Dumfries (51 page)

  “Fur the time being?  Whit time being?” she’d croaked in fright, covering her mooth wae baith hauns.

  “Look, Ah’m no trying tae scare ye here.  Ah’m jist trying tae put masel in the position you and that flatmate ae yours think youse ur in.  Ye probably won’t believe this, bit Ah’m wan ae these guys that goes through life being a wee bit suspicious aboot everywan and everything.  Mr Suspicious, that’s whit they should call me,” he’d said, smiling apologetically.   “Ah tend tae go oan ma instincts.  Noo, while maist ae whit ye’ve jist said might be a figment ae somewan’s imagination, there might jist be fragments ae gospel in there worth checking oot oan the fly, tae see whit the lay ae the land is.  Everywan knows fine well that there ur a lot ae nasty people oan the go.  Fur instance, ye mentioned that Stalker prick.  He’s yer classic example…and then there’s Wan-bob Broon…no the best ae people tae be oan yer mind at night, trying tae get some shut-eye before ye hiv tae get up fur yer work in the morning.  Ah’m no convinced that youse ur oan the right track.  Aye, this guy obviously said something tae The Stalker and yer mate picked up oan it.  Bit a dying man’s babbles?  Ye did say that the guy wis babbling, didn’t ye?  Ah kin see why yer mate goat a fright, bit it’s jist too much ae a co-incidence, if ye’re asking ma opinion.”

  “Dae ye think so?”

  “Ah’ve said whit Ah’ve said.”

  “So, whit dae we…me and Lizzie…dae noo?”

  “Ah think ye need tae keep the lid oan this.  Whitever happens, ye hiv tae persuade that pal ae yers tae haud her wheesht.  If this gets oot, then there’s nae telling whit could happen.  There’s a lot ae paranoia oot there,” he’d warned her, nodding through the glass windae towards the honking horns ae the traffic oan Great Western Road.

  “So, will ye ask aboot?  Try and see if there’s any connection between the deaths ae that farmer, doctor and poor nurse, Rose Bain then?”

  “That wid be too risky,” he replied, shaking his heid.

  “So, we’re oan oor ain then?”

  “Ah never said that.  Look, the chances ur that yer pal isnae even oan anywan’s radar.  Ah don’t want this tae sound the way that it’s gonnae sound, bit if…and it’s a big if…there wis something in this, then as far as anywan wid be concerned, the nurse, yer flatmate, is well oot ae the picture noo.  Why go and raise dust that’s awready settled?  Think aboot it, Senga.  If everything that the pair ae youse hiv been speculating aboot happened tae be true, then it wid be easy tae see how the lassie…the nurse that goat run o’er…the wan yer flatmate filled-in fur that night, could probably hiv still hid her name doon oan the original shift rota up at Stobhill.  Noo, somewan wae a vivid imagination and a wee bit ae savvy could come tae the conclusion that this probably saved yer flatmate’s life.  Leave it be…it’s a good thing, being lucky, so it is.”

  “Lucky?  Bit, if Rose Bain’s been murdered, surely we hiv an obligation tae report whit we know?”

  “Ye mean whit ye imagine?  Christ, there’s a big difference between fact and fiction, Senga.  That’s aw okay in two-bit-dime novels, bit bringing up people’s names…dodgy, dangerous people…that widnae take too kindly tae being accused ae stuff, when they’d nothing tae dae wae anything, kin be a deadly pastime in a place like the toon.  Christ, surely somewan like you should know that?”

  “Oh, Ah don’t know,” she’d groaned, looking directly intae his eyes, wanting tae be reassured.

  “Look, trust me.  Ah know it’s probably hard tae believe, bit Ah dae know whit Ah’m talking aboot sometimes, ye know, despite whit some ae youse lassies might think,” he’d said smoothly, managing tae extract a wee smile oot ae her.  “Whit you and that pal ae yers hiv come up wae, is aw speculation…like something oot ae some Raymond Chandler book…something that wid make a good read…something that’s been made up that widnae really happen in real life.  Noo, if a face like mine’s went tae try tae find oot whit the score wis oan whether this fantasy actually happened, then sooner or later, certain people wid maybe want tae know why Ah’m sniffing aboot, even if there wis nothing in it.  Why raise a puff, if there isnae a spark, eh?”

  “So, whit ur ye saying that Lizzie and me should be daeing meantime?  She’s in a helluva state…we baith ur.”

