PERDITION: A Scottish murder mystery with a shocking twist (Detective Inspector Munro murder mysteries Book 7)

by Pete Brassett

  Sitting cross-legged in the stark surroundings of the interview room, she smiled as West pulled up a chair whilst Munro, choosing to stand, remained by the door.

  ‘This won’t take long,’ said West. ‘There’s just a couple of things we need to clear up.’

  ‘No bother,’ said Macallan. ‘If I can help, I will.’

  ‘First of all, you should know we’re dropping the murder charge.’

  ‘Dropping it? What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean you will now be charged with perverting the course of justice.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  West leaned back, folded her arms and glowered across the desk at Macallan.

  ‘Nice ring,’ she said, nodding towards her left hand.

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Your ring. Gold, is it?’

  ‘Oh, this old thing?’ said Macallan, raising her hand. ‘It is, indeed. It’s only nine carat but it’s not bad, is it?’

  ‘Do you wear it for a reason?’

  ‘Aye, it’s the oldest trick in the book. It keeps the neds at bay, you know, the chancers who think they might be in with a shout.’

  ‘I see. So, you’re not married then?’

  ‘Married?’ said Macallan, laughing softly as she shook her head. ‘No, no. I’m not the marrying kind, me.’

  ‘So, you’ve no recollection of ever going to Saint Margaret’s? The church on John Street?’

  Macallan glanced furtively at Munro, her smile wavering.

  ‘I’m not one for religion.’

  ‘Well, in that case I’m obviously wasting my time,’ said West, ‘because you definitely won’t remember walking down the aisle…’

  ‘Aisle?’

  ‘…and exchanging vows with a certain Mark Alisdair Bowen.’

  Macallan pursed her lips and sighed as Munro, reaching into his coat pocket, stepped forward and placed a small, blue, polished stone on the desk in front her.

  ‘Sodalite,’ said Macallan. ‘Very good, Mr Munro. Very good, indeed.’

  ‘Let’s start again, shall we?’ said West. ‘Why were you covering for your husband? Your estranged husband?’

  Macallan bowed her head.

  ‘Ally,’ she said. ‘I did it for Ally.’

  ‘She’s your daughter?’

  ‘She is.’

  ‘Go on.’

  Macallan took a deep breath, raised her head and regarded West with a look of defeat.

  ‘Mark was struggling,’ she said. ‘Physically, mentally, and financially. He came to me not long after he’d got this loan, a big loan, from Alan Byrne. He thought not having to worry about money would ease the pressure but Byrne started getting heavy.’

  ‘Why?’ said West. ‘Was he missing the repayments?’

  ‘No. Quite the opposite. See here, Inspector, crooks like that never want the loan paid off, that’s how they work. They keep folk forever in their debt. Mark was paying back extra but Byrne kept raising the interest rate. Then, he showed up at work a couple of times, with Sean Jardine.’

  ‘So, your husband knew Jardine?’

  ‘He did, aye. They started threatening him, they even said they’d torch the house while Ally was in her bed.’

  ‘Well, why didn’t you go to the police about it?’

  ‘Come now, Inspector, and say what? There’s no paper trail, no official agreement. And if we did, what would happen if Byrne and Jardine got wind of it? They’d have set about him and left him in a worse state than Craig.’

  ‘So, what happened next?’

  ‘What do you think?’ said Macallan. ‘We decided to do something about it.’

  ‘Kill them?’

  ‘Get them off his back. We talked about it long and hard, the last thing either of us wanted was for anything to happen to Ally.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Mark knows I wouldn’t lift a finger to a fly, so he said that he’d take care of it; but I said we had to do it properly, cover his tracks, so if anyone came calling, like yourselves, he’d not get done for it.’

  ‘And that’s why,’ said West, ‘you agreed to take the fall for him?’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘But why?’

  ‘Guilt, I suppose,’ said Macallan. ‘It’s my fault he got himself into this mess. I walked out on them, for no other reason than marrying too young, I suppose. I left them struggling and Mark… well, I owed him big time. I never realised at the time but he’d got himself heavily into debt because he’d helped me out, setting up here with all the livestock and such.’

  ‘And Ally knows nothing about it?’

