A Spell of Murder

by Kennedy Kerr

  ‘Ah. Yes. The Inspector sent me. You said the housekeeper at Dalcairney Manor gave you some information.’

  ‘Yes, she did.’

  ‘So… can I have it?’ Harley looked uncomfortable.

  ‘Oh. Right. Sure, sit down.’ Temerity dusted off a leather sofa and pushed a box of books that had been delivered yesterday for Tilda to one side. ‘How’s the case, anyway?’

  Hebrides flew in, swooping gently and landing on Temerity’s desk. She’d given up trying to stop him doing it and had to accept his claw marks on the walnut wood. Angus gave the bird a cautious look.

  ‘Progressing. I went up to talk to Beth Bennett again earlier today,’ he said, getting his notebook and pen out of his pocket.

  I bet she enjoyed that, Temerity thought.

  ‘Oh. And?’

  ‘Her alibi checks out. I had to push her on it, but she was playing hooky from work that day and shoplifting, would you believe it? The stores she went to in Glasgow have confirmed they’ve got her on CCTV at the time Molly died.’

  ‘Shoplifting?’ Human nature never failed to amaze Temerity. ‘But… doesn’t she have a pretty well-paid job? Surely she doesn’t need to—’

  ‘Naughty girl.’ Hebrides squawked and Temerity had to hide her grin behind a cough.

  ‘It’s not always about needing to,’ Harley said, frowning at Hebrides. ‘A lot of people do it for the excitement. The challenge, I suppose. Who knows? Anyway, Beth Bennett was stuffing lingerie in her handbag in a department store at the time, so I think we can count her out of our considerations.’

  ‘Wow. Okay.’ Temerity sighed. ‘And what about Dr Theakstone?’

  ‘We’re not sure about that yet. He says he was in Edinburgh on the afternoon of the murder so we have to see if we can find anyone to corroborate that, but we never thought he actually had a reason for killing Molly, more that he might have supplied the atropine. The Inspector has investigated Alf Hersey’s accusation that Theakstone could have sold or stolen drugs, but it’s impossible to prove without the testimony of someone he sold them to.’

  ‘I suppose so. Tilda said Alf did seem very certain about it.’

  Angus shrugged.

  ‘We need evidence. I mean, Theakstone is new to the village, so there’s that. We don’t know much about him other than his professional record, which is clean.’

  ‘And McKinley?’

  ‘We’ll be searching McKinley’s house shortly. We’re waiting for the warrant to come through to do it.’

  ‘Do you think you’ll find something incriminating?’ Temerity asked.

  ‘Don’t know, yet. But he did it, don’t you think?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Temerity said truthfully and told him everything that Liz had told them.

  ‘Interesting.’ Harley scribbled everything down in his book; Hebrides watched him through one open eye, occasionally ruffling his azure feathers.

  Tilda wandered into the shop, reading a large leather-bound book as she walked. It was right in front of her face, so she didn’t see either Temerity or Angus until she had almost fallen over them. Temerity made out the title in German – Buch Aller Verbotenen Kumst. Her German wasn’t that great, but she mentally translated it as something like Book of All Forbidden Arts.

  ‘Oh, hi. I didn’t see you there,’ Tilda remarked, unnecessarily. ‘Constable. Not planning to take your clothes off in our bathroom today, are you? Just so I can be prepared.’ She smiled beatifically at Angus, who raised an eyebrow.

  ‘I’ll let you know,’ he replied; he seemed to be getting used to Tilda.

  ‘I’ll be over here on the edge of my seat.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Oh. I know what you’ll find interesting. I heard a rumour about Dr Theakstone.’

  ‘What rumour? From who?’

  ‘I heard Muriel talking to her friend, that one from the school…’

  ‘Brenda.’

  ‘Right, Brenda.’

  Angus frowned and raised an eyebrow.

  ‘I wouldn’t exactly consider either of them to be a reliable source of information,’ he muttered. ‘Go on.’

  Tilda stroked Hebrides’ head softly. ‘Well, Brenda says she thinks Theakstone’s an addict.’

  ‘An addict?! Of what?’ Temerity interjected.

  ‘Maybe a drinker, maybe painkillers. Brenda said the guy had definitely had a hangover every time she’d gone in and her appointments are early, between eight and nine. She’s had some kind of ongoing problem with her bowel,’ Tilda explained, raising her eyebrows. ‘Anyway, she said he was behaving oddly.’

