Read Online Does Your Mother Know? by Maureen Jennings - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maureen Jennings
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the missing woman and a police officer from Canada.”
He stared at me, hardly abashed. “Well, I’m sorry for your loss.” This remark could not be pursued because there was a call from downstairs.
“The ambulance is here, Sir.”
“Will you see to the removal, Gillies? I’ll go on ahead to Stornoway.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The doctor paused in the doorway. “You should put a fresh steak on that eye,” he said to Gillies.
A fresh steak! I’d expect him to bring out the leeches.
He left and Gillies touched my hand.
“Take a deep breath.”
“I don’t think so,” I said ungraciously. “Not in here.”
“Will you take care of Andy and his girl then? They might get upset seeing the body brought out. I’d better stay here.”
“Okay.” I paused. “Would you mind if I checked out the bathroom?”
“There’s a toilet downstairs to the right of the front door.”
“No, I meant this one. I’d like to see if there’s any blood in there.”
His expression was kind. “Why don’t we both have a look round after they’ve all left. Set your mind at rest.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
I made my way downstairs, aware my legs were shaky.
CHAPTER TEN
I walked out to the patio. The rain had stopped and high, dry stone walls gave protection from the prevailing wind, so that the corner was pleasantly warm.
“Hello, everybody. Sergeant Gillies has asked me to let you know that the ambulance men will be removing Mr. MacAulay’s body. They will take him to the morgue at Stornoway.”
Andy MacAulay looked up, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
You can’t fake the kind of distress he was experiencing, and my heart went out to him. His fiancée jerked her head in my direction. “Andy’s had a dreadful shock. I hope you’re not expecting him to say anything.” I recognized the accent now — there was an American northeastern clip. His hand was locked in hers, and she had the fierce look of a woman who is ready to stand by her man no matter what: aggressive, ready to throw me out bodily if necessary.
She frowned. “Didn’t we see you at the airport?”
“Yes, you did. My name is Morris. Christine Morris. I’m with the Canadian police force.”
“Well this is Andy MacAulay, and I’m his fiancée, Coral-Lyn Pitchers. That’s Coral as in reef — not Carol — and Pitchers as in baseball.” She reeled it off as if I were officially taking notes. I had the impression she was accustomed to being interviewed, perhapsbecause of her involvement with the Lord’s Day Observance Society. But I’d guess that even earlier than that, she’d had to divert lewd jokes from the male population. Her dress wasn’t tight-fitting at all, but she was snugly belted at the waist, and she couldn’t hide the size of her unusually ample breasts.
The other woman had turned from her sea watch and she came forward with her hand outstretched.
“Hallo to you, Miss Morris. I’m Lisa MacKenzie. I worked for Mr. MacAulay.”
I was right about the piercings. She had a silver ring through her left eyebrow and several in each ear. She was older than I expected from her slim build and spiky hair, and was pale and drawn, but quite in control of herself.
“Can you tell me what happened?” I had no official right to ask her, of course, and I didn’t know how the other two would react, but I could tell she needed to unburden herself of the experience of finding a decaying corpse.
“I have a key.” She paused, and I caught the look that Coral-Lyn threw at her. So did Lisa, and her voice got an edge of defiance. “I am... that is, I was... employed by Mr. MacAulay. I do odd jobs, gardening, tidying, and so on.... Keep him company.”
“Do you live here?”
She looked a little discomfited.
“He was kind enough to let me have the use of the spare room. I’m a student in Skye, so it was easier for me to stay two or three days at a time. Mostly on the weekends.”
Suddenly, she stared at something over my
He stared at me, hardly abashed. “Well, I’m sorry for your loss.” This remark could not be pursued because there was a call from downstairs.
“The ambulance is here, Sir.”
“Will you see to the removal, Gillies? I’ll go on ahead to Stornoway.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The doctor paused in the doorway. “You should put a fresh steak on that eye,” he said to Gillies.
A fresh steak! I’d expect him to bring out the leeches.
He left and Gillies touched my hand.
“Take a deep breath.”
“I don’t think so,” I said ungraciously. “Not in here.”
“Will you take care of Andy and his girl then? They might get upset seeing the body brought out. I’d better stay here.”
“Okay.” I paused. “Would you mind if I checked out the bathroom?”
“There’s a toilet downstairs to the right of the front door.”
“No, I meant this one. I’d like to see if there’s any blood in there.”
His expression was kind. “Why don’t we both have a look round after they’ve all left. Set your mind at rest.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
I made my way downstairs, aware my legs were shaky.
CHAPTER TEN
I walked out to the patio. The rain had stopped and high, dry stone walls gave protection from the prevailing wind, so that the corner was pleasantly warm.
“Hello, everybody. Sergeant Gillies has asked me to let you know that the ambulance men will be removing Mr. MacAulay’s body. They will take him to the morgue at Stornoway.”
Andy MacAulay looked up, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
You can’t fake the kind of distress he was experiencing, and my heart went out to him. His fiancée jerked her head in my direction. “Andy’s had a dreadful shock. I hope you’re not expecting him to say anything.” I recognized the accent now — there was an American northeastern clip. His hand was locked in hers, and she had the fierce look of a woman who is ready to stand by her man no matter what: aggressive, ready to throw me out bodily if necessary.
She frowned. “Didn’t we see you at the airport?”
“Yes, you did. My name is Morris. Christine Morris. I’m with the Canadian police force.”
“Well this is Andy MacAulay, and I’m his fiancée, Coral-Lyn Pitchers. That’s Coral as in reef — not Carol — and Pitchers as in baseball.” She reeled it off as if I were officially taking notes. I had the impression she was accustomed to being interviewed, perhapsbecause of her involvement with the Lord’s Day Observance Society. But I’d guess that even earlier than that, she’d had to divert lewd jokes from the male population. Her dress wasn’t tight-fitting at all, but she was snugly belted at the waist, and she couldn’t hide the size of her unusually ample breasts.
The other woman had turned from her sea watch and she came forward with her hand outstretched.
“Hallo to you, Miss Morris. I’m Lisa MacKenzie. I worked for Mr. MacAulay.”
I was right about the piercings. She had a silver ring through her left eyebrow and several in each ear. She was older than I expected from her slim build and spiky hair, and was pale and drawn, but quite in control of herself.
“Can you tell me what happened?” I had no official right to ask her, of course, and I didn’t know how the other two would react, but I could tell she needed to unburden herself of the experience of finding a decaying corpse.
“I have a key.” She paused, and I caught the look that Coral-Lyn threw at her. So did Lisa, and her voice got an edge of defiance. “I am... that is, I was... employed by Mr. MacAulay. I do odd jobs, gardening, tidying, and so on.... Keep him company.”
“Do you live here?”
She looked a little discomfited.
“He was kind enough to let me have the use of the spare room. I’m a student in Skye, so it was easier for me to stay two or three days at a time. Mostly on the weekends.”
Suddenly, she stared at something over my
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