Too Soon a Death: A Scottish mystery where cosy crime meets tartan noir: Borders Mysteries Book 2 (17 page)

‘The more I see Patrick, the more I like him,’ Kate said. ‘Mum hasn’t found out much about him before he came here, which is unusual, but she likes him too and her instincts are pretty sound. I just wish I’d listened to her about Ken.’

‘She approves of your friend the policeman.’

‘Whereas Dad can’t see beyond the fact Erskine’s been married.’

‘Isn’t the problem that he still is married?’

‘Yes.’ Kate ran her hands through her hair, making it stand on end more than ever. ‘That’s sort of what we argued about last weekend.’

‘Calling time on a marriage is hard to do, though I don’t need to tell you that.’

‘They don’t have children to consider. And now he thinks Laura’s started seeing someone.’

‘He can hardly blame her for that. You’re back in his life, after all.’

‘So why is she trying to hold on to him?’

‘Is she?’ Zoe asked. ‘Are you sure it’s not him dragging his heels?’

‘You don’t know what he’s really like. No one does. Erskine likes to appear unemotional and totally in control, but it’s just an act. The situation’s causing him grief too.’

‘Maybe so, but unlike you he has the power to do something about it.’

‘You always see things in black and white, don’t you?’ Kate’s voice remained calm but Zoe could tell she was getting defensive.

‘I just don’t want to see you get hurt. What exactly did you two argue about?’

‘Remember I told you we were planning to go to Crieff Hydro next half-term? I wanted to make our reservation this week, although it’s ages away yet, because they get very booked up. But even though he was the one who suggested it, Erskine simply won’t commit to it now.’

‘His job’s probably to blame.’

‘No, it’s because his in-laws will be celebrating some major anniversary and Laura may want him to be there and pretend everything’s hunky-dory for the rest of the family.’

Zoe reached for her glass of lemonade, playing for time. Her automatic response was to condemn Mather, who obviously had no intention of disentangling himself from his wife in the near future, but she didn’t think Kate would react well to that. ‘At least he’s being honest with you,’ she said eventually.

Kate nodded. ‘He always has.’

She looked so downcast, so unlike her usual self, that had they been standing, Zoe would have given her a big hug. Instead, she reached over to her friend and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘Your mum taught me a great saying last winter. “If it’s for you it won’t go past you”. Things probably seem overwhelming at the moment, but the situation will resolve itself.’

‘I know. Don’t waste any pity on me. I don’t deserve it.’

‘Let’s change the subject, shall we?’ Zoe searched for something to cheer Kate up. ‘I’ve been thinking about your offer to be my birthing partner. If you’re serious, will you come to an antenatal class with me?’

‘Of course. I was going to suggest that myself. And then we can work on your birth plan.’

The ensuing conversation about babies and giving birth was a high price to pay, but at least Kate brightened up. And Zoe managed not to mention seeing Mather earlier in the day.

By nine o’clock, Mather had neither texted Kate nor turned up. Putting a brave face on what must be a hurtful situation, she insisted she was looking forward to an early night after a busy day, so Zoe took Mac home and they sat together for a while in their own back garden until being driven indoors by relentless mosquitoes.

She fetched her mobile and stared down at it. A week had passed since she last heard from Andrew. Did this mean his wife had died? It felt awful, not knowing. If Helen was gone, he would have too much to do, what with making funeral arrangements and holding his proper family together, to be able to call someone he’d only met six months earlier. Her finger hovered over his entry in her contacts list. Surely a brief, sympathetic text could do no harm?

Answering her own question, she sighed, tossed the phone to the other end of the sofa and went across to the bookcase to choose her next read. Its shelves looked dusty, and they felt gritty when she ran a hand along them. Her plans for a relaxing weekend evaporated as she walked around the cottage finding grime everywhere. Although the builders had done their best to minimise the mess they created, every room needed to be blitzed, and because the cupboard under the sink was shamefully bare of cleaning materials, she’d have to pay a visit to the shop in the morning.

Despite her worries about Kate and Mather, John Wilkie and the dead boy, her father and his wife, and her stalker, Zoe got the best night’s sleep she’d had in a long time. She was sitting up in bed drinking a mug of tea and considering the soporific qualities of chocolate cake when Mac barked and rushed to the front door.