  “Try no tae worry aboot something that isnae worth worrying aboot.  As Ah’ve jist said, it disnae sound tae me as if youse ur oan anywan’s radar.  If ye wur, Ah’d hiv picked up oan it long before noo, believe you me, Senga.  Tell yer pal that she’s tae get oot a bit mair,” Simon hid advised, grinning, clearly relaxing.  “Look, if it makes ye feel any better, Ah’ll speak tae Tony.  Ah’m heiding doon tae see him in Dumfries next Saturday.  He’s still in touch wae whit’s happening in the toon.  The only mileage in this, as far as we’re concerned, is the fact that we now know that The Stalker knows, fur certain, that Johnboy is innocent ae that bank job, and while he won’t dae a thing aboot it, that disnae apply tae us. That puts a whole different slant oan yer story.  That information could be a lot mair dangerous tae you and yer pal than aw that other speculative guff she’s been dreaming up.  The Stalker is a ruthless basturt and if he goat wind that you or yer flatmate knows whit he knows, then who knows whit he might dae?  Christ, if you and yer pal ur tae be believed, then it could’ve been that arsehole who ran o’er the nurse.  Hiv ye thought ae that?”

  “Oh, ma God, Simon!  The polis?  Ur ye serious?”

  “Why no?” Simon hid replied, shrugging they shoulders ae his.  “Christ, look at yer reaction?  Why wid you ae aw people no believe that something like that could happen?  Is the polis brutality that ye’re confronted wae in the casualty department every Friday and Saturday night real or imaginary?  Think aboot it. Ah still think yer pal is havering and putting two and two thegither and coming up wae fifty five, bit Ah kin see ye’re getting ma drift.  Ye’ve goat tae speak tae yer pal and convince her tae keep her trap shut. There could be implications in there fur people other than the three poor basturts that hiv died well before their time.  Ah’m a hunner percent convinced that the circumstances ae whit happened tae that poor wee nurse and the doctor wur jist unfortunate flukes.”

  “And the farmer?”

  “Ye said yersel that the guy smoked like a chimney, and in his bed as well. Thank God, Ah don’t smoke, that’s aw Ah kin say.  Look, Ah’ve been heiding doon tae Dumfries every two months since they’ve aw been in the jail, jist tae keep in contact wae Tony, plus Ah usually take some ae the lassies doon wae me as well.  Ah’ll mention aw this tae him, if Ah remember tae, bit Ah’m telling ye, he’ll jist come tae the same conclusion as me.  Ah’ll tell ye whit, Senga, why don’t ye come doon wae me?”

  “Me?  Visit Tony Gucci?  In the jail?”

  “Naw, ya twat, ye.  Ye kin visit Johnboy, while me and the lassies ur visiting Tony, Silent, Snappy and Pat.”

  “Bit, Ah cannae jist turn up and visit Johnboy,” she’d exclaimed, laughing nervously.  “Ah, er, widnae know whit tae say tae him.  Ah sent him a letter, no long efter he goat sentenced,” she’d said, feeling her face redden.

  “Aye, a Dear John. We heard aboot that, and him aw innocent as well.”

  “Dear John?  Simon, fur goodness sake, that wisnae a Dear John.  There wis never any romance tae start wae, tae merit a Dear John,” she’d retorted, flustered.

  “Aye, well, whitever,” he’d said, shrugging they shoulders ae his and gaun back tae tapping his fingers oan his knee.

  “Look, Ah couldnae jist turn up, oot ae the blue, aw ae a sudden.”

  “Aye, ye’d need tae write tae him and ask him tae send ye oot a visiting pass.  Nae pass, nae visit.”

  “Ye said lassies?”

  “Aye, so far, fur this month, Ah’ve goat the usual gaggle ae Aggie McCoy, Helen Birnie, Frances Smith and Paula Baker.  Ah’ve booked rooms in Dumfries this time as they’d been complaining ae being stuck away oot in the sticks, the selfish basturts.  Ah’ve goat them booked in tae The Station Hotel, which is pretty central seemingly, so they kin heid oot oan the ran-dan oan the Saturday night.  Another body, especially wan as luscious as yours, widnae be a problem.  They telt me they want tae take advantage ae drinking somewhere different fur a change.  If ye dae decide tae join them, make sure Johnboy sends ye oot two passes.  Wan fur the Saturday and the other fur the Sunday.”

  “So, there’s four ae them heiding doon?  Er, which wan is visiting Johnboy?” she’d stupidly asked, then cursed hersel under her breath, no wanting Simon tae think that she wis interested in who wrote tae or visited Johnboy Taylor, which she wisnae.

