The Viv Fraser Mysteries Box Set 1

by V Clifford

  Viv scanned the landscape, figuring out which way to reach the cottage. The land rose behind it and she decided she would approach from this angle. In order to get there she had a huge detour round the edge of the water. With any luck they wouldn’t have heard the car, but if they had they’d be on alert. Viv couldn’t imagine any vehicle using this track unless it was for Hydro-board business.

  A noise to her right startled her and she watched the back end of a red deer take off up the hill. Her heart took a minute or two to stop thumping. Then the image of men in tweeds, driven in four by fours, stalking in all weathers, entered her head. This vision went some way to calming her anxiety. If there was stalking up here there should be the odd rough path in the heather. Although she knew it was not a great idea to go off the track, she decided it would be worth the detour. So, following the hind, she scrambled over a ditch and up onto a steep bank grabbing at handfuls of heather until, heaving herself up, she regained her footing.

  The sky had completely cleared which meant she didn’t need to use her torch. As she got closer she caught a whiff of some kind of pine burning, a familiar country smell. She clambered quickly up a steep bank which continued to run in a ridge immediately behind the little house, slowing down as she reached a position where she could see into the cottage through a side window.

  The scene before her looked like a rural idyll. A slim, youthful man was stacking wood at the side of an open fire that was already roaring. No sign of anyone else. Simon, if indeed it was him, moved out of sight and Viv’s heart leapt. She hit the deck when the back door opened and he stepped out and began to refill his basket with logs. If he had heard her engine he was showing no concern about it.

  Viv’s heart stopped skipping and she held her breath, nervous that if she exhaled the sight of her warm breath could give her away. Eventually, satisfied with his load, the man returned inside. Viv exhaled into her scarf but remained lying on the ground and watched as he came back into view by the fire. Then to her astonishment a woman entered the frame and laid her hand tenderly across his back and rubbed it as again he organised the logs in neat rows. This vision came completely out of left field. Surely this couldn’t be Tess? A metallic taste rose into her mouth but she didn’t take her eyes off the scene.

  Eventually with logs stacked Simon stood and stretched. The woman embraced him then slowly pulled his shirt-tail out from inside his jeans. She ran her hands up his back in a way that wasn’t remotely sisterly. Viv shook her head with eyes widening, decidedly uneasy with what was unfolding. What happened next tipped the scene from ambiguity to certainty. Tess knelt before him, slowly undid his zip, and darted her tongue into his flies. Viv rolled onto her back in disbelief. Regaining composure, she rolled onto her knees, and with eyes on stalks, stared as Tess eagerly nuzzled into his crotch, licking him like an ice-cream cone on a hot summer’s day.

  ‘Oh my God!’ Viv whispered. And as if they’d heard her he pulled away. But he didn’t move toward the door as Viv expected, he began to undress the girl. They were obviously familiar with each other, and once she was naked he gently laid her down onto a rug in front of the fire. Viv felt a stirring in her own loins and looked away, then back.

  ‘Shit!’ If she was seeing what she believed she was, there was nothing she could do. Tess was alive and having an affair with her brother. Illegal it might be, but it wasn’t part of Viv’s remit. She was only involved because Margo thought Tess could be in trouble. And whilst this constituted trouble it was not the kind she’d be expected to deal with.

  Viv sat on the ground and watched as the two young people traced the other’s pleasure. Neither was in any hurry or forcing the other to do anything. In fact there was considerable relish as far as Viv could see. How weird to be a voyeur.

  Eventually she became aware of how cold she was, and decided to retrace her steps. She’d seen enough to convince her Tess was definitely not being held against her will.

  Back in the car Viv rubbed her hands together and blew on them, coaxing some life back into her circulation. She released the hand brake and let the car glide down a few hundred feet before the steering lock prevented her from continuing on course, and she’d no choice but to switch the engine on. Her mind flipped over all the explanations and possible outcomes and acknowledged to herself that incest had never been in the running. Poor Rebecca.

  As Viv approached the farm she mulled over whether this information had to be shared with Rebecca or if there was a way of softening the blow. She also asked herself again if there could be another explanation but didn’t reach any plausible conclusion. Beccs’s reaction to her own sexuality was extreme enough and Viv guessed incest might be a challenge too far.