  ‘She does not. She has enough to deal with, she doesn’t deserve to bear the burden of our worries, not at her age.’

  ‘That’s all very well,’ said West, ‘but surely if we’d nicked your husband then she could’ve stayed with you.’

  ‘In theory, perhaps, but not practically. See, despite the debts, Mark still earns ten times more than I do, and he’s got the house. There’s no way I could support myself and Ally, not with her away to university. So we agreed, if he took care of the problem and I got caught, then it wouldn’t be so bad. I’d be away for a few years and that would be that.’

  ‘Wouldn’t Ally get suspicious if you just disappeared off the radar?’

  ‘We rarely see each other. That’s how good a mother I am.’

  ‘And is she aware of what’s going on?’ said West. ‘With the loan?’

  ‘She is. Mark keeps nothing from her, and she’ll not leave his side at the moment. If he’s working nights, she’ll stop at a friend’s house.’

  ‘Okay,’ said West, ‘so if your husband took care of Byrne and Jardine, where did he get the Buprenorphine from?’

  ‘The hospital, I imagine.’

  ‘And with those two out of the way, you thought it was all over but you didn’t count on Claude Foubert popping up, did you?’

  ‘You got to him before us.’

  ‘And if we hadn’t?’

  Macallan raised her eyebrows and smiled.

  ‘You could have got away with it,’ said West. ‘If you’d remembered to empty the bottles of Vetergesic, you could have got away with it.’

  ‘I know,’ said Macallan. ‘I realised my mistake as soon as I handed you the box. It was the weight, you see, but I couldn’t very well ask for it back, now, could I? It was a silly mistake and now I’ve made things worse.’

  ‘Yup. I have to agree with you there,’ said West. ‘A lot worse. Still, at least Ally will have a roof over her head and she won’t have to worry about money or fees.’

  ‘So, she’ll be okay?’

  ‘Probably not. I reckon she’ll be psychologically scarred for life.’

  Munro took four steps forward and stopped alongside Macallan.

  ‘Your pony,’ he said, addressing the back wall, ‘did he have colic?’

  ‘No. He was fine, Mr Munro. Just fine. So, what happens now? Are you away to arrest Mark?’

  ‘We are,’ said West.

  ‘And me?’

  ‘And you? Rona Macallan, I’m charging you with perverting the course of justice and aiding and abetting Mr Mark Bowen in the murders of Alan Byrne and Sean Jardine. Do you understand the charge?’

  Macallan smiled and nodded.

  ‘I do. Aye.’

  ‘Is there anything you’d like to say in reply to the charge?’

  ‘Guilty. Guilty as hell.’

  * * *

  Engrossed in the most rewarding internet search he’d ever attempted, Dougal – looking as pleased as punch – sat grinning at the screen whilst Duncan, lounging with his feet up on the desk, devoured the remaining biscuits as he made arrangements for a quiet night in.

  ‘So, any plans, Dougal?’ he said. ‘Are you not having a rematch with that Emily girl?’

  ‘I am. We’re having pizza.’

  ‘Good call. No offence but that way, if she gets hammered, you’ll not be stuck with her, you can ship her off in a taxi. Where are you headed?’
<
br />   ‘My place.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘No, it’s fine,’ said Dougal. ‘See here, I’ve just discovered you can get wine that’s alcohol-free. I’m going to pick some up on the way home, that way if she feels the urge, she’ll not get blootered.’

  ‘Covering all the bases, eh? Good for you, although I can’t see the point myself. It’s like having coffee without the caffeine.’

  ‘How about you?’ said Dougal. ‘Are you off out?’

  ‘No, no,’ said Duncan. ‘I’m driving over to Cathy’s for a quiet night in – a pile of poppadums and a vindaloo. Magic. So, what do you reckon to Westy and this Bowen fella, do you think she’s nailed it?’

  ‘Oh, aye. On the head. I just hope Macallan’s telling her what she needs to know so we don’t have to drag it out of her.’

  ‘Drag what out of who?’ said West, beaming as she breezed through the door.

  ‘Macallan, miss. We were just saying…’

  ‘She has. She told us everything and I have to say, I can’t help feeling sorry for her.’

