When Sorry Is Not Enough (10 page)

Both Sally and Luke had to stop their inspection of the room when Lois came in and going over to Sally she kissed her lightly on each cheek before saying, ‘The flowers are just lovely. Now how did you know that carnations and sweet peas were my favourite?’

‘I didn’t,’ Sally replied. ‘But as I also like them I thought you would too.’

Lois had now seated herself on a settee beside Bobby. ‘Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. I do so hope venison is to your liking.’

‘Oh no,’ Sally screeched inwardly, ‘I’ve never tasted it so I don’t know if I will like it. Probably hate it. After all, as I swallow every mouthful I’ll be thinking I’m devouring Bambi’s mother!’

When dinner was finished Lois started to clear the table and Sally offered to assist her to take things into the kitchen. ‘I could wash up for you,’ Sally offered.

‘No need,’ Lois replied.

‘Oh, I suppose you’ll be having a home help coming in to do it in the morning?’

‘No. I have invested in a dishwasher. And what a great gadget this is,’ Lois replied, opening up the machine and starting to load it.

Once the kitchen was reasonably tidy Lois made for the door. ‘Suppose we had better join the menfolk,’ she said.

‘Lois,’ Sally stammered, ‘I was wondering if I could have a quiet word with you. Confidential that is.’

‘So you’ve guessed. I’m pregnant.’ Lois chuckled before patting her stomach.

This statement caught Sally off guard. ‘Pregnant,’ she squealed.

Lois nodded. ‘I knew you would be pleased. Bobby and I are just thrilled.’

‘Of course I’m delighted,’ Sally enthused, before confiding, ‘and do you know Lois, becoming a granny is something I yearn for.’ Sally hesitated as she didn’t wish to break the magic of the moment but she knew she had to say, ‘But there is something I was going to ask you to do for me but because of your condition you might not feel able.’

Lois did try to suppress her laughter but she couldn’t. ‘Sally,’ she began, ‘I am going to have a baby in seven months’ time but I shall continue to work, possibly up to and including the next five months. So what is it I can do for you?’

Sally spent the next fifteen minutes outlining the problems that Flora and Shonag were facing. Lois did not interrupt and when Sally was finished she pondered awhile. Eventually whilst weighing every word before it was uttered she began. ‘Sally,’ she said in a tone that left Sally in no doubt that this was a business conversation, ‘I am more than happy to act for Flora and Shonag. I have some spare capacity next week so I will travel up to Smithton and take their instructions. I will also liaise with our Inverness branch and if I think it necessary I will go on to interview the company who have made the offer to Shonag and Flora. However, I must stress that after tonight I will not, because I cannot, discuss any of the details of my interactions with your mother-in-law or her sister. Any information as to what I may manage to achieve on their behalf or suggestions I might lay before them are for discussion with them and them alone.’ In a softer tone she added, ‘You do understand I have no other alternative. I have only outlined to you the restrictions on my professional conduct that are laid down by the Law Society here in Scotland. Now, and I am sure they will, if they wish to share any information about their situation with you then that is acceptable.’

Sally sighed. ‘I do understand all that but do you realise that they are old and not worldly-wise? I only want what is best for them – especially Flora. You see I owe her, and so does Bobby.’

Lois nodded but stayed silent.

With no other option other than to continue, Sally added, ‘Your professional fees I will meet. Please don’t worry them about them.’

This time Lois’s nod was accompanied with a smile.

Two hours later Sally and Luke were driving towards the Four Marys pub. Sally had asked Luke to stop there as she wished to make sure that Margo had locked up properly. They were just crossing over from Ferry Road on to Coburg Street which would lead them towards the Shore when Sally said, ‘Did you ask Bobby about Irish?’

Luke nodded. ‘Aye. Clever laddie we’ve got there.’

We’ve,
Sally thought disdainfully.
He’s mine not ours
. Unaware of how Sally was seeing things Luke blundered on, ‘Mind you, as a boy I gave him every encouragement.’ Sally in no uncertain terms was about to put Luke right about who was responsible for Bobby’s success when Luke continued, ‘Bobby thinks it might be too difficult to have Irish proved innocent. On the other hand he did say he would take up an appeal if I could get some evidence that Irish’s conviction might be unsafe. But Sally, where would I find any such proof?’

The car had now drawn up at the front door of the Four Marys and Sally was dismayed to see the lights were still on. ‘Right,’ she said to Luke. ‘You and I had better get ourselves in there and see what’s happening.’