  As she passed the farm she wondered again where the mother and father could be. This whole drama had been a wild goose chase. But what about the guy who had whacked her, how was he involved?

  She slowed and stopped on the track. The battery on her mobile was low but she hoped she still had enough power to speak to Mac. She pressed his number and to her relief he answered immediately.

  ‘Hi, Mac . . . ’ The headlights of a car approaching up the track almost blinded her and she said, ‘Oops! I think the cavalry have just arrived. I’ll ring you back.’

  Mac shouted, ‘No. Tell me what’s happening.’

  ‘Incest. That’s what.’

  Silence. As this sank in she waited. ‘Okay, Mac. Once I’ve spoken to your guys here I’ll ring you back.’

  Obviously distracted, he managed a barely perceptible, ‘Okay.’

  When Viv stepped out of the car the officer shook his head and tightened his lips. He stretched his ample body to its full size and hooked his thumbs into his belt loops.

  ‘And you are here because?’

  Viv enjoyed his accent but sighed. ‘Well. I thought I’d take a look around. There might have been something I missed the first time . . . like a trapdoor or something.’ She looked at him directly. He returned her gaze then nodded, as if to encourage her to continue. ‘I didn’t expect to find a love nest.’

  He looked confused.

  Viv gestured with her head to the hill. ‘Up at the head of the reservoir, the cottage.’

  ‘Carry on. The Hydro-board cottage.’

  ‘Yes. I found who I was looking for in there.’

  ‘We’ve got the couple in there as . . . ’ He took out a notepad from his breast pocket and flipped through it. ‘A Mr and Mrs Symmington.’

  Viv sniggered.

  ‘Something funny, Dr Fraser?’

  Viv turned away. ‘Look I’m still only guessing but the bloke I just saw up there could be Simon Grant and if I’m right his wife isn’t a wife at all but his sister Tessa Grant.’ She pointed to the farmhouse. This was, or perhaps still is, their family home. No sign of their parents though.’

  ‘Mr Grant has been transferred. This is a company house.’

  ‘What? Nothing to do with the farm then?’

  ‘No. The farm is leased to the bloke who . . . ’ he hesitated, ‘you had your little run in with.’

  Viv didn’t like the sound of this. ‘You mean the man who, unprovoked, attacked me and locked me up?’

  ‘Your word against his, I’m afraid. We’ve released him.’

  Viv felt the colour rise up her neck and knew she should get back in her car. But knowing and doing were two different things. Trying to keep a lid on it, she said, ‘So. He could be right here in this very place.’

  ‘I expect he’ll be tucked up in his cottage over there.’

  He pointed to the little group of houses beyond the field on her left.

  Viv bit into her cheek and stepped back toward the Rav. But she wasn’t getting off that lightly, and he thumbed to the police car.

  ‘You might want to take her back with you before I charge her with something.’

  Viv craned her head and, shielding her eyes against the headlights, saw Rebecca in the back of his vehicle. He sauntered over to the back door and opened it.r />
  ‘Okay, young lady. Here’s your lift.’

  Viv snorted in disbelief. ‘You.’ She walked away pointing her finger at him. ‘Were clearly asleep through political correctness classes or haven’t those reached Aberdeenshire yet?’

  He shrugged bemused.

  Rebecca edged out of the police car, ducked under his arm and ran to the passenger side of Viv’s car. Once she was inside Viv backed up and mounted the verge, squeezing the Rav through the tight space between the police car and the fence. She watched the officer in her rear view mirror, who stood staring at their rear lights until they turned onto the main road.

  They didn’t speak until they reached the motorway south, when Rebecca twisted round to Viv. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Sorry for what?’

  ‘Sorry for not warning you, for not . . . being able to believe it . . . ’

  ‘Did you hear?’

  ‘Yes. But I’d already suspected. I just couldn’t . . . ’ She swallowed. ‘Disgusting. It’s so disgusting.’

  Viv recalled the fireside scene. To anyone who didn’t know they were related, what they were doing couldn’t have been described as disgusting.

  Rebecca continued. ‘Tess was so weird about him. Said she hated him.’

  ‘Could’ve been a lover’s tiff.’

  Rebecca shuddered. ‘Don’t. I can’t stand to think of them . . . he must’ve just been using me to get to her – to make her jealous or something. He’s . . . so manipulative. Tess is trapped or he’s trapped.’

