‘This is the one you brought last time,’ Ally said. She and Ross usually drank gin or wine. ‘So where is Joel now?’
Hamish shrugged. ‘I think he’s gone back to the hotel, and one of the police has gone with him. I don’t know what happens now, but I’ve been on to Kandahar and he’ll be here in the morning.’
Poor Amir,Ally thought. This village must give him more work than all the rest of the area put together.
‘Alison is a wonderful friend,’ Hamish said, turning to Ross with a wink. ‘When she resisted my charms and said she only wanted friendship, I really didn’t think it was possible to just be friends with such an attractive lady. But I was wrong, and I deeply value our friendship, Alison!’ He turned to her and raised his glass.
‘Thank you, Hamish,’ Ally said, hoping she wasn’t blushing at her great age. ‘I really value our friendship too.’
‘Hope I’m not intruding on this mutual admiration society,’ Ross said with a grin, raising his own glass.
Morag was almost rendered speechless when she arrived in the morning.
‘There’s this rumour goin’ round,’ she said, ‘that Angus Morrison has been arrested.Angus! You couldn’t make it up.’
‘It’s true,’ Ally said, spooning coffee grounds into a cafetière.
‘I can’t believe it! What the hell could Angus have to do with any of this?’ Morag demanded as she fastened on her pinny.
‘I believe he had a difference of opinion with your friend Joel Watson,’ Ally replied.
‘He’s no friend of mine!A difference of opinion! Is that what you call it? That Watson got back to the Craigmonie with apolicemanand a bloody nose, Murdo says. But it couldn’t be Angus; Angus is only interested in huntin’, fishin’ and mindin’ his own business.’
‘Apparently, even Angus has a limit to his patience,’ Ally said.
As if to verify this state of affairs, there was a gentle knock on the kitchen door, and there stood Wendy.
‘I just wanted to tell you that I won’t be breakfasting here this morning,’ she said, ‘because poor Joel’s been in a spot of bother, and I feel I should go down there straight away.’
‘Thank you for letting me know,’ Ally said, hoping to avoid further conversation on the subject.
‘Because he wasattackedlast night!’ Wendy went on.
‘I’m sorry to hear that, Wendy,’ Ally said, backing slowly into the kitchen. ‘I hope he’s OK.’
As she closed the door, she heard Morag mutter, ‘She seems quite a nice woman, so how come she’s got a son like that?’
‘He’s probably been spoiled and likes to get his own way,’ Ally said.Just like your Bobby,she thought.
Morag gave a disapproving sniff as she set off upstairs.
Ross had gone home for twenty-four hours because he was having a bed delivered for one of his cottages, and he also had visitors leaving very early the next morning. Ally was rather looking forward to having a quiet day on her own and getting afew outstanding chores done. She could hear the others in the dining room now, but only three for breakfast.
The girls, as usual, wanted cooked breakfasts and Patti, also as usual, did not.
‘We hear cousin Joel’s in trouble,’ said Janey conversationally.
‘He alwayswasa pain in the arse,’ Patti said as she helped herself to cereal.
‘Somebody punched him yesterday evening,’ Julie said, ‘but we don’t know who.’
And I’m not about to tell you,Ally thought.
Breakfast passed without incident or any phone calls, the girls asked if they could play with Flora in the garden, and Morag – still tut-tutting and shaking her head – made herself her usual mug of tea when she was done with the cleaning.
When Murdo arrived with the mail at half past ten, he was quite excited. ‘It’s all happenin’ up at the castle,’ he said. ‘There’s two police cars, and the boss man himsel’ is there.’
‘Do you mean Kandahar?’ Ally asked.