The perfectly-pressed jeans and short-sleeved shirt visible through the spy-hole gave away her unexpected visitor’s identity. She unlocked the door and slid back the security chain to let Mather in, remembering the first time he’d turned up to see her, Sergeant Trent in tow.

‘Do you have any news about the Trents’ baby?’ Zoe asked as he stepped over the threshold and bent down to pat Mac in that awkward manner shared by people who always want to wash their hands immediately after touching an animal.

‘No change.’

‘What can I do for you?’

‘I’m on my way to Kate’s and wanted to swing round to thank you.’

‘Whatever for?’

‘John Wilkie rang me last night. Couldn’t have been long after you’d seen him.’

‘That’s a surprise. When I left him he was still adamant he wasn’t going to talk to you. I wonder what changed his mind.’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Will what he saw help you?’

‘I’ll find out when I see him at eleven. That’s why I’m about so early and why I must get round to Tolbyres as soon as possible.’

‘Kate’ll be pleased to see you, although she wasn’t . . .’ Zoe paused. Had Kate been involved with anyone else, she would have told him to stop messing around with her friend’s affections. But she felt inhibited by the dealings she’d had with Mather in his professional capacity and the stern exterior she rarely saw behind, even on social occasions.

He finished her sentence for her. ‘She wasn’t very happy last night? No I don’t suppose she would be.’

‘Actually I was going to say she wasn’t alone, because I spent most of the evening with her. It being her birthday.’

Mather flinched as if she’d slapped him. ‘Point taken. I’ll be on my way. I just wanted to say thanks.’

Zoe inclined her head. ‘You’re welcome.’

Apart from her trip to Westerlea’s shop, from where she returned laden with a different cleaner for every type of surface, Zoe stayed at home over the weekend, only venturing out to walk Mac. As well as polishing, bleaching and scrubbing, she sorted cupboards, filled several boxes with unwanted books, DVDs and music CDs, and separated out clothes she would never wear again, even if she did get her figure back. When she first came to the Borders, Keeper’s Cottage had been intended as a stopgap until she moved somewhere bigger. She still had packing cases in the garage full of things she’d lived a year without needing and decided this was as good a time as any to make a start on going through them. However, the first one she opened contained so many reminders of Russell and their marriage that she firmly closed it again. This was a task for another day
.

Patrick rang on Saturday afternoon. He had checked his work schedule and wouldn’t be responsible for taking out-of-hours calls from anxious pet owners the following Friday evening. They agreed Zoe would pick him up at seven.

‘Bring Mac over if you like. He and Peggy can keep each other company while we’re out.’

‘He’ll love that. Where are you planning to eat?’

‘I haven’t decided yet. Do you have any strong culinary dislikes?’

‘Curries don’t agree with me at present.’

‘No danger of me taking you for one of those. I’ve not found anywhere down here that does a decent curry.’

NINETEEN

The smell of lemon polish and bleach still lingered in Keeper’s Cottage when Zoe left for work on Monday morning, picking her way through the bags of belongings which littered the hall, waiting to be taken to the charity shop in Duns. The one chore she’d been unable to carry out was removing the thunder-bugs from inside several pictures hanging on her walls. She would wait until the summer was over to get those fixed professionally. Again the weather had turned muggy, yet the rain being welcomed in the west of the country was predicted to peter out before it reached the Borders. A hosepipe ban became more likely every day.

Margaret looked up as Zoe entered the reception area. After her usual cheery greeting, she said, ‘Walter’s back,’ and indicated, with an uncharacteristic frown, the space on the desk next to her.

‘I’ve got a big electric fan at home,’ Zoe said. ‘I can bring it in tomorrow, if you can wait.’

‘That won’t be necessary, thank you. My Hector’s dropping one off from home any time now. It’ll do until the situation’s sorted out when Doctor Paul comes in this afternoon.’

Walter didn’t stand a chance.

Feeling obliged to acknowledge her colleague’s return after several weeks’ absence, Zoe made her way to his consulting room and knocked gently on the door he kept shut at all times.