Hammering on the stout wooden door brought a dishevelled Margo with a worried looking Johnny in tow to the door.

‘Why are you not locked up?’ Sally asked, pushing herself into the bar. She stood back and gasped. Normally when Margo was left in charge she left all the dirty glasses on the tables and she made no effort to tidy up. Mice hovering in the vicinity could have a good feed on the dinner scraps which were left lying about. Tonight it was as if she had had a cleaning squad in. Everything was sparkling, except Margo who was obviously worn out. Sally grinned as she acknowledged to herself that she and Rita would have an easy morning because everything was in its place.

‘Oh, Mum,’ Margo puffed before dropping down on a seat, ‘please don’t tell me you’re not pleased.’ Margo began to cry and through her sobs she continued, ‘Johnny and I are so grateful to you for helping us that we’ve done all we can to make life a bit easier for you until Aunty Josie comes back.’

‘Josie’s away gallivanting again?’ Luke shrieked, his eyes darting between Sally and Margo while awaiting an answer.

Margo and Sally looked at each other and shrugged. ‘How do I get the feeling that you two are sidestepping me?’ Luke continued.

Sally flicked her hair out of her eyes that were now on Luke. ‘She was doing so well. Honestly, since you left for Hong Kong she has been such a great support to me. Seemed to have settled down.’ Sally stopped and she bit on her lip before she blurted, ‘But yesterday, oh dear …’

‘See the word but … when it’s said by you, Sally, it usually means things have gone belly up.’

Sally leaned forward to pat Luke on the arm. ‘I’m sorry but Josie has got herself mixed up with a man again.’

‘What’s wrong with that, Sally?’

‘Just that she found him through a lonely hearts column and I think he’s taking her for a hurl.’

‘Not necessarily. He could be genuine, and what would be wrong with her getting married and finding happiness?’

‘Luke, she told me she was going to move him in here to run my bar. She also had the nerve to say that she’s her own woman now and no longer can I exploit her.’

‘Oh,’ was Luke’s reluctant response.

‘Aye, oh. And I wouldn’t care but she says he owns and runs a restaurant up town so if that’s right why would he wish to come down here?’

Luke pondered awhile. Then rubbing his hand under his nose he said, ‘Let me look into things tomorrow. Right now it’s time we were all heading homewards.’

Unable to sleep, Sally was in the kitchen when Luke joined her. ‘You not able to shut your eyes either?’ she asked, rising to make him some cocoa.

‘No, I just got into bed when Irish’s problems put all thoughts of sleep out of my mind.’ Sally did not respond. Time passed and he was sipping the hot chocolate drink when he slowly drawled, ‘Sally, what did you make of the other day?’

‘In the prison?’ Luke nodded. ‘Sure the laddie’s suffering and like you I’ve never thought that he did murder Marie. So what we have to do is find some evidence that will lead to a successful appeal.’

‘Aye. But I don’t know where to start looking for that kind of evidence. I know you won’t believe me Sally, but I haven’t a clue where to begin. Do you?’

Sally slowly shook her head before suggesting, ‘The trial records. You never know, they just might hold the answer.’

‘Wish I’d been at the trial. If I had been perhaps I could have seen where there was some dubiety or misdirection.’

‘Don’t know about that,’ Sally mumbled. ‘I attended and the prosecution seemed to have dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s.’

Luke banged his cocoa mug down on the table and he reached over and grabbed Sally’s hand and vigorously shook it. ‘Of course you were there. Now take your time but think back. Think about what was said. What was Irish’s alibi? What was disallowed and why? Who do you think was lying? Who benefited by Irish being sent down?’

Sally began to laugh quietly then dragging her hand from Luke’s she responded, ‘Luke, you are the detective. I’m just a wee Leith businesswoman who left school at fourteen … so how on blinking earth do you expect me to read a trial like a lawyer?’

‘A wee insignificant businesswoman is what you want me to believe you are? Naw, when it comes to it there’s nobody as sharp as you or can read it how it really is.’ Sally huffed and shook her head. ‘Now, Sal,’ he went on, ‘not right now but in your quiet times go over the trial. Picture the scenes. Think about what did not quite ring true.’

‘And while I’m doing that could I suggest you go and try to straighten out our wayward sister Josie.’

‘Aye I will. And talking of relatives, how’s your Helen faring?’

