Of Books and Bagpipes

by Paige Shelton

  I held the phone out for Edwin to see. “It’s interesting though, isn’t it … Edwin?”

  My boss’s face had paled and he blinked rapidly, his eyes in the general direction of the phone but not really looking at it anymore.

  I’d done it again.

  I hurried around to him. “Are you okay?” I reached for my mobile to call 999.

  Edwin put up his hand. “I’m fine, Delaney. No need tae call anyone. You surprised me again, that’s all.”

  “I promise I’m going to stop doing that. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m sure. I’m … Tell me exactly where you found it.” He reached for the phone on the desk but then pulled his hand back before he reached it.

  “On top of Castle Doune, under the stone wall that was next to the stairs where we found Billy. I had begun to think it didn’t have anything to do with his murder. Do you think it did?”

  “No, please don’t call anyone. I … don’t think this has anything tae do with the boy’s murder. But I do think it was meant for me, part of the message that Gordon wanted tae give me.”

  “What’s it mean?” I said as I stood and went back to my chair. His color was returning.

  Edwin shook his head. “I can’t tell you, my dear. But I do promise you sincerely and deeply, I’m sure it had nothing tae do with Billy’s manner of death.”

  “But it could have contributed to the reason he was killed?” I said, thinking as quickly as I could through his word play. He looked at me and blinked.

  “No, I think it’s more likely that it was dropped accidentally. There’s no mistaking that this is something only Gordon and I would understand. I doubt even Billy understood the message his father was relaying to me. And, frankly, no one else would care. And I don’t think it was the reason he was killed. No, that wouldn’t make sense. Where’s the dirk now?”

  “I gave it to the police,” I said. I watched him closely for another reaction.

  “I see,” he said, not bothered. “You’ve been busy.”

  “I have, and I’d really like to know what the dirk means to you, what the message was. Please tell me.”

  He stood. I thought his legs might be shaky, but they weren’t.

  “I will, I promise, but now I must find Gordon. I need tae talk to him.”

  “Edwin, there was more,” I said as I picked up my phone again.

  He sat in the chair again as I scrolled to the picture of the business card.

  “I found this by the dirk, and I know that Billy was involved with this woman, Grizel Sheehy. They had a public argument in Stirling, where Billy volunteered. On Tuesday, he slapped her. As a result, he was asked to not come back to portray William Wallace ever again.”

  “Was she hurt?” Edwin asked.

  “Not physically, but I’m sure the entire scene was awful.”

  “Aye,” Edwin said as anger lit briefly in his eyes. “Unacceptable behavior, but I’m sure he was devastated about his mistake.”

  “I don’t think the gentlemen who run the group were accepting apologies,” I said. “I can’t put the pieces of information together so they lead to a killer, but I think they somehow must. The police seem to be on the same trail, but they don’t know about Gordon. I think you should tell them he’s alive, even if that fact has nothing to do with his son’s murder.”

  “I can’t do that, Delaney. The news would devastate Fiona emotionally and financially.”

  “You could help her out financially if you wanted to, and she’d eventually recover emotionally,” I said. “It’s the only right thing to do.”

  “Even if Gordon is dying?”

  I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

  I knew that exceptionally rich people were often called upon to save those who weren’t their responsibility just because money could solve financial problems, and if you had so much you wouldn’t miss giving some away. I never did like that line of reasoning; if I didn’t think that in some old-friendship way Edwin was responsible for Fiona at least slightly, I would not have suggested he help her.

  “I’m not prepared tae tell the police that,” he said. “I will talk tae Gordon first, and then maybe.”

  “Do you think the story Gordon was talking about was written on a piece of paper, or was the dirk the story?”

  Edwin cocked his head and looked at me. Slowly a sad smile overtook his features.

  “Excellent, Delaney. I think you might be onto something. It hadn’t occurred tae me but now I don’t think there ever was a written story. The dirk says it all. Gordon would never have admitted that in front of everyone here, and I was so angry with him and so devastated by Billy’s death … No, there was no story, I’m sure. The annual and the dirk tell the story he wanted me tae know.”

  Edwin stood again and moved toward the door.

  I scurried out of my chair. “May I come with you to talk to him?”

  “No, not today.”

  “Edwin?”

  “I’m sorry, lass. Forgive me, but there are some things that each of us must attend tae alone. It’s just the way it is.”

  I nodded. I was confused and concerned. I hadn’t expected these turns at all, and Edwin wasn’t just my boss.

  “I’ll ring you later. After I talk tae Gordon, I will want tae talk tae someone. I will ring you,” he said.

  “All right,” I said hopefully. “I’ll keep my phone right next to me.”

  I locked the warehouse door behind him again but then remembered I’d forgotten to ask him about SPEC.

  Hurriedly, I unlocked the door, had to lock it again because that was the rule—never, ever leave the door unlocked—ran up one side of stairs, down the other side, and then out through the front door. There was no sign of Edwin or his Citroën.

  I tried to reach him on his mobile, but he didn’t answer.

  “Now what?” I said as I bit my bottom lip. I looked up toward Tom’s pub and answered my own question.

