by Ellen Dean
‘Lindsay? Hi, how’s tricks?’
‘Why aren’t you with Beth getting her away from that moron?’
‘Hey, slow down. You know why. I haven’t been authorized to go in yet. As soon as I get the word you know I’ll be right in there. Are you here, in Aviemore?’
‘I’m at The Seasons Hotel. I booked in an hour ago.’
‘We’d better get together tonight then. I’ll come for dinner, book us a table.’
Over dinner, Constance brought Lindsay up to speed. There wasn’t a great deal to report. Beth had not left The Manse, and Angela was with her. Hyacinth had gone down to Perthshire early that morning, and Constance was awaiting information on her destination, and instructions on what to do next.
* * * * * * * *
Hyacinth returned to The Manse later the following day.
‘Does Angela have a burgundy four-wheel drive?’ Beth said as she stood idly gazing out the kitchen window.
‘No.’ In her haste to get to the window, Hyacinth knocked her chair flying. ‘Good God!’ Pulling open the kitchen door she ran outside.
Beth watched as H wrenched the driver ’s door open and her jaw dropped as Constance fell out of the vehicle into H’s arms. Now what’s going on?
Angela arrived and the women came into the kitchen together.
Well, it looks like our little party’s complete. Bursting to know the latest news while feigning disinterest, Beth walked over to the kettle. ‘I suppose you’ll want a cup of tea.’
It was as though all three had just remembered Beth was in the room. Gathering her wits, H replied, ‘Thank you, darling; thoughtful as always. Constance and I have a little catching up to do, so why don’t you bring a tray through to the drawing room for us. You will excuse us Angela.’
Beth loaded the tray with a pot of tea, and pastries. She carried it through and set it down on a low table beside Constance.
‘The police couldn’t get me for anything H, but what a grilling I got. They’re such conniving bastards.’ Constance’s voice was shaky. ‘Honestly, I almost admitted to something just to get some peace.’
‘Poor darling.’ Hyacinth said.
‘I heard a rumour they’ve got someone working undercover.’
H jumped up, nearly knocking the tray off the table as she started to pace the floor. That would explain the text messages — some smart arse copper thinking they would put the wind up her. No chance.
While H’s back was turned, Constance managed to give a thumbs up sign to Beth. That was all the reassurance Beth needed. She slipped out of the room and returned to the kitchen where Angela was waiting. ‘Shall we go for a walk? I could use some fresh air.’
‘Why not? Come on, we’ll walk around the Loch.’
Constance was alone in the house when they returned and because Angela trusted Beth with her, she was happy to leave them together. After all, she had a thousand and one things to do. ‘Tell H I’ll catch up with her later.’
‘She’ll be safe with me.’ Constance nodded towards Beth. ‘Bye for now.’ She just about shunted Angela out of the door.
They watched Angela’s vehicle disappear down the drive before Constance spoke. ‘I was willing you to get back before Hyacinth. We’ve got to get you out of here.’
‘I can’t go.’
‘Don’t be stupid. Go and get your things together. Better still, leave them. I told you not to get mixed up with her.’
‘Constance, you don’t understand. H framed me. She put diamonds in all of my luggage and I’ve been carrying them around the world for her. But that’s nothing compared to what she’s done to Lou.’ Tears welled up in Beth’s eyes.
‘Go on,’ Constance encouraged when Beth’s voice faltered. ‘Tell me.’
‘Somehow, and I have no idea how she did it, she planted diamonds in the lining of Lou’s handbag. That’s why I’m here. She’s threatening to say Lou’s involved if I don’t stay with her.’
‘Where are the diamonds, still in Lou’s handbag?’
‘No, I got them out and brought them with me. Hyacinth has them along with the ones she planted in my bags. I can’t trust her. She’s a devious cow. She could have planted anything in Lou’s bags. What if I missed something?’ Tears of frustration ran down Beth’s cheeks. ‘I don’t know how the hell she does it.’
