The Girl in the Loch: A gripping and twisty Scottish murder mystery (Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson Book 1) by Andrew James Greig

Author:Andrew James Greig [Greig, Andrew James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Published: 2024-01-26T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SEVEN

A UNICORN CALLED LILYBET

Dee turned her bike into Helen Chadwell’s drive. She recognised the church and the kid’s goalposts that Teàrlach had described, parked up as near to the house as she could and rested the bike on its kickstand. Smoke blew almost horizontally out of a chimney, shredded by the wind until all that was left was a tang of woodsmoke in the air. Seahorses played across the loch’s agitated surface, galloping away until erased by the rain and mist.

‘Can I help you?’ Helen Chadwell held the door protectively, one hand in readiness to slam it shut.

Dee removed her helmet, offering the reassurance that she was another woman. She brushed her red hair back from her face.

‘Teàrlach Paterson asked me to have a chat. About the Masterton girl?’

Helen eyed her suspiciously. ‘Why didn’t he come himself – he let me know he was going to visit last time he was here?’

Dee pointedly looked skywards, wiped rain from her face. ‘He’s had a bit of an accident. I can come back another time if now isn’t convenient for you. I would have called, but he forgot to give me your number, sorry.’ She tried her most winning smile, mixed with real regret. It must have worked for the door opened wider, and Helen gestured her in.

‘Come out of the rain. It’s terrible weather, isn’t it?’

She led Dee into the kitchen, where a young girl with cropped blond hair was sitting at the table, colouring in a unicorn with great concentration, pink tongue held between her small white teeth.

‘This is Alana.’ The girl gave her a disinterested look, then back to her colouring. ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’

‘Dee. Dee Fairlie. I’m working with Sherlock – I’m sorry, Teàrlach, on this case.’

Helen laughed in response. ‘Yes, it does sound like that. You’ll be Watson then, I presume.’

Dee smiled dutifully in response. ‘Guess so.’

‘What can I help you with then? I told Teàrlach already that I couldn’t add much to what’s already on file. It was three years ago.’ Helen reached for the kettle, filled it up at the sink. ‘Tea, coffee?’

‘Coffee please, thanks.’ Dee was lacking a caffeine hit, and just the thought of a proper coffee had her salivating. She thought rapidly. Teàrlach hadn’t briefed her before she came, he’d been all but unconscious in the hotel room but wanted Helen warned. Easier said than done without scaring her to death – her and her daughter.

‘Did you hear about the fire last night?’ Dee attempted as an opener.

‘No, was anyone injured?’ Helen had her back to the table, plugging the kettle into the mains and filling a coffee pot.

Dee spared a glance towards the young girl, Alana. ‘Yes, someone called Annie Tavistock?’

Helen paused momentarily, then selected two mugs from the counter. ‘That’s a shame. Nothing serious I hope?’ She turned to face Dee directly.

Dee made a point of looking towards her daughter before answering. ‘Terminal, I’m afraid.’

Helen’s skin whitened in shock. ‘That’s awful.’

‘What’s awful, Mum?’ Alana’s attention switched from her colouring to her mother.

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