  FOURTEEN

  “He just left?” Tom said from the awkward sideways position he’d taken under the back side of the bar. His face was spotted with black grease and dirt, and the wrench he held was so big that it looked more deadly than the dirks.

  “Yeah. I didn’t even get a chance to ask about SPEC. Can I help with that?” I said from my crouched position next to him. “I know a little plumbing. Farm girl and all.”

  Tom smiled up at me. “I just have tae get a couple things tightened up, but I’m not surprised you’re not afraid tae get your hands a little dirty. That sounded like innuendo. Didn’t mean it tae.”

  I smiled down at him but his attention had gone back to the pipe. I said, “Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like them.”

  A couple of seconds later and after saying some unfamiliar words that were probably a Scots version of expletives as he looked at the pipes, Tom sat up and dropped the wrench into a toolbox on the floor in between us.

  “So the dirk we found was a message from the dead man’s father?” Tom said as he rested his arms on his bent knees.

  “Right. Originally the story was supposed to be about the reasons Gordon faked his death. He said he wrote it all down. But I’m pretty sure Edwin thinks that the only story was the dirk. Edwin doesn’t think anything was written down at all. At least that’s my interpretation.”

  Tom nodded. “I bet you want tae talk tae Gordon. I could go with you later today, but not right now.”

  “That’s where Edwin said he was going. Gordon works at a fish market but when I looked them up, there’s more than one.”

  “Aye.” Tom hoisted himself up and then gave me a hand too. He pulled me close and held on a little too long, but there were no customers around at the moment. “They’re all down close tae the water, close tae the pub we went tae last night actually. Rodger,” he said to his affable employee who was cleaning the front windows of the pub, “your da works at a fish market, right?”

  “Aye.”

 
“Where does he go when he isn’t working?”

  “Which pub?”

  “Aye?”

  “Believe it or not my dad’s not a drinker. He works a full week and rests on his days off.”

  “Then that won’t work. All right, how many fish markets are there?”

  “A few? Why?”

  “We’re trying to find someone specific.”

  Rodger scratched the side of his head. “Well, I guess I’d need more information, but many of the markets are run by families. Da works with his cousin. There’s a particularly big market that has a number of employees that aren’t family though. Honestly, I cannae remember the name, but it’s the big red barnlike building right next tae the river.”

  “I think I saw that last night near The King’s Wark,” I said.

  “I think so too.”

  “It’s not too cold. Maybe I’ll take a bus over there and see what I can see. It would be pure luck to run into him, but it would give me something to do while you’re busy.”

  “What if you run into Edwin?”

  I shrugged. “I’ll improvise, I guess.”

  “I’m sorry I’m busy. We have to get this all cleaned up and put back together before tomorrow. It’s a mess. You’ll be careful?”

  “Yes, and don’t worry about it. I’m glad you’re able to get it fixed. Tonight, we’ll try again?”

  “Aye.”

  “Uh-oh, shall I close my eyes and ears?” Rodger said.

  “Your choice,” Tom said.

  It was an awesome good-bye. If he didn’t, Rodger probably should have closed his eyes.

  * * *

  I found the long red building quickly and easily. It was as simple as retracing the route to The King’s Wark, but stopping about a half block sooner. Sea smells greeted me outside the building, somehow different when the air was cold, sweeter maybe. I walked over to the side of the building that was next to the water. From there I could see an inlet with a few moored and rocking boats and a couple of wake markers. The seawater wasn’t too rough, but was very foamy around the shore; the cold spray hit my cheeks with a gust of wind. It wasn’t below freezing but I wondered if I’d have ice drops on my face if I stayed outside long enough.

  I met even stronger smells when I went inside, and not much more warmth. The market reminded me of any classic fish market I might have seen in pictures or read about in books, but it was my first in-person visit to one. Kansas fish markets were more about poles and wormy bait sunk into a river than buying anything from someplace indoors.

  Rows of fish on ice filled the building. Big fish, small fish, gray fish, and even red fish. There were so many varieties, including what must have been some sort of cephalopod, but its numerous tentacles seemed alien and I found myself stepping away from it when I wondered if I saw one of its tentacles twitch.

  Now that I was there, I felt lost and silly for even trying to find Gordon. I hadn’t seen Edwin’s Citroën anywhere nearby, but if he’d been here he could be long gone by now, which was good news. I really didn’t want to run into him.

  “Hello, can I help ye?”

  The smiling man wiped his hands over his mostly clean apron as he approached. He also wore a very clean and very white coat with sleeves pushed up displaying heavily muscled forearms. His hair was covered with a net but that didn’t take away from his dimpled smile. He was a tall man, probably close to my age, but with twinkling eyes that made him seem youthful.

  “I’m not sure. I’m just looking around a little bit,” I said, noting to myself that there were only two other customers in the large building and at least five other men in white coats and hairnets, though none of them immediately reminded me of Gordon.

  “Certainly. I’m happy tae answer any questions or make recommendations.”

  “Thank you.”

  He smiled and stared at me a beat too long. “Do I ken ye?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Ye’re so familiar. I felt like I ken ye.”

  “I’m not from around here.”