  ‘Right. Well, I’ll have to follow this up. But, maybe next time, could you tell Brenda and Muriel – and anyone else – if it affects a murder case, could they maybe tell the police? Or could you tell us?’ Angus got up. Temerity could see he was annoyed.

  ‘Tilda’s telling you now,’ Temerity pointed out.

  ‘Whatever. It’s been a long day.’ Angus sighed.

  ‘Don’t be like that, Hunky Policeman. That’s just the way it is in Lost Maidens Loch,’ Tilda said, picking up Charybdis and holding her to her ear.

  ‘What’s that, catty? I know. He’s being very grumpy, isn’t he? We should call him Constable Grumpy, shouldn’t we?’

  ‘Tils! Don’t be so rude!’ Temerity could see that Angus didn’t know how to take Tilda’s teasing; Temerity knew that her sister’s sense of humour was unpredictable, but you had to get used to it, or be pretty sarcastic or odd yourself in the first place. ‘The Inspector said you were researching Molly Bayliss’s family? She was adopted, right?’

  ‘That’s right. I was in Edinburgh looking at the records, but they had to send out for them. They’re coming in about a week or so.’

  ‘What relevance does that have, though?’

  ‘Not much, probably. Just procedure.’

  ‘Ah.’ Temerity nodded.

  ‘Hm. Well, I’d better be going.’ Angus stood up and put his notepad in his pocket. Temerity could tell he was still disgruntled. ‘Thanks for the information.’

  ‘Angus, don’t be like that.’ Temerity held out her hand and caught his arm, but Hebrides chose that moment to fly to her and she had to back away and hold her arm out for the bird so that he didn’t land on Angus. ‘Hebrides! Off!’ she ordered, but the bird squawked at her as if to say, I’m doing you a favour here. Why do you want to be friends with him when you’ve got me?

  ‘See you around, Temerity.’ Angus nodded curtly at her and shut the shop door behind him.

  ‘Tilda! Did you have to be so rude?’ Temerity sighed.

  ‘I was only joking. Big policeman can’t take a joke. What do you care, anyway? You don’t like him… or do you?’

  ‘Of course I don’t like him.’ Temerity made a dismissive gesture with her hands.

  ‘Now you just look uncomfortable!’ Tilda crowed. ‘You do like him, you do! Temerity Love, as I live and breathe! A crush on Monotone Man.’

  ‘I do not!’ she snapped at her sister. Hebrides spread out his wings to their full span and flapped them regally. ‘And you. You’re a naughty fellow. What are you?’

  ‘Clever Hebrides,’ the parrot disagreed.

  21

  ‘Dr Theakstone will see you now.’ The receptionist, a boy barely out of his teens, called over the counter at Temerity, who was sitting in the doctor’s reception lounge. There wasn’t anything wrong with her, but she’d decided to beard the lion in his den, or whatever that ridiculous phrase was that Tilda kept using. Lions didn’t even have beards.

  Temerity’s plan was to imply to the locum doctor that she wanted to pay him illegally to buy prescription drugs – not atropine, as that might look suspicious – but painkillers that she didn’t need. She didn’t have the Inspector’s permission to do this, but if Dr Theakstone agreed to sell her the drugs, it would be pretty incriminating.

  She’d dressed in an outfit she hoped screamed, I’m addicted to prescription drugs! although as Tilda pointed out as they’d surveyed her wardrobe, a) bein
g addicted to something didn’t mean you had to dress in any particular way and b) everything Temerity owned was fifties and Rockabilly style, so the chances of her pulling off any impression other than being in the cast of Grease was a stretch. In the end, they’d settled on some scruffy flat brown leather boots, the one pair of baggy jeans that Temerity owned and one of Tilda’s more shapeless brown sweaters. Temerity hadn’t applied any make-up either in an effort to look paler than usual. Her long black hair was in the same plait she’d slept in.

  She shuffled into the surgery. Theakstone was putting something away in a cabinet as she walked in, with his back to her.

  ‘Take a seat,’ he called out. Temerity watched as he unsuccessfully tried to shut the cabinet door, but it kept springing open. After a few attempts, he swore at it under his breath and turned to her, leaving it to swing open slowly.

  ‘Miss Love?’

