The Stromness Dinner by Peter Benson

Author:Peter Benson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seren

ELLEN DOES SOME

CLEANING

“I clean for this couple in town. He’s from round here, used to be a Captain on a ship. She’s German or something.”

“Dutch,” said Joe. “She’s Dutch.”

“Whatever, Joe. Elise and Alec. They never give me any grief, pay good money, you know, but he’s weird.”

“Weird?”

“Yeah. I mean, when I’m working round there she’s okay and she’ll talk and everything, but he spends all his time in this place he’s got, and if I do see him he never says a word. He’s, you know, shifty.”

“Is he?”

“Yeah. Always looks sideways at me.”

“Maybe he’s just shy.”

“Yeah, right.”

“And this place? What is it?”

“Well it’s in the garden but it’s not a shed, and it’s not a garage. It’s more like just a room on its own, if you know what I mean. It’s got proper windows and everything.”

“Okay.”

“So last week I was taking some rubbish to the bin, and had to go down past this place. He was in there doing whatever he does, and usually he keeps the door closed but this time it was open, so I could see in. And there were loads of pictures and books and shelves in there, and I saw that bowl.”

“Which bowl?”

“The one in the photo you gave Joe.”

“You sure?”

“For definite.”

“Where?”

“On one of the shelves. Just sitting there. There were loads of others, but old man Bowen’s was one of them.”

“And what makes you sure it was the one in the photo?”

“It’s unusual, isn’t it? That green stuff on it. You know, it stands out.”

“It certainly does.”

“And he was friendly with Mr Bowen,” said Joe. “He was down there all the time.”

“Was he?”

“Oh yes.”

“So what I’m thinking…” said Ellen, “… is that he saw it one day and he knew what it was worth and…”

“You don’t need to spell it out,” I said.

“No?”

“I don’t think so. And Elise and Alec live where?”

“You know where the museum is?”

“Yeah.”

“So you go past the museum, and they’re at the South End. You can’t miss the house. It’s got a plastic owl on the roof.”

“Okay,” I said, and I finished my pint. “Scapa?”

“And a shot of Highland Park,” she said.

“Joe?”

“Same.”

I got the drinks in. It all sounded too simple, but sometimes simple is the solution. Like when you ask people what colour they want their bathroom and the woman says she wants it Prussian Blue and the man says he wants it Ocean Grey and they have a fight and you suggest they go for white because it’s a small room. But which white? Frosted Hint or Plain Cloud? Just plain trade white emulsion with a hint of white. Please? Thank you.

Scapa was a good pint. “Why’ve they got a plastic owl on the roof?” I said.

“It’s meant to scare the gulls away,” said Joe, “but I saw one sat on it once.”

“Gulls aren’t stupid,” said Ellen.

“Yes they are,” said Joe. “They’re idiots.”

“Yeah, but they aren’t stupid.”

“And this place. This room. Where is it?”

“Behind the house,” said Ellen.

“Okay.”

“So what’s the plan?”

“I don’t know yet, but you’ll be the first to know.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.