Death of a Dentist by M. C. Beaton

Death of a Dentist by M. C. Beaton

Author:M. C. Beaton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Crime & mystery, Political, Hamish (Fictitious character), Fiction, Crime & Thriller, Dentists, Dentist, Traditional British, Mystery, Detective, Police Procedural, Scotland, MacBeth, Mystery & Detective - Series, Mystery & Detective - Traditional British, Mystery & Detective - General, Mystery & Detective, Fiction - Mystery, General, Suspense, Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural, Highlands (Scotland)
ISBN: 9780446606011
Publisher: Warner Books
Published: 1998-07-01T03:52:30.514000+00:00


Chapter Seven

“Well, now that we have seen each other,” said the Unicorn, “if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you. Is that a bargain?”

—Lewis Carroll

“There’s coffee in that thermos on the floor beside you,” said Hamish as they drove slowly along. “It’s got milk and sugar in it because I meant to use it to make any policeman on guard outside Gilchrist’s a bit friendlier towards me.”

“I don’t take sugar, but I may be driven to it if we’re trapped in this snow.”

“We’ll go over by Dornoch and take the bridge,” said Hamish, peering out into the gloom. “I think the snow’s getting a bit wetter.”

By the time they reached the long bridge over the Dornoch Firth, Hamish’s eyes felt tired and gritty with the strain of peering ahead. As they made their way over the bridge, Hamish could see a yellowish light at the end and wondered what it was.

He soon found out.

On the other side was a different world. They drove straight out of the swirling snow and blackness and into brilliant sunshine. Hamish looked back in his driving mirror in amazement at the black wall of bad weather behind him. “Let’s just hope the storm stays where it is,” he said, “and doesn’t follow us into Inverness.”

“I will never get used to this weird climate. What do you hope to find out from Mrs. Gilchrist?” asked Sarah.

“I want to find out all I can about the man. She surely knew him better than anyone else.”

“What about Maggie Bane?”

“She was just having the affair with him. Marriage fair brings out the beast in people.”

“Yes, it does,” she said sadly.

He glanced sharply at the hunched figure in the passenger seat. “What would you know about it?”

“Observation,” she said, “just like you.”

When they reached Anstrumer Road in Inverness, Hamish climbed down from the Land Rover and looked up at the sky. Long ragged trails of black cloud were streaming out from the west, the fingers of the storm clawing eastward.

Jeannie Gilchrist was not at home. “Of course, she’ll be back at work,” said Hamish. “Let’s go into Inverness and get something to eat and then we’ll try the council offices.”

They found a self-service café. Sarah had a salad and Hamish, a Scotch pie and chips.

“You don’t worry about your cholesterol level, I see,” remarked Sarah.

“It’s comfort food,” said Hamish. “Salad makes me tetchy.”

“I cannot imagine you getting tetchy,” said Sarah. “You seem much too laid-back.”

He smiled at her. “I have the vicious temper.”

“I don’t believe that. Look at all the people inside and out. Where do they all come from? I was amazed to find Inverness such a busy place.”

“Aye, it’s grown out o’ recognition. There’s something suddenly bothering me.”

“And what’s that?”

“Thon still o’ the Smiley brothers. I keep thinking of that long shed. I mean a few bottles here and there for the locals is all right. What if they were into big production?”

“You keep saying it’s hard to keep anything quiet in the Highlands. Someone would have told you.



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