  “See, ye’ve goat it wrang…typical wummin…jumping tae conclusions awready.  Christ, ur aw nurses like you and that mate ae yours?” he’d chided her playfully, smiling.  “Johnboy hisnae written a letter or sent oot a pass tae anywan since he’s been sentenced.  Ah think the last visit he goat wis fae you when he wis up in the untried hall in the Bar-L.  Naw, Aggie and Helen ur visiting Silent thegither.  They always visit him in twos so they kin keep each other company.  Ye know whit he’s like.  Imagine travelling aw the way doon tae Dumfries jist tae sit in silence fur two hours?  Paula started gaun oot wae Pat jist before he goat nicked.”

  “Aye, Ah knew that.”

  “And Snappy will hiv the pleasure ae Frances’s company.”

  “Aye, Ah’m aware ae whit’s happening there as well.  Ah see and speak tae maist ae the lassies doon in Dirty Jake’s, maist Saturdays, if Ah’m no oan a shift, so Ah dae.  So, whit aboot Kim Sui then?” 

  “If ye see the lassies every week, whit ur ye asking me that fur?  Dae youse no talk tae each other?”

  “We speak aboot a lot ae things, Simon, bit up-and-coming failed gangsters, daeing time, isnae wan ae them,” she’d retorted, oan the defensive.

  “Ah go doon tae see Tony oan ma lonesome.  Business and aw that,” he replied, ignoring the jibe. “Tony disnae mind the others being tormented by the sight ae fanny coming and gaun, bit he prefers tae keep his visits strictly business, tae catch up oan whit goes oan oot here, oan the ootside,” he’d replied, smiling.

  “Simon, hiv ye ever thought ae becoming a poet?”

  “Me?”

  “Yer use ae language is something else, so it is,” Senga hid said drily.

  “See, ye’re getting back tae yer auld lippy self.  That’s much better than when ye first walked through that door, scaring me and ma customers shitless.”

  “Naw, seriously, Simon, Ah couldnae.  Ah mean, no efter aw this time…it jist widnae feel right fur him…or me.  Ah’m probably the last person Johnboy wid want tae talk tae.”

  “Well, there’s only wan way tae find oot.  If ye end up making an arse ae yersel, then it’ll only be between youse two.

  “Look, Ah cannae.  And anyway, whit wid Ah say?”

  “How aboot telling him whit ye’ve jist telt me, remembering no tae leave oot the bit aboot finding oot he’s innocent and that ye’re maybe sorry fur ever doubting his word oan that front.  Ah’m sure he’d appreciate the news aboot The Stalker knowing aboot him no hivving shot they bizzies in that bank up in Maryhill Road coming fae somewan like you.  It wid also gie him a chance tae tell ye that, despite whit that lying stalking basturt might believe, Johnboy certainly never shot somewan like Shaun Murphy.”

  “
Good evening.  My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight.

  Police are searching for two masked men who held up a Clydesdale Provident Company representative with a knife in a closemouth in Abington Street, Maryhill, last night.  Two men, wearing masks, were seen running towards Garscube Road, a short time after the incident and police are asking for any witnesses to contact them at…

  Two youths, convicted of disfiguring a police officer by stabbing him in the face with a broken bottle, have been sent to the High Court for sentencing after Sheriff Clifford Burns stated that the maximum two-year sentence he could impose, was insufficient, given the gravity of the crime…

  A couple in their mid-twenties, believed to be drugs users, have been found dead in a flat in Havelock Street, Partick.  Police have said that the bodies appear to have lain for sometime before being discovered after neighbours complained of a foul smell…

  A man was remanded in custody after being charged with cattle rustling.  Thirty-two-year-old Thomas Docherty from Hogganfield Street, Blackhill, Glasgow, was ordered to reappear from custody at Dumbarton Sheriff Court in eight days time…

  It will be eighth time lucky for eighty-two-year-old business women, Agnes Macbeth, after she was married at Martyr Street registry office today to forty-four-year-old Jack McConnell.  The blushing bride, who wore a white chiffon lace trouser suit, said that this time, her marriage was for life…

  Physical and corporal punishment is not the answer.  That was the message from the newly-appointed Superintendent of Larchgrove Remand Home on Edinburgh Road today after taking up his new post.  Mr Brian Irvine, said that he did not believe in physical punishment, and that all forms of corporal punishment will be banned at the home where a string of revelations have been raised recently of ill-treatment against the juvenile inmates that have been incarcerated there over the years…

  An Easterhouse woman is fighting for her life tonight after a delicate seven-hour operation to remove a poker from her skull was concluded at five o’clock this morning at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The woman, a mother of three, Mrs Ina Williamson, was taken to hospital after apparently being assaulted by her husband who is tonight in police custody and due to appear up in court tomorrow morning… 

  A man who claimed he was a happy drunk, was fined twenty pounds at Glasgow District Court this morning for assaulting his wife after hitting her over the head with a beer bottle whilst under the influence of alcohol…”