  ‘It didn’t look that way to me.’

  Rebecca swung round again in her seat. ‘What? What did you see?’

  ‘Enough.’

  They were silent for the next few miles then Viv said, ‘What will you do about the flat?’

  The girl replied immediately. ‘Leave . . . My God, who’d want to stay there?’

  Viv was unconvinced.

  Rebecca managed to nod off for the last bit of the journey, giving Viv time to think. The local boys back in Aberdeen would have to make a choice about whether they followed up Viv’s allegation, or, she supposed, they’d more than likely just drop it.

  Her belly rumbled and the idea of a fish supper occurred. She checked the clock, one fifty in the morning. No chance of anything being open at this time. The road after the Forth Bridge was glistening. Her headlights bounced over enormous puddles that hadn’t yet drained away. Viv glanced across at Rebecca, whose hand was squashing her face as she leant her head against the window. The piercings looked distorted and even more ugly. As if she had felt Viv’s eyes on her Beccs stirred and rubbed her hands over her face.

  Viv flinched. ‘God sake! I don’t know how you can do that to yourself.’

  ‘What?’

  Viv pointed. ‘Those studs and rings. It must be sore when you do that.’

  Rebecca shook her head. ‘I don’t feel anything.’

  Viv wondered if numb was Beccs’s general state. Those scars were testimony to serious inner turbulence whatever she said out loud.

  It took another twenty minutes from Cramond Brig to Broughton Place, where Viv double parked and Beccs jumped out. Viv opened the window but Beccs just waved and fumbled in her jacket for her door key.

  As luck would have it there was a tight parking space opposite the bottom of Viv’s stair. She eased the Rav in, only slightly nudging a Silver Merc. She climbed up to her flat as if her legs were filled with lead. Once inside she flopped onto the couch, pulled a woollen throw over her shoulders, and fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Viv woke the next morning with a crick in her neck, and decided there was nothing else for it but a swim. Within fifteen minutes she was pushing through the turnstile at Warrender Baths, prepared to challenge her own record. She didn’t break her record, but felt a whole lot better after twenty lengths and a long hot shower. As she meandered back across the Meadows she recalled the couple the previous night, and how weird it had been to watch. She examined the light cloudy sky and thought of the day ahead. As she trudged upstairs she almost bumped into Ronnie, her almost silent and all but invisible next-door neighbour. ‘Oh, hi Ronnie. How you doing?’ She hadn’t seen or heard him since the Marmalade incident but noticed his normally pasty complexion was even paler than usual.

  ‘ . . . F-fine . . . Just . . . P-posting . . .’ He held up an envelope.

  She smiled and carried on upstairs. ‘See you. Take care.’

  Ronnie made an indecipherable attempt at an answer.

  The light was flashing on Viv’s answering machine and she pressed the button to listen to her messages.

  Margo’s voice echoed into the room. ‘Viv, could you ring me asap? I think there’s a problem at Broughton Place.’

  A breathless Margo, clearly on the hoof, answered Viv’s call.

  ‘Hi. I passed Broughton Place about ten minutes ago and there was an ambulance outside the girls’ tenement. Could be nothing. Could be someone else. But you and I are not ones for coincidences, are we?’

  ‘No. No, we’re not. I dropped Rebecca off at about two this morning.’

  ‘What the hell were you doing with her at that time?’

  ‘We decided to take a drive up to Aberdeen and discovered . . . Well, it’d take a while for me to explain, but let’s say our little friend Bambi was pretty disillusioned. An ambulance is a sign that it’s too late for us to do anything but should mean, if it is Beccs, that she’s now in good hands.’ Viv paused. ‘How about lunch?’

  ‘No can do, I’m in meetings all day. Could do an early supper though? Lind’s gone south to a Thomas Lawrence exhibition. I’m dining on my tod.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll try and get a table at Kushi’s for half six.’

  ‘Sure. Speak later.’

  Viv spent the next couple of hours faffing about, putting a washing on, tidying anything that sat still, and answering emails, but put off responding to the guy with the almond eyes, who had sent another request for them to meet for coffee.

  An email from Mac said, ‘Heard from Grampian. You must have remained calm and charming from what they report! Let’s meet and go over the whole case.’