  Temerity resisted the sudden urge to purr, Love by name, Love by nature. It seemed like something an undercover detective in the 1950s would say, but she stopped herself. Talk about inappropriate.

  ‘That’s me,’ she replied, instead.

  ‘And what can I do for you today?’ Dr Theakstone asked. He was a bit older than Temerity, perhaps in his mid to late thirties, unshaven and generally rumpled in appearance. Temerity noticed that one of the buttons on his shirt wasn’t done up and the shirt itself looked as though it belonged the laundry basket. He didn’t look as though he’d slept.

  ‘Ah. Well, I’ve got a bad back,’ she lied.

  ‘Oh. How long have you had the pain?’ he asked.

  ‘Weeks. I can hardly walk some days,’ she added.

  ‘I see. And do you know what prompted it?’ Theakstone yawned. Temerity thought his bedside manner could definitely do with some work.

  ‘I fell off a ladder. In my shop,’ she said, thinking suddenly that it was a little too close to reality and she shouldn’t tempt fate.

  ‘Right. Well, let’s have a look at it.’ He pointed to the treatment table at the side of the surgery and Temerity walked over to it and jumped up onto the surface.

  ‘You don’t seem to be in much pain with it just now,’ Theakstone observed.

  ‘Ah, well. It comes and goes, Doctor.’ Temerity raised an eyebrow.

  She pulled up her sweater as Theakstone examined her back. Every now and again she said ouch in as artificial a way as she could, making it obvious that she was faking.

  ‘Hmmm. Rather inconclusive.’ Theakstone listened to her heart and her lungs. ‘I’d say that rest and maybe some over the counter anti-inflammatory tablets will help you manage it.’ He returned to his chair and sat down heavily. His eyes were bloodshot and he blinked them exaggeratedly as if they felt very uncomfortable.

  ‘Ah, well, you see, Doctor, I’ve been taking those. And they don’t work when the pain comes.’ Temerity tried to look as suspicious as possible. ‘The thing is, I heard that you might… you know.’ She lowered her voice. ‘If people need something stronger. I’ve got money,’ she whispered.

  Theakstone sighed and rubbed his eyes.

  ‘Miss Love, I don’t know what you’re suggesting, but ibuprofen should work well enough. If the problem continues, I can refer you to a physiotherapist.’ He yawned.

  Temerity sat forward in her seat.

  ‘Are you sure you can’t… you know? Find something in the storeroom for me? I can pay,’ she hissed.

  He frowned at her.

  ‘I can prescribe you ibuprofen if you like, but it’s much cheaper if you buy it from the chemist,’ he repeated.

  ‘Oh. I heard…’ Temerity tried once more and gave Theakstone a significant look. ‘You know? I heard that you help people like me.’

  The doctor stared across the table at her for a long moment.

  ‘Are you suggesting that I sell drugs illegally?’ He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. Temerity tried to read his face, but she couldn’t get a sense of whether she should agree or pretend that wasn’t what she was saying at all.

  ‘Do you?’ she asked.

  Theakstone met her eyes.

  ‘No,’ he answered. ‘That would be illegal.’ He sat back in his chair and frowned at her again. ‘Why are you really here, Miss Love? Because I know you don’t have a bad back. I’ve seen you walking around the village quite happily this week.’

  Busted, Temerity thought. Time to come clean. Or, clean-ish.

  ‘Okay, You’re right. I don’t have a bad back. But I wondered if you can tell me if you’ve seen Ben McKinley recently.’ She tried another tack; she wasn’t going to tell Theakstone there definitely was a rumour that he sold drugs under the counter, but she could try to find out something new about the missing atropine.

  ‘Ben McKinley?’

  ‘Yes. He’s a teacher at the school.’

  ‘I’m aware of who Mr McKinley is. Yes, I’ve seen him recently.’

  ‘As a patient?’

  Theakstone smiled thinly.

  ‘You must be aware of patient confidentiality, Miss Love. You know I can’t tell you anything about what I’ve treated Mr McKinley for.’

  So he has been here recently, Temerity thought. She tried a different question.

  ‘Have you heard about the murder at the school?’

  ‘Miss Love, if you’re not here for a medical reason, then I will have to ask you to leave.’ Theakstone stood up. ‘I am not here to gossip.’

  Then you’ll be the only one in Lost Maidens Loch, Temerity thought. She got up.

