I got a wee bit angry. I said I had never taken anything in my life that didn't belong to me. I said if there was one thing I couldn't stand, it wa.s.s a crook. I said, furthermore, if I knew of anyone getting up to any crookery. I would report that man to the police.”
”And he said?”
”He said he had other people to see, and he would let me know. I wrote down my name, address and phone number. I neffer heard a word after that. I went to the hotel and that Miss Stathos told me they already had enough employees. Man, I wa.s.s sick to my stomach. When you got me the dustman's job, it seemed like a miracle.”
”Look here, Callum. You should ha' told me this afore.”
”I didn't want to,” Callum mumbled. ”It might look bad for me, me having had words with the man and then him getting murdered. That Fleming woman might have sacked me. Do you need to put in a report, Hamish?”