Constance knew. She had poured over the suspects’ information long enough, from the so-called ring leader to the numerous minions willingly doing whatever Hyacinth wanted them to. ‘Probably a stupid statement Beth, so forgive me for saying what might seem obvious but, you do realize I’m still undercover?’
Beth managed a smile. ‘Yes, I haven’t completely lost my mind, although I want H to think I have.’
‘Good girl. Now listen to what I’m going to tell you.’
They sat side-by-side at the kitchen table so they could watch the drive for Hyacinth returning, while Constance talked.
‘Does the name Vanessa mean anything to you?’
‘Yes.’
‘She’s one of the minions we’ve arrested and she’s confessed to planting diamonds in Lou’s bag. Lou is in the clear. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.’
Beth heaved a massive sigh of relief.
Constance continued. ‘Serena’s arrest was the result of a tip off, but she wasn’t carrying diamonds. Someone just wanted her out of the way. Now she’s missing. We’re hoping she’ll contact H.’
Beth listened, but her heart was singing knowing her beautiful Lou was no longer in danger.
‘The lovely Hyacinth has turned in all of her precious girlfriends and Penny is to blame. It seems Penny is in financial ruin -- thanks to Bertie’s gambling — unknown to H she arranged a diamond run herself to save them from going under.’
‘A friend of Penny’s told me they were struggling when we were at Ascot. You were there too, but obviously not when that was said. I told H, but she changed the subject.’ Beth said.
‘Penny’s consignment went wrong, both the courier and the diamonds disappeared without trace. She lost her financial lifeline. She tried to set-up another deal, but wasn’t as clever as she thought.’
‘Go on.’
‘H trusted her implicitly and because she had no wish to worry her, or any of her women, she didn’t think it was necessary to tell them about The Syndicate; to explain why they had to stop smuggling in the first place. She expected them to accept her decision without question.’ Constance paused to take a drink of her now cold tea. ‘Penny hates H with a passion, but at the same time loves her so desperately she can’t think straight. Penny told the Group they were doing the runs on H’s instructions, but they weren’t.’
‘Because H had really stopped to keep them all safe. Right?’
‘Right. But H’s solicitor struck a deal, it’s surprising what can be arranged, and in return H sang like a bird. We’ve even got Enzo.’
‘He’s the man she introduced me to in Cannes.’
‘Yes, I know. I was in Cannes at the time. I spoke to you.’ Beth gawped as Constance continued, ‘I was the gypsy.’
‘Talk about a master of disguise!’
‘I’m an expert in that department. I’ve done my damnedest to keep you safe.’
‘I should thank you. I owe you one.’
‘Back to H. She needed to keep a low profile because she’d drawn attention to herself and her operation was getting too big. She was scared and under pressure. Penny Corday could have got her killed, organizing scams behind her back. The Syndicate had approached H.’
‘So, who are The Syndicate, exactly?’
‘You don’t need to know, but they wanted the Amethyst Group to either start working for them, or close down. They believed H had arranged a diamond run after she had promised to stop. They had no idea it was Penny. To them H was rubbing their noses in it. They would have killed her.’
‘I can’t believe it. This is so dangerous. Does Hyacinth need money?’
‘No, not at all. She has mo
re money than Tetley have tea-leaves. She does it for the thrill, for the excitement. She needs the buzz.’
‘Penny has a lot to answer for.’ Beth said.
‘She tried to sort things out in the only way she knew. In a way I feel sorry for her. She’s lost everything. Somehow, and we still don’t know how, H found out what she was up to. I think Penny is lucky to be alive. A few years in prison and she’ll be out, able to start again as good as new, but Hyacinth won’t forget, or forgive, what Penny’s done. She’ll be waiting and planning some terrible pay back.’ Constance refilled her cup. ‘The sad thing is, if Penny had only told H about the predicament she and Bertie were in, then H would have probably bailed them out and none of this would have happened.’ Constance stood up and walked round the table to stretch her legs. ‘She still can’t let things lie. The silly bitch has got her immunity, and she’s in danger of blowing it. We have reason to believe she’s out there now trying to move diamonds.’