  ‘Look. I’m sorry I pretended I had a bad back. But I did hear a rumour that you might be… making certain drugs available to those who had the money,’ she whispered. ‘If that’s not true, then tell me. Because it’s not a rumour you really want to go around otherwise.’

  ‘I’ve already told you it’s not true.’ The doctor sighed. ‘Look, Miss Love. I know that when newcomers come to places like Lost Maidens Loch, the locals can get very suspicious. But I can assure you that the only thing I’m guilty of is not getting enough sleep. My daughter’s three months old and she’s got a cold. I’ve been up all night syringing her nose for the last three nights, if you must know.’ He yawned.

  That would account for the rumpled shirt and the red eyes. So, maybe not a drug addict himself, Temerity mused.

  ‘I see,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry. I’ve been helping the Inspector out with the murder case and—’

  ‘Atropine. I know. He’s asked me about it. I’ve already told him that I didn’t give it to anyone. We had a break-in and that and some other things were taken. The Inspector’s looking into it for me.’ He fixed her with a level gaze. ‘So, if that’s all?’

  ‘That’s all. Thanks for seeing me.’ Temerity walked out of the surgery, feeling embarrassed.

  Brenda had thought the locum had a drink problem because he seemed hungover every morning, but that could certainly be explained away by sleepless nights. If the Inspector already knew about a possible break-in, then that meant all that was left was rumour and Theakstone was right. Lost Maidens Loch was a rumour mill and usually none of it was true.

  So the real question is, if there was a break-in, who did it? And did that person murder Molly Bayliss? she thought as she walked up the street to the shop. It was still possible that it was Theakstone, but it seemed less likely. She sighed. Her plan had worked, though not in the way she expected: it had reminded her not to believe in gossip. She never had, often being the subject of gossip herself, but this time she’d let it get to her.

  Maybe Tilda was right. Maybe she needed to get away from Lost Maidens Loch for a while.

  22

  A crowd was milling in the middle of Kirkaldy Street when Temerity walked around the corner the next day, on her way to the library to return some of Tilda’s romance novels. She saw Ken MacDonald in the crowd, who ran the glass-blowing studio in the village. Ken was probably in his seventies with a white Santa beard and perennially warm smile. Today he was wearing a blue bobble hat, with his glass
-blowing apron over corduroy trousers and an old sweatshirt.

  ‘Hi, Ken. What’s going on?’ Temerity asked. The crowd was at least three people deep and there didn’t seem to be much happening other than a hubbub of chatter. ‘Tourists coming up by the library now?’

  Ken nodded to the house opposite, a plain stone terrace with a white door.

  ‘Naw. That’s Ben McKinley’s hoose. Inspector and the Constable’s just gone in tae search it,’ he said.

  ‘How come everyone’s here?’ Temerity spotted various familiar faces in the crowd. ‘How did they know?’

  ‘Muriel caught wind o’ it.’ Ken raised his eyebrow. ‘From Dora, probably.’

  ‘Ah. They must be searching for atropine. That was what poisoned Molly.’

  ‘I heard that the new doc might hae done it,’ Ken said.

  ‘Don’t believe everything you hear.’ Temerity sighed. ‘I mean, he might have. But you know what rumour’s like in Lost Maidens Loch.’

  ‘I do,’ Ken agreed.

  ‘So, how long are we going to stand here?’ Temerity stamped her feet against the cold.

  ‘They’ve been in there a wee while. Reckon if they find anything, it’ll be soon,’ Ken said. ‘See, Ben’s standing there. Looks guilty as sin.’

  Temerity was amazed to see that Ken was right; Ben McKinley stood outside his house in a dressing gown and slippers, while the villagers stared at him and whispered.

  ‘I think anyone would look pretty uncomfortable standing in their bathrobe in the street while the whole village stares at them, to be fair,’ Temerity said. ‘I guess he didn’t know when they were coming.’

  ‘Element of surprise.’ Ken touched the side of his nose. ‘That’s what I’d do.’

  ‘But surely if he had anything incriminating in the house, he’d have got rid of it immediately after the murder?’ Temerity frowned.

  ‘Aye. But they’re lookin’ for trace elements. Bits of this and that. Chemicals. Things show up under that blue light, don’t they? I’ve seen it on TV,’ Ken said.