A warm smile came to Sally’s face. ‘Oh, my darling baby daughter Helen, well she flew away, as you know, to teach English in a school in Menorca.’

‘Still there is she?’

‘Aye. Lives in my apartment.’

‘By herself?’

‘Yeah. Mind you there is a Filipino illegal immigrant who sings and plays a guitar who she mentions from time to time. Seems she teaches him English and they both go to Spanish classes together.’

‘Illegal immigrant? Why is he allowed to stay?’

‘The tourist trade is booming and during the day he works as a waiter in Dirty Dick’s shack, which doubles as a restaurant, and at night he plays his guitar and sings in a band that goes around the hotels entertaining.’

Luke laughed. ‘Is he any good at the singing?’

‘Well, after a few sangrias Jose’s rendering of “You and Your Spanish Eyes” has the half-cut holidaymakers thinking they are enjoying a night at La Scala.’

‘But Sally, the La Scala’s in Italy, is it no?’

‘Aye. But just you wait until you hear his warbling in broken English and you too will subconsciously transport yourself to Sorrento.’

Luke was about to point out that La Scala was in Milan but he refrained. With what Sally had said he realised what she thought about Jose. This led him on to wonder if Sally’s contemptuous estimate of the young man was because her Helen was perhaps transported in a different way by ‘You and Your Spanish Eyes’!

‘Anyway,’ Sally said, bringing an end to Luke’s speculations, ‘you and I will get ourselves over to Santa Tomas for a wee holiday.’

‘And when will that be?’

‘Just as soon as we can get things sorted out here.’

Luke stared out of the window. He could see no pigs flying. ‘Well,’ he began so slowly she thought he was ailing, ‘at the rate we’re going that will be on my next trip home.’

Even though Sally was the licensee of the Royal Stuart pub on the Leith side of Easter Road, it was not a hostelry that Luke had often frequented. Today as he sauntered in he pretended that his visit was to say hello to Nancy now she was well enough to be back in charge.

Nancy of course was delighted to see Luke. Having no brother of her own and having been treated by Sally as a sister, she felt it only natural to look on Luke as a younger sibling.

‘What’s your pleasure?’ Nancy asked Luke whose eyes were roving all around the salon.

‘I’m driving sooo … just a shandy.’

While Nancy was making up his concoction Luke scrutinised the customers. A smirk of satisfaction came to his face when he noticed that the two men in the corner were none other than his long-time adversaries, Drew Washington and Phil Watson. These two detectives, better known in Leith ‘D’ Division as Holmes and Watson, were the people he wished to meet up with today.

Uplifting his drink he began to walk towards the men’s table. Smiling broadly he asked, ‘Mind if I join you?’

‘Please yourself,’ Drew answered, lifting his hand to indicate the vacant seat. ‘Heard you were back. Since last week or was it the week before?’

‘Been home three, nearly four weeks already, I have,’ was Luke’s jovial reply. ‘See time,’ he winked to the men, ‘it just races in when you’re enjoying yourself.’

Drew nodded. Phil, who was only allowed to talk if given permission to by Drew, just slurped his beer. ‘They tell me,’ Drew began as he weighed Luke up, ‘you’ve signed up for another tour.’ Luke nodded before sipping from his drink. ‘Suppose it makes sense.’ He paused and blew out his lips before adding, ‘Because there’s no way you would make detective here.’

Phil cackled and playfully jabbed Drew in the ribs.

Luke just smiled. ‘You’re right there. See in Hong Kong they have parameters that you have to stay within.’

Sneering, Drew asked, ‘Like what?’

Luke leaned over towards Drew as if he was taking him into his confidence. ‘You have to have looked into every scenario and be absolutely sure you’ve got it right before you accuse and charge anyone.’

Drew sniggered. ‘And that must take up the whole working week for the likes of you. Here in Leith we have apprehended the culprit,’ he was now helpless with laughter, ‘usually before the crime is fully committed.’

‘You’re right there,’ Luke enthused. ‘See the last case I saw you work on before I left, it was a humdinger. Now what was the hapless guy’s name?’

‘Did you mean the gormless Irish guy?’ Luke nodded and sipped from his glass again. ‘That really didn’t show how brilliant I am,’ Drew scoffed. ‘Open and shut case it was. I didnae even bother to write it up as a good capture.’ Drew lifted his pint and gave a mock toast to Phil before adding, ‘Gave my pal here all the credit.’