  “Aye. I see that. Or, I hear that, I s’pose.” He wiped his hands again and extended the right one my direction and said, “I’m Liam.”

  “I’m Delaney.”

  We shook, his grip almost as strong as his arms inferred it would be.

  “I’m sairy tae stare, but ye’re lovely,” he said.

  Predictably, my cheeks reddened. “Thank you.”

  “If ye’re new tae Edinburgh, I’d be happy tae show ye around. Been here all my life. I ken all the guid places. The bad ones too.”

  “Well, thank you, Liam, but I’ve been here a few months already, and I am seeing someone.”

  “Pity. Real pity.”

  “Delaney?”

  I turned as Gordon approached. He had a box of fish over his shoulder and the edge in his voice told me he was both surprised and unhappy to see me.

  “Hello,” I said.

  Gordon set the box of fish down. “I see ye’ve met our Liam.”

  “Aye, meebe ye leuk familiar because ye ken Barclay.”

  “She’s never been here before. Have ye, Delaney?” “Barclay” Gordon said, his tone firm and unfriendly still.

  “This is my first time. Good to see you, Barclay. I hoped to run into you today.”

  “Aye,” Gordon said.

  Liam’s eyebrows lowered as he inspected Gordon and then me and then Gordon again.

  “Awright. Let me know if ye need anything,” Liam said before he turned and walked away.

  Gordon stepped closer to me. “What are ye doing here?”

  “I wanted to talk to you. I didn’t know any other way to get in touch,” I said. “Gor—Barclay, no one knows me. I have nothing to do with your past. No one will make any connection to Gordon,” I said quietly.

  “It’s risky, Delaney, but ye’re here now and it would leuk more suspicious if I threw ye oot. They frown on us doing such a thing tae customers. I’ll talk tae ye.”

  I looked around. “Can you take a break or is there someplace we could go that’s more private?”

  Gordon gave me the most impatient look I’d ever been sent. I realized quickly that he was correct in thinking I shouldn’t have come to see him. Nevertheless, I tried not to let him see my wavering confidence.

  “Give me a minute,” he said.

  He lifted up the box of fish again and carried it to a bed of ice in the next row. With fast, sure movements he placed long gray fish, one at a time, onto the ice, making an appealing stack despite their glassy eyes and open mouths. He grabbed the empty box and walked past me toward what looked like an office space in the middle of the market.

  “Follow me,” he mumbled as he went by.

  I did as he said, but not without noticing Liam watching our every move. He wasn’t attempting to be subtle and he made me feel much more exposed than I liked. I kept my steps sure.

  “In here,” Gordon said as he pushed open a door.

  The space was the smallest office I’d ever seen, even smaller than Joshua’s converted supply closet. A messy desk and two chairs were crammed in the windowless room, and I had no desire to be packed in there with Gordon, but I’d come this far.

  Once I’d sat in one chair with my knees rammed up against the desk, Gordon shut the door and wedged himself around the desk to the other chair.

  He took a deep breath as he sat. “Awright, Delaney, what could ye possibly want? Ye dinnae even ken me.”

  “I have some questions.”

  He blinked. “What kind of questions?”

  “About your past, about your son?”

  “Why?”

  “Because no one including the police can know you’re alive, apparently. I think your son’s killer needs to be brought to justice.”

  “Ye’re going tae the police?”

  “I might.”

  Gordon squinted hard.

  “But I won’t tell them about you, I don’t think. I don’t want to do that to your wife. But no
promises.”

  “Ye ken Fiona?”

  I nodded. “She came into the bookshop. She’s heartbroken. Your son’s killer needs to be found, for her if not for anyone else,” I said. “Didn’t you see Edwin earlier today?”

  “No, why?”

  I blinked. I wondered why Edwin hadn’t done what he’d said he was going to do.

  “Delaney?”

  I jumped.

  “The police need to find your son’s killer, Gordon. I would think that would be your wish as well,” I said.

  “The police will find the killer. I had nothing tae do with my son’s death.” His jaw tightened for a brief moment as if he had to work hard to contain his emotions. “I’m not important tae that equation.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not so sure.” I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone, once again finding one of the pictures of the dirk. “Does this have anything to do with you?”

  Any other time, place, or person facing him, maybe Gordon would have been able to hide his surprise. But I was a stranger and I’d come to the place he’d been hiding. I’d caught him off guard and I’d already caused him some grief.

  “Where…” He reached for the phone but then sat back again, seemingly suddenly tired to the bone. “Where did ye get this?”

  “I found it close to where I found your son’s body. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to keep pressing the matter, but I have to know, do you think this dirk has anything to do with Billy’s death?”

  Gordon shook his head slowly and said, “Not unless Edwin MacAlister is his killer.”

  It was my turn to be surprised, but I cleared my throat and continued on, past the sense of the walls closing in. “What do you mean?”

  “I cannae tell ye more than that. I dinnae understand why this was on top ’o the castle with my son but Edwin must have been the one tae have put it there. Billy brought it with him if Edwin didn’t, I suppose, but I didnae ken Billy knew aboot it.” Gordon’s shoulders sank and he blinked at me two hard times. “It all makes more sense now.”