‘What a pity,’ she repeated as she poured, through a tea strainer. ‘Max will be so upset.’ She passed me a cup, then dropped the question I’d been expecting. ‘Can I tell him what it’s about?’
‘Actually it’s about your nephew,’ I responded.
She frowned quizzically. ‘Richard? What’s he got to do with the police, for goodness sake? He’s an engineer like his father was.’
I set my tea on a side table and turned back to face her, and the plate of Penguin biscuits she was offering me.
‘No thank you,’ I murmured politely. ‘No, not Richard; David. David Mackenzie.’
Her round matronly face seemed to cloud over for a second, and her eyes became a little distant as if she’d taken a couple of steps back from me mentally.
‘David,’ she said, her lips slightly pursed. ‘Cheryl’s husband. I never quite think of him as my nephew.’
‘You don’t care for him?’
‘It’s not my place to say. He’s married to my niece and I’m dear wee Zach’s godmother. It’s just that I find him, well, a little brash, to be honest.’
‘Brash?’
‘Yes, I’m afraid so. A little coarse, too much so for my liking. His background isn’t his fault of course, but it’s unfortunate to say the least. That business with the hot oil!’ She gave a little gasp. ‘I know he was very young, and they did say he was ill-treated, but I have my worries about anyone who could do a thing like that, for any reason, at any age.’
‘So you know about it?’ I probed, gently.
‘Oh yes. Max told me all about it. He told me when it happened, and then later when Cheryl took up with David, he told me it was the same boy.’
‘How did Max feel about it, them getting together?’
‘I don’t imagine he was too happy. In fact I know he wasn’t. But he’s extremely fond of Cheryl, he always has been. At the end of the day, anything she sets her heart on she can have as far as Max is concerned.’
‘Did that include David joining the police force?’
‘Oh yes.’ Mrs Allan gave me a small nod, as if to infer that she was reading my mind. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I wondered at the time whether the police would want him. I said as much to Max, but he said that it would be all right. He’d put in a word for him and he’d be accepted. And of course he was. I believe he worked for you in Edinburgh, Mr Skinner, did he not?’
‘Yes, he did.’
‘How did you find him?’
I hadn’t expected that one, but I improvised. ‘Almost too conscientious,’ I replied.
She nodded. ‘Yes, I can see why you would say that. Eager to please the bosses. He was always eager to please Max, that’s for certain.’
‘And eager to please Cheryl?’
‘Hmph!’ Mrs Allan snapped. ‘If only that were so. Their marriage was volatile, to say the least. My sister-in-law, Julie. . we have the same name, you know. . told me once that she believed that David had abused Cheryl, that he’d been violent. I was going to tell Max, but Julie persuaded me not to. As well for him,’ she added. ‘That would have been the end of his career, I can tell you, if my Max had known that.’
‘Now that I know it, Mrs Allan,’ I pointed out, ‘I may have to think through what to do about it, even though he isn’t under my command any more.’
‘Oh dear,’ she exclaimed. ‘I hope I haven’t said anything to get him into trouble.’
She meant the opposite, of course, but all I did was shake my head and say, ‘No, no, you haven’t said anything of the sort.’
I finished my tea in a gulp and rose. ‘Thank you very much,’ I said. ‘You’ve been very kind but I must go. I’m sorry to have missed Max, but I’m sure I’ll catch up with him.’
She was about to say something else when my phone sounded. ‘Excuse me,’ I told her, fishing it out. ‘In my job, you’ll understand, every call might be important.’ I checked the caller before answering; to my surprise it was Lottie Mann.
‘Inspector,’ I murmured, ‘you must have a good reason to be calling me.’
‘Of course I do, boss,’ she replied, in her own special blunt way. ‘I thought you’d want to know this, right away. I’ve just had a call from Ray Wilding in Edinburgh. Apparently Cheryl Mackenzie’s just walked into her mother’s, and now she’s wondering what all the fuss is about. So, panic over, it seems.’
‘I’m not so sure about that,’ I told her, ‘but thanks.’
I turned back to Mrs Allan. I thanked her and as we shook hands she ventured, ‘Eh, what can I tell Max if he asks?’
‘As it happens, nothing,’ I replied. ‘It looks as if the matter’s been overtaken by events.’
But has it? I thought as I drove away.
Mrs Allan had given me the address of the Lanark Cottage; I had been intending to go there, but second thoughts overtook me. Instead I used voice dial. . after years of trying I’ve finally mastered the art. . to call Maggie Steele’s mobile.
‘You’ve heard,’ she said, statement, not question.
‘Yes. Your DI called my DI and she called me.’
She seemed to read that as a criticism, for her tone turned defensive. ‘I was just about to call you myself, Bob,’ she protested.
‘I know, I know. I wasn’t getting at you. Sorry if I sounded testy, but Cheryl Mackenzie’s reappearance doesn’t affect the line of inquiry that I’m following. And since I told you she was safe, it doesn’t surprise me either. What are you planning to do about her?’
‘I’ve told Ray Wilding to have a chat with her, to get more out of her. It was her mother who called Ray; he’d given her his number and told her to use it any time. Cheryl’s story is that she and David had a big argument and she stormed off in the huff, telling him that he could look after the kids for a while and run a job at the same time and see how he liked it.’
‘Do you buy that?’
‘Not at first time of asking. That’s why I’ve asked Ray to interview her; not under caution or anything, just an informal chat.’
‘I’d like to make it slightly more formal,’ I told her. ‘And I’d like to sit in on it.’
‘You would? That’s a bit heavy, is it not?’
‘I won’t bite her, I promise. I’m not after her; it’s her husband and Max Allan that are in my sights.’
‘Okay,’ Maggie agreed. ‘I’ll tell Ray to hold off going to see her until you can join him. I take it from the background noise that you’re on the road.’
‘Yes I am, but Mags, I’m not for going to see the woman. I’ve had officers chasing after her and David all week. She can come to see us, if that’s all right with you. Ray’s in Gayfield, yes? I’ll meet him there, and she can join us. I’m sure her mother can look after the kids for a wee bit longer.’
‘That makes it more formal than I’d envisaged.’
I laughed. ‘Listen, Chief Constable, if this was a man that we were talking about, if the roles were reversed and it was Mackenzie who’d come swanning in after being missing for a week. . would you be treating him so gently? Like hell you would.’
‘Maybe not,’ she conceded. ‘All right, I’ll send a car for her. When can you be at Gayfield?’
‘Give me an hour. That’ll do it.’
I ended the call, then turned off the music, just as it kicked back in; I had plenty to think about and the Drive-By Truckers were not conducive to that.
I was passing Harthill services, and my conversation with Cheryl Mackenzie was pretty much planned out, when the phone rang.
‘Yes,’ I said, to accept the call.
‘Pops,’ my older daughter said, ‘can you talk?’
‘Last time I checked, kid, sure.’ I was casual but she sounded anxious. ‘What’s up?’ I asked her.
‘It’s this investigation into the woman Watson’s murder. I haven’t been following it very closely, but last night I had the strangest call from Andy. He was at Karen’s picking up the kids and he rang me. . or rather they did. . to ask me about Mia Watson. I don’t know why, and he’s said nothing since, but it worries me.’
I was glad she wasn’t in the car with me so that she couldn’t see the effect of her news.
I waited until I was sure I could keep my tone under control, then I asked, ‘Why should it worry you, love? Her mother’s been murdered, it’s quite natural that her name should come up. I’m surprised that it hasn’t before now.’