"Zachary, I only slept with your father the one time. Back when John and I had briefly separated. I know what we did was wrong, but—"
"I'm not here to judge you."
"I love your father. His friendship… it got me through a difficult time."
"Great. Look, Angus said you had a boat you could lend me."
"Your father didn't kill Johnny. What happened out there was an accident."
"Tell it to the judge."
"Zachary, Angus is your father, and he loves you."
"Our definition of love probably differs. Angus tosses around the word to use people."
"You're wrong. Yes, he needed you in court, but there were other motives. He's been worried about you."
"He'd better worry about himself. Now can I borrow the boat or not?"
She shook her head, exasperated. "It's the Brooklyn-224, you'll find it docked at the Clansman Wharf. Keys are in the master suite, under the pillow. Take it, take whatever the hell you need, I don't care anymore."
It was the first thing she said we agreed on.
I was late getting back. Having missed Max's closing remarks, I managed to slip inside the courthouse, finding my seat next to Brandy just as Mitchell Obrecht was concluding his final speech to the jury.
"Remember, ladies and gentlemen, it is not the Loch Ness monster that is on trial here, but the man who used the monster as an excuse to commit premeditated murder… murder in the first degree. What is happening in Loch Ness today has no bearing on the heinous events that took place on February 15. More than a dozen eyewitnesses testified that Angus Wallace struck John Cialino, Jr. on the bluff overlooking Loch Ness. The defendant's own son testified that Angus Wallace was lying when he said a school of salmon lured a water creature to the surface.
"Facts, ladies and gentlemen, not folklore. There was no monster attacking John Cialino on February 15, there was only Angus Wallace and his lust for Theresa Cialino. Premeditated murder… murder in the first degree. Your verdict will do more than send this monster away, it will send a message throughout Great Britain and the world that Scotland will not accept such unscrupulous behavior in our society, that we are a nation of law, not an unwitting sideshow. Now is the time of reckoning. Now justice must be served."
The judge gave his final thanks and instructions to the jury, then they were led out of the courtroom.
I turned to Brandy. "I need to speak with my father."
"Go on. I'll meet ye back at the hotel.
By the time the guards let me pass, Angus had changed back into his prison uniform and was back in his cell.
"Ye missed yer brother's speech. It wis quite movin'."
"I met with Theresa."
"So I heard. Whit're yer intentions then?"
"Who was Adam Wallace?"
He sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his face, which seemed to have aged ten years in the last two weeks. "I see ye've been talkin' tae my guid pal, Calum, aye?"
"Answer the question."
"Adam wis first cousin tae Sir William Wallace, an' he wis jist as brave a soul. In Spring o' the year 1330, he accompanied Sir James the Good, commonly kent as the Black Douglas, on a mission o' great importance, tae take Robert the Bruce's heart tae the Holy Land."
"Yeah, yeah, I know the story of the Braveheart. What I don't know is the story of the Black Knights."
"Dae ye ken whit a blood oath is?"
"Does that mean you won't tell me?"
"No' unless ye wish tae become a Knight."
"I don't have time for this nonsense."
"Nor dae I. Now whit are yer intentions wi' the monster?"
"Why do you want it dead?"
"Why? Because it's dangerous."
"It killed Calum's wife, didn't it?"
"That, I cannae say. But it went after you. An' that's enough for me."
"That was an accident. It was lured up by the salmon, real salmon, not the kind you used in your alibi."
"My guilt or innocence has no bearin' on this. Whit's important now is that this monster is dealt wi', once an' for a', afore it kills again."
"Interesting how the jury's deliberating upon the same thing."
I turned and left, knowing that might well be the last time I'd see him alive.
True met me an hour later in the Clansman parking lot. I was surprised to see the media had vacated the wharf.
"A'right, Zack, I got yer message an' brought ye a' that ye wanted an' mair," True said, pointing to a rental truck. "But I'll expect an explanation afore we make way."
"I told you, there's crude oil leaking into Loch Ness. You and I are going to find it."
"Ye want tae find an oil leak, call the EPA. This deep divin' suit ye had me fetch is for somethin' else entirely."
"The oil will guide us to the monster's lair. I mean to descend into the passage and reopen it, releasing the Guivre to the North Sea."
"Free the Guivre? Dae ye work for bloody PETA then? Bloody hell, Zachary, first ye're too feart o' even gettin' on a docked boat, now ye want tae go swimmin' wi' Nessie? An' whit makes ye think I'll help ye wi' this crazy plan?"
"If you won't help me, I'll find someone who will. I'm sure those monster hunters are game."
"Thae arseholes?" True shook his head. "Why dae ye want tae dae this, Zack? My sister loves ye. Take her away frae this dreary place an' live oot yer lives. Ye dinnae need this tae be happy."
"It's not like I have a choice. You said so yourself, it's my destiny to deal with this animal."
"Dinnae listen tae whit I said, listen tae whit I'm sayin' now! Fuck this destiny crap."
"Destiny aside, I can't live anymore with these night terrors."
"An' ye think by doin' this crazy stunt, the dreams'll go away?"
"I don't know. Maybe. All I know is I keep waking up every night, screaming like a lunatic."
"Better than the monster chewin' on yer bones."
"The underwater lights will keep it away, at least long enough for me to reopen the passageway and release it."
"Ye're still crazy."
"Not yet, pal, but I'm getting there. Think about it. If I do nothing and these night terrors continue to worsen, how long do you think it'll be before I really end up in a padded cell? Think that'll help my relationship with your sister? No, I've thought long and hard about this, and it's better I face the devil now, than deal with it in a mental ward."
True mulled it over. "I see yer point. Guess ye cannae keep livin' like this."
"Anymore than you and the rest of the Black Knights can spend all your nights patrolling the Loch."
"Black Knights? Whit're ye talkin' aboot?"
I slapped him on his rock-hard shoulder. "Come on, big guy, did you really think I wouldn't recognize that physique of yours bulging beneath that black tunic? Or that bilge water you call cologne? You're the one who killed that Anguilla eel and saved my life, and I'm grateful. You did what you had to do, now let me do the same."
He shook his shaggy head. "Shouldae let that eel eat its way up tae yer bollocks, that's whit I shouldae done. Come on then, help me wheel this gear tae yer boat."
True unlocked the back of the rental truck and pulled up the aluminum slide door. Secured inside were a half dozen wooden crates and what looked like an oversized bright orange space suit, supported on a heavy steel frame.
"There she is, the Newt Suit. Best damn atmospheric divin' suit we got."
"How'd you manage to borrow it?"
"Told the boss I wanted tae service it afore I dive the rig next week. These things need lots o' attention, the better they build them, the mair complicated they get. Still, it beats a' hell oot o' the auld JIM suits."
I pointed to the crates. "And the detector and demolitions?"
True winked. "Them I stole."