  ‘How so?’ said Dougal.

  ‘Because they were just trying to get by, but what makes it worse is it’s not as if they wanted the money for betting, booze or fags, they simply wanted it to get their daughter through uni.’

  ‘Right enough.’

  ‘And I can’t blame Bowen for wanting some breathing space. A holiday, even.’

  ‘So, what now?’

  ‘Now, you have the privilege of arresting him. I want the two of you to shoot over to the hospital and pick him up…’

  ‘Roger that,’ said Duncan.

  ‘…and as soon as you’ve booked him in, we’re all off for a night out. I’m paying.’

  Dougal, not wanting to let the side down, glanced at Duncan before speaking.

  ‘The thing is, miss,’ he said, sheepishly, ‘I’m supposed to be meeting Emily but I can cancel, no bother. I’ll just give her a wee call and tell her…’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing,’ said West. ‘Let’s hope she stays upright this time. How about you, Duncan? Are you bailing out, too?’

  ‘Cathy,’ said Duncan with a nod. ‘Sorry, but we’re all set.’

  ‘Well, it looks like it’s you and me again, Jimbo. Unless, of course…’

  ‘No, no,’ said Munro, ‘you’re not getting off the hook that easily, lassie. I’ve fasted all day and I need to pile on the beef. You should know, I’m having a starter, too.’

  Epilogue

  Compensated by the calming influence of a flavoursome, full-bodied red and the view from the table which offered the enchanting spectacle of a solitary cargo ship bobbing across the moonlit estuary as it made its way to port, Munro was willing to overlook the inefficiency of the kitchen and forgive the brusque manner of the harangued staff as he waited patiently for his meal to arrive.

  ‘When I said I fancied a starter, Charlie, I was thinking of a bowl of soup or some pâté and toast, not a packet of dry roasted peanuts.’

  ‘Well, I offered you some goats’ cheese but you didn’t want it,’ said West as she plonked the plates on the table. ‘Here you go. This is better than sitting in some stuffy restaurant, isn’t it?’

  ‘Aye, right enough,’ said Munro as he ripped through his steak. ‘I must admit, the last thing I want just now is some waiter hovering over my shoulder with a poker up his arse.’

  ‘Exactly. I mean, what more could you want? A twelve-ounce sirloin cremated just the way you like it. Cheers.’

  ‘Your very good health,’ said Munro. ‘So, tell me honestly now, are you happy with the result?’

  ‘Well, I have to say, it’s not bad,’ said West, ‘although I think I’d have preferred mine not so well-done.’

  ‘By jiminy! I’m talking about the case, Charlie, not the fodder!’

  ‘Oh, that. Yeah, couldn’t be better. As they used to say down south – a right result.’

  ‘So, I take it this means you’ll not be packing your bags, then?’

  ‘Will I heck,’ said West. ‘I’m staying put and mark my words, next time, there’ll be no false starts.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear. Now, two things before I forget.’

  ‘Oh, God. Here we go. What is it now?’

  ‘Have you any plans for tomorrow?’

  ‘Well, I’ve got to interview Bowen again, then charge him, then sort out the paperwork, but unless anything else comes up, I should be done by late afternoon. Why?’

  ‘I thought you might like to see Auchencairn,’ said Munro.

  ‘Ork and who?’

  ‘It’s a wee village.’

  ‘What’s there?’

  ‘Not much, really. A shop and a post office. A castle. And a pub that shut down a couple of years back.’

  ‘Sounds riveting.’

  ‘Oh, and there’s a wee cottage for sale. Three beds and a garden big enough to turn your fingers green.’

  ‘I’m in,’ said West. ‘What was the other thing?’

  ‘The apple pie. Is it in the oven?’

  * * *

  Unaware of her mother’s impending internment or her father’s imminent re-arrest, a shattered and somewhat distraught Alison Bowen – exhausted from the two and a half hour train journey from Ayr to Edinburgh followed by a further two on the connecting service to Durham, with nothing to eat but a Big Mac and a soggy serving of French fries – grabbed her phone and sent her father a reassuring text advising him of her safe arrival as her fellow passengers gathered their belongings and congregated by the door.