‘Really!’
‘She’s going to end up in serious trouble, or dead. We’ve been tailing her. She’s been to Perth, and stayed over. Do you know who the woman is that she went to visit?’
Beth shook her head.
‘Her old school Matron. Has she ever mentioned her?’ Constance said.
‘No.’
‘Has she heard anything from Serena?’
‘Not as far as I know.’
‘We figure sooner or later she’ll make contact with H.’
‘Well, she hasn’t yet, at least I know she hasn’t been here. I want H to suffer for what she’s done to Lou and I.’ The strength and determination in Beth’s voice surprised Constance.
Constance gave Beth a potted history of Hyacinth’s life. Bringing a diamond into the country had started out as a game invented by her grandfather whenever she returned to school from South Africa. All she had to do was deliver it to his friend in London. As she grew up H changed the game to suit herself and the Amethyst Group was born.’
‘I need a coffee,’ Constance said. She got up and busied about boiling the kettle and looking for mugs in the overhead cupboards. ‘You look deep in thought, have you remembered something? I know you’re psychic and can see stuff. Lindsay told me.’
‘I see things that I don’t always understand.’
‘I don’t suppose you’ve seen anything to do with H in your visions?’
‘Yes, I have, but I don’t know what it means.’
‘Would you like to tell me anyway?’
‘I’ll tell you what I can.’
‘Go on.’
‘I saw H and someone very like Serena standing on a railway platform, they were facing each other. I could feel
they had some kind of strong connection. It was one of the briefest visions I’ve ever had, flashing in and out so quickly it was impossible to anchor it. The place had an air of decay about it.’
‘You are amazing. I don’t know what your visions mean, but just to be able to do that! Wow.’
‘In the last vision I saw a harbour. Or maybe it was docks,’ Beth tapped her fingers on the wooden table, ‘I can’t say for sure. Anyway, it was awful. I saw a man drowning in a car as it sank into the water. He was trying to get out. It’s hard to explain because this wasn’t exactly a vision. It’s hard to explain, but it’s as if I was seeing it through Hyacinth’s eyes.’
Constance caught hold of Beth’s fingers, ‘Please think. Can you tell me anything else?’
Beth thought hard. ‘It was dark. It wasn’t a holiday type of place. I think that it was probably docks. There were massive shadows, maybe freight containers, but I can’t say for sure.’
‘What can you say for sure?’
‘The man in the car — he’s dead. I saw him take his last breath.’
‘I think you may have unintentionally witnessed the courier’s demise. Can try to be more specific, to get something more?’
‘I’ll try, I can’t promise though.’
‘If you can identify a landmark, or anything that would give us a location, it would help a lot.’
‘Okay, here goes, but I’ve never tried to do this before.’ Beth closed her eyes and concentrated. ‘I’ve got something. Yes, I’ve got it back. Good. It’s very dark, I can’t get a clear picture. I think I can see the freight containers I mentioned. This is difficult, it’s so dark. There’s a building, or buildings even . . . and I can see a ferry . . . and a wooden platform.’ Beth concentrated. ‘This is bizarre, but I can see shields, you know, the type like King Arthur ’s knights had. There’s a royal crest and a set of keys. I think it’s a metaphor. I’m looking across a river, everywhere is lit up on the other side, bright lights shining from buildings.’ She opened her eyes. ‘I think I was looking across at the Royal Quays, North Shields.’
‘Bloody hell, that’s spooky!’ Constance was flabbergasted at the amount of information Beth gave her. ‘I must tell Lindsay, get them to start a search.’ She picked up her phone, and set the wheels in motion. ‘That’s done. I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you stay until the frogmen have completed their search?’
‘If it helps to nail Hyacinth, yes!’
‘Good. There’s something I need to show you.’ Constance took a small brown glass medicine bottle from her pocket. She handed it to Beth. ‘Do you recognize this? Take a sniff.’
Absently Beth took the bottle. What was Constance giving her a medicine bottle for? She unscrewed the cap and sniffed. Her mouth fell open. She sniffed again, to be sure. ‘What is this and where did you get it? More to the point were you there?’