  Viv shouted at the computer monitor. ‘It wasn’t a case.’ The phone ringing interrupted her. Slightly embarrassed for shouting at a machine, she answered prepared to be calm and collected.

  ‘Viv, it’s me.’

  Viv didn’t recognise the voice at first.

  ‘It’s Gabriella.’

  There had been so much going on that Viv had all but forgotten about their recent night. The feeling that she swallowed had nothing to do with ardour and as if Gabriella sensed this she said sheepishly, ‘I thought we might clear the air.’

  Viv looked at the handset. ‘What? You think that wasn’t my plan when I was ringing your phone off its hook? I think the air at my end is as clear as I need it to be

  . . . ’

  Silence.

  Then Viv spoke less aggressively. ‘I’ll be polite when we meet if that’s what’s worrying you. I’m not the explosive type. Look, let’s just call it quits. Okay?’

  A very small voice from the other end said, ‘Okay.’ And the receiver was replaced.

  Viv did the same and blew out a stream of hot air. ‘Well handled, Viv. Well handled. The woman wants to apologise and you shoot her down. Nice work.’

  Before she spiralled into self-flagellation she reminded herself that tiredness with pain made her a tiny bit pissed off. The last few days had been mad. ‘Jeez,’ she said through gritted teeth. Grabbing her mobile she pressed Rebecca’s number. It rang and rang before going to answering machine. Viv left a message. ‘Just wondered how you’re doing. Give me a call when you’re up and about.’

  She flicked the TV onto the news channel. Nothing much of interest. Back to the laptop. She navigated her way round BBC Scotland news and eventually found an update on the girl in the canal. Her dental records had shown that she wasn’t from Aberdeen at all, and had had all her treatment h
ere in Edinburgh. They still weren’t releasing a name.

  Viv checked the time, and reluctantly headed for the car. A visit to her mum could be done in an hour, maybe less, depending on the mood she was in when Viv appeared. The sheltered housing complex at Haymarket boasted two parking spots, one for the ambulance, the other for a visitor. Viv parked in the space reserved for ambulances. Her mum was surprised to hear Viv’s voice and pressed the buzzer for her to enter. So far so good. Viv took the stairs to the first floor two at a time, and found her mum waiting at the door.

  ‘Hi, hen. What a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you. Amanda phoned, she’s on her way.’

  ‘Great to see you, Mum. You’re looking well.’

  Her mum hated to hear those words. The competition to be the most ill was fierce in places like this, and Viv’s mum had forgotten what a good thing it was to be in good health.

  ‘I’m no all I look. I’ve had the doctor in . . . ’

  The buzzer shrieked and Viv stood aside to let her mum out from her tiny kitchenette. She already had a tray with two cups and saucers, and a plate of biscuits, laid out. Viv watched and smiled as her agile old mother repeated her passage through to the front door. Ten steps in total and not even remotely unstable on her pins. To move in here was the worst thing her mum could ever have done. It was a ghetto of ailments for those embracing the sunset of life, with no youth to aspire to, no kids to admire growing up, and only the endless comparison of aches, pains and pills. Viv heard Amanda arrive breathlessly and kissing their mum. Still undoing her scarf she came wafting her expensive scent and glossy, dark haired, willowy figure into the tiny sitting room, to find Viv.

  Amanda’s face fell, and through clenched teeth asked, ‘What brings you here?’

  ‘Hi, Amanda. I’m fine thanks – how are you?’

  Amanda threw Viv a death stare.

  And their mum said, ‘Right. I’ll get the kettle on.’

  ‘Not for me, Mum, I’ve got a meeting.’ Viv checked her watch. This wasn’t designed to get Amanda’s hackles up, but true to form the look on Amanda’s face indicated she was about to launch. Viv was beyond smoothing the path for her. There was a time, before her sister’s ‘corporate’ marriage, when they had found some level ground. Mand, whose course in Legal Administration hadn’t been going well, had asked Viv to help her with assignments, which Viv did. So when Mand decided to opt out and go travelling the world with a man who should have advertised for an automated device for lifting his socks, Viv was less than sympathetic. Since her global jaunt Manda had filled her time wearing Escada, having facials and manicures, doing his laundry, and picking fights with Viv at every opportunity. Guilt was a strange animal.