answer it or not when the answering machine clicked on and he heard the loud voice of Mrs Wellington. ‘Clarry phoned from the hotel. He’s been trying to get you. One of the maids says
she saw Bella Comyn in Bonar Bridge today.’
Hamish rang the minister’s wife and asked her, ‘Where was she seen?’
‘In that grocery shop just by the bridge.’
Hamish thanked her, retied his boots, and with a sigh set off on the long road to Bonar Bridge with Lugs beside him in the passenger seat.
‘Now, Lugs,’ said Hamish, ‘I wonder just what is going on in Stoyre.’ The dog turned his odd blue eyes reluctantly from the passing countryside and gave a slight sniff.
‘Exactly,’ agreed Hamish. ‘I don’t know either. And I don’t like it. I’ve got some holidays owing. I’ve a good mind to go and stay there for a few days and
see what I can find out. I could stay at that place Sean rented. Would you like Stoyre?’
Lugs sighed again.
‘Me neither,’ said Hamish, ‘but something weird’s going on there.’
Master and dog then drove in companionable silence to Bonar Bridge.
The sun had gone behind a bank of clouds when Hamish finally drove into Bonar Bridge.
The place looked deserted. He parked outside the grocery shop and went in. There were no customers. A woman behind the counter asked, ‘Can I help you? It’s Mr Macbeth, isn’t
it?’
‘Aye,’ said Hamish, stepping forward and removing his peaked cap. ‘Have we met?’
‘Up at the Highland Games at Braikie two years ago. My boy got stuck up a tree and you got him down.’
‘I remember. It’s Mrs Turner, isn’t it?’
‘That’s right. What can I do for you?’
‘I’m looking for a Bella Comyn, small, blonde, pretty. I heard she was in here today.’
‘Oh, her! What’s she wanted for?’
‘Oh, just part of a general inquiry. Do you know where she lives?’
‘Up in one of the Swedish houses on the council estate, number twenty-four Sutherland Lane.’
‘She living on her own?’
‘No, she’s Jamie Stuart’s girlfriend. They’re going to get married.’
‘Are they really? Who is this Jamie Stuart?’
‘He’s a motor mechanic. He works at a garage in Alness.’
‘Thanks. I’ll go and see them.’
Swedish houses are wooden two-storey houses built by the government right after World War II. Hamish cruised around the estate until he found Sutherland Lane. Number 24 seemed
to be in good repair. The garden was neat and tidy. The window frames had recently been painted, as had the front door.
He rang the bell. A thin young man opened the door. ‘What’s up?’ he asked anxiously.
‘I’m here to see Bella.’
The young man stood back. ‘Come in. I hope it’s not bad news.’ He led the way into a living room. Bella was sitting embroidering a tablecloth, the picture of pretty
domesticity. When she saw Hamish, a look of pure hate flashed in her eyes, but then she smiled and said, ‘Why, Hamish. How nice to see you. Tea?’
Hamish sat down and surveyed her. ‘We’ve been looking for you, Bella.’
‘What’s this all about?’ demanded Jamie.
‘It’s about that dog I killed,’ said Bella. ‘I told you about that. I hit it on the head to defend myself, and now the RSPCA’s looking for me.’
Hamish swung round and said to Jamie, ‘I hear you’re getting married. Do you know she is already married?’
‘We’re getting married just as soon as her divorce comes through,’ said Jamie.
Hamish looked at Bella. ‘Have you applied for a divorce?’
‘She hasn’t had the courage to face that beast yet. The way he treated her!’ exclaimed Jamie.
Hamish stood up. ‘You’ll be hearing from the RSPCA, Bella. Jamie, a word with you outside.’
Jamie walked outside into the garden and then turned and faced Hamish. ‘Why the hell are you persecuting the poor girl?’
‘I am here to warn you, laddie,’ said Hamish. ‘Listen to me, and listen to me carefully. Bella is a husband beater. If you don’t
she saw Bella Comyn in Bonar Bridge today.’
Hamish rang the minister’s wife and asked her, ‘Where was she seen?’
‘In that grocery shop just by the bridge.’
Hamish thanked her, retied his boots, and with a sigh set off on the long road to Bonar Bridge with Lugs beside him in the passenger seat.
‘Now, Lugs,’ said Hamish, ‘I wonder just what is going on in Stoyre.’ The dog turned his odd blue eyes reluctantly from the passing countryside and gave a slight sniff.
‘Exactly,’ agreed Hamish. ‘I don’t know either. And I don’t like it. I’ve got some holidays owing. I’ve a good mind to go and stay there for a few days and
see what I can find out. I could stay at that place Sean rented. Would you like Stoyre?’
Lugs sighed again.
‘Me neither,’ said Hamish, ‘but something weird’s going on there.’
Master and dog then drove in companionable silence to Bonar Bridge.
The sun had gone behind a bank of clouds when Hamish finally drove into Bonar Bridge.
The place looked deserted. He parked outside the grocery shop and went in. There were no customers. A woman behind the counter asked, ‘Can I help you? It’s Mr Macbeth, isn’t
it?’
‘Aye,’ said Hamish, stepping forward and removing his peaked cap. ‘Have we met?’
‘Up at the Highland Games at Braikie two years ago. My boy got stuck up a tree and you got him down.’
‘I remember. It’s Mrs Turner, isn’t it?’
‘That’s right. What can I do for you?’
‘I’m looking for a Bella Comyn, small, blonde, pretty. I heard she was in here today.’
‘Oh, her! What’s she wanted for?’
‘Oh, just part of a general inquiry. Do you know where she lives?’
‘Up in one of the Swedish houses on the council estate, number twenty-four Sutherland Lane.’
‘She living on her own?’
‘No, she’s Jamie Stuart’s girlfriend. They’re going to get married.’
‘Are they really? Who is this Jamie Stuart?’
‘He’s a motor mechanic. He works at a garage in Alness.’
‘Thanks. I’ll go and see them.’
Swedish houses are wooden two-storey houses built by the government right after World War II. Hamish cruised around the estate until he found Sutherland Lane. Number 24 seemed
to be in good repair. The garden was neat and tidy. The window frames had recently been painted, as had the front door.
He rang the bell. A thin young man opened the door. ‘What’s up?’ he asked anxiously.
‘I’m here to see Bella.’
The young man stood back. ‘Come in. I hope it’s not bad news.’ He led the way into a living room. Bella was sitting embroidering a tablecloth, the picture of pretty
domesticity. When she saw Hamish, a look of pure hate flashed in her eyes, but then she smiled and said, ‘Why, Hamish. How nice to see you. Tea?’
Hamish sat down and surveyed her. ‘We’ve been looking for you, Bella.’
‘What’s this all about?’ demanded Jamie.
‘It’s about that dog I killed,’ said Bella. ‘I told you about that. I hit it on the head to defend myself, and now the RSPCA’s looking for me.’
Hamish swung round and said to Jamie, ‘I hear you’re getting married. Do you know she is already married?’
‘We’re getting married just as soon as her divorce comes through,’ said Jamie.
Hamish looked at Bella. ‘Have you applied for a divorce?’
‘She hasn’t had the courage to face that beast yet. The way he treated her!’ exclaimed Jamie.
Hamish stood up. ‘You’ll be hearing from the RSPCA, Bella. Jamie, a word with you outside.’
Jamie walked outside into the garden and then turned and faced Hamish. ‘Why the hell are you persecuting the poor girl?’
‘I am here to warn you, laddie,’ said Hamish. ‘Listen to me, and listen to me carefully. Bella is a husband beater. If you don’t
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