‘Come!’

Walter continued to write as Zoe entered the room, giving her the opportunity to study his dark, wavy hair. Definitely dyed. Eventually, he looked up and acknowledged her presence with a nod.

Accustomed now to his scant regard for social niceties, she said, ‘Welcome back. How was Wales?’

‘I wasn’t on holiday. There’s a lot to do when someone dies.’

‘Yes. I know.’

Anyone else who had taken on a newly-widowed employee a year ago would have been struck with embarrassment, apologised profusely for being untactful. Not Walter.

‘How long until you go on maternity leave?’

‘I could have gone at the beginning of June, but as long as I feel fit enough to work, I’ll do so.’ Zoe could almost see the struggle going on in his head. He wanted to be rid of her as soon as possible, yet at the same time he would resent the idea of her being paid to stay at home while the practice had to foot the bill for a locum. In the end, he nodded again and went back to his work. Zoe retreated to her own room.

The list of patients attending that morning’s surgery was on her desk. She recognised many of the names, and one stood out. She’d not expected to see John Wilkie again so soon.

Anxious to hear what John had to say, she expected the first part of her surgery to feel like it would never end but she was pleased to find that wasn’t the case. The day turned into one which reminded her why she’d made the move from working in a hospital to becoming a family doctor. Her patients this morning were courteous and friendly, their ailments varied. John’s appointment came upon her before she realised it.

He walked with ease and met her gaze from the start. As he sat down, he pulled a box of tablets from his trouser pocket and placed them on Zoe’s desk.

‘I won’t be needing these now, Doctor, thanks to you.’

‘I’m glad to hear you’re feeling so much better, but we always recommend taking the full course, to be sure the problem’s completely resolved.’

He shook his head. ‘You won’t have heard, but I took your advice and rang DCI Mather. And before I even saw him, it was such a relief to be doing something that I felt one hundred percent better.’

‘What changed your mind?’

‘After you’d gone, Ailsa got out her doctor book again and sat on my lap while I read it with her. We’d bought it last year when she had to go into hospital for a small operation on her foot. One of the pictures shows a teddy bear having an injection and saying that although what a doctor does to you can sometimes be uncomfortable, they’re only doing it for your own good. It made me realise I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye again if I didn’t do what you were suggesting and speak to the police.’

Zoe beamed at him, delighted her instincts had been right. He was a good man and had wanted all along to help but allowed himself to be swayed by his wife’s fears. Little Ailsa had given him a way out.

‘So you’ve met with the police now?’ she asked.

‘On Saturday morning. I was there for hours and remembered far more than I expected to, like the boy only having one hand bandaged when I found him in the water.’

‘I believe they’re trained in methods to improve witnesses’ recall.’

‘This afternoon they’re taking me to the river to see if being back there jogs my memory about anything else. That’s why I’ve not gone to work today.’

‘You’re doing a good thing,’ Zoe said. ‘When she’s old enough to understand, Ailsa will be proud.’

‘I hope so. Heather’s still not happy about it.’

‘She’ll come round to the idea, I’m sure.’

John rose from his chair. ‘Well, it’s done now.’

As Zoe watched him leave, for all her satisfaction at an outcome she’d worked hard to bring about, she felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

Once surgery had finished, she worked through a pile of paperwork, checked the repeat prescription requests Margaret brought to her, and tidied out the drawers in her desk. This consulting room had been hers for a year, so she should probably give it a belated spring-clean as well. However, she decided to leave that until nearer the time a locum would be taking it over.

On her way out, she met Paul coming in.

‘Hello, my dear. That’s you done for the day? I hope you’re going home to rest.’

‘With a cold drink and a good book.’

‘Excellent. I’m having a catch-up with Walter later.’

‘Item one on your agenda is going to have to be who gets the big electric fan.’

‘It won’t be the first time I’ve had to act as practice referee.’

Zoe laughed and wished him luck. On stepping outside, she gasped at the heat: it felt like she’d opened an oven door. Despite what she’d told Paul, her intention had been to tackle some of the boxes in the garage but once home she decided she really would just sit in the shade and read.