‘Yes, I was there. Tell me what you think happened.’
‘What I think happened? What do you mean? H told me there was an orgy and that she has it all on film.’
‘There was no orgy. You slept like a baby. It was the drug. It’s hallucinogenic. Penny fed you some before H performed one of her magic ceremonies prior to paying the girls in diamonds for what was supposed to be the final time. Afterwards they dumped you into bed and left you there.’
‘Yes, but Petra . . . I woke up with Petra. I think we had sex, but I can’t remember.’
‘Ah yes, well that might be another story. Petra isn’t part of the Group. She’s been released from police custody. She fancies the hell out of you, and hates Hyacinth.’
‘Thank you for telling me about the cellar. That’s a relief. So, why did they drug me?’
‘Because you’d found them in the grotto dividing out the diamonds. You should have stayed in the ballroom, and not gone nosing about.’
‘I’ll stay, but I want to speak to Lou, now.’
Chapter 59
Hyacinth headed for the airy shopping mall in Inverness. She was on a mission. Earlier in the day she had received an intriguing text message:
Meet me at the Coffee House in The Arcade Inverness 11am my body awaits you x
She was followed by a police officer who alerted the surveillance team. If she was handling diamonds they would catch her in the act.
Eleven am and she was sitting in the open-plan café, drinking cappuccino, waiting. She thought about Beth, tomorrow she would send her home. She knew Beth had no real feelings for her. Dorothy had confirmed that. How could she have got it so wrong? She needed a woman with some fire in her belly. Beth had that, but somehow she’d lost the control she’d had over her.
H checked her watch. It was almost noon. Someone was playing her for a fool.
The shopping mall had four entrances. Imagination had not been employed in their naming. North Avenue, South Avenue, East and West Avenue all converged on Central Avenue. And it didn’t take a genius to work out that The Coffee House was located here.
The place was alive, bustling with shoppers keen to take advantage of the seasonal sales. It looked like they’d come in by the busload.
Lindsay was browsing through goods displayed outside the stores along East Avenue; all offering fantastic never-to- be-repeated one-off deals. If she wasn’t undercover, she could have done
some early Christmas shopping. Other members of her team were dotted throughout the complex.
Constance was opposite Lindsay somewhere along West Avenue. They were all waiting for Hyacinth to meet her fence, but Constance didn’t believe H was here for that. She understood just how precious freedom was to H. The woman didn’t value much, but her freedom was paramount and Constance did not believe she would put herself at risk of losing it. She’d grassed on her Group in return for her freedom.
H glanced at her watch again. Twelve forty-five. She had been stood up. She may as well go shopping. Bending down to retrieve a glove that had fallen to the floor she was surprised when a waitress appeared at her table and handed her an envelope.
They’ve made contact at last. Lindsay watched H read the note, push it back into the envelope, then get up to leave.
H pushed her way forcefully through the shoppers jamming West Avenue. Outside she skipped through the traffic and headed straight for the revolving doors of the hotel opposite. Taking the stairs to the third floor because she couldn’t bear to wait for the lift, she sprinted along the corridor to Suite 305. Panting, she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the envelope containing the door key.
The room was in darkness when, heart racing with anticipation, H let herself in. The door closed behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom she saw the outline of a naked girl wearing only a mask, exquisite black thigh boots and a pentacle necklace, dimly reflected in the floor to ceiling mirrors.
Hot breath hit Hyacinth’s ear as her hands were pulled behind her back and tied together. Her body flushed with excitement, as wetness erupted between her legs. At last I’m going to have some fun.
‘You have a beautiful body, Mistress,’ she said aloud. ‘Why don’t you take that mask off and let me see your face?’
The girl shook her head, a curtain of long dark hair shimmered around her shoulders. She walked around Hyacinth examining her as if she was a piece of meat then she undid the buttons on H’s camel coat pushing it off her shoulders so that it slipped down her arms to be held in place by the hand-cuffs around Hyacinth’s wrists.