  With well over a year to go until her studies were complete, and with an evening shift in a nearby pub providing her only source of income, she sighed with indecision as she contemplated quitting her course for the umpteenth time if only to rid herself of the guilt of being the cause of her parent’s unassailable debt.

  Despite his good looks and obvious wealth – apparent from the watch on his wrist and the spanking new Range Rover – Alan Byrne, she’d conceded, was neither brash nor ostentatious but a polite, softly-spoken Englishman with impeccable manners who instilled a sense of trust.

  Once he’d explained, in an apologetic but matter-of-fact way that the loan he’d arranged was simply a business deal that her father was duty-bound to honour, she’d accepted the situation and was ready to walk away until he’d mentioned the “get-out” clause, an alternative arrangement which, should she be agreeable, would clear the debt in one fell swoop.

  Had he not reneged on the deal, leaving her angry and annoyed for being so gullible, and had he not laughed in her face leaving her feeling sullied and used, then events may have taken a different turn.

  Glancing over her shoulder as the hordes of commuters began to disembark, she hauled her rucksack from beneath the seat in front of her and, careful to avoid the prying eyes of the on-board CCTV, unzipped the side pocket, retrieved the spent vials of Buprenorphine and wrapped them in a paper napkin, placing them inside the empty burger box before burying it in the paper bag beneath the remnants of her meal and tossing it into the waste bin as she left the train.

  Character List

  JAMES MUNRO (RETIRED) – Unable to relinquish his duties as a DI, the irrepressible Munro finds a flaw in the rule book and adopts a volunteer role which lengthens his lifespan and puts his invaluable expertise to good use.

  DI CHARLOTTE WEST – Dealing with her first case as a Senior Investigating Officer, “Charlie” is keen to make an impression and secure a swift result but after a couple of false starts it begins to look as though she have may have bitten off more than she can chew.

  DS DOUGAL McCRAE – As a past master when it comes to approaching things from a sideways point of view, DS McCrae, normally unfazed by surprises, is caught on the hop when an unexpected invitation from an old flame leaves him floundering on the rocks.

  DC DUNCAN REID – Keen to make amends for his hitherto maverick approach to policing, DC Reid takes the bull by the horns and soon starts to show his true worth.


  DCI GEORGE ELLIOT – The ebullient DCI Elliot, stressed by staff cuts and under-funding, shows no hesitation when called upon to assist Munro in finding a way back into the force.

  CRAIG FERGUSON – A clean-cut, software genius in the high-flying world of computer programming, Craig Ferguson appears to have it all, from a fancy flat to an attractive wife. Unfortunately for him, the only thing he doesn’t have is happiness.

  MARY FERGUSON – Unhappily married with a young child and an errant husband, recovering junkie Mary Ferguson is looking for a way out and she’ll take the easiest route she can find.

  RONA MACALLAN – As an animal-loving yoga fanatic Rona Macallan tends the livestock on her small-holding, eking out a meagre living by selling home-made organic produce but she hides a secret as dark as the barn on her farm.

  SEAN JARDINE – A big man trapped in a small man’s body, Sean Jardine, a wealthy investment banker, has anger-management issues which come to the fore when confronted by anyone he considers inferior to himself.

  CLAUDE FOUBERT – A colleague of Jardine’s, the sour-faced Frenchman has a talent for moving money around and making a substantial profit. Unfortunately, none of it belongs to the bank.

  DR MARK BOWEN – Despite his role as Senior Registrar at the local Accident & Emergency department, Mark Bowen, struggling to put his daughter through university, is over-worked, underpaid and disappearing under a mountain of debt.

  DR ANDY MCLEOD – More lumberjack than forensic pathologist, the hulking Andy McLeod is happiest in the company of a cadaver with no known cause of death.

  Other books in this series:

  PERDITION is the seventh book in this series featuring DI Munro and DS West. Here are details of the other books, all available on Kindle and in paperback:

  SHE – Book 1

  With a serial killer on their hands Scottish detective Munro and rookie sergeant West must act fast to trace a woman placed at the scene of crime. Yet discovering her true identity, let alone finding her, proves difficult. Soon they realise the crime is far graver than either of them could have imagined.