Death Takes the Low Road by Reginald Hill

Author:Reginald Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Published: 2019-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

9

‘Hello! Uncle James? Hello, hello!’

Suddenly Professor Nevis’s voice came through loud and clear.

‘Caroline, my dear. Are you all right?’

‘Hello, Uncle James! Yes, fine. You don’t know how great it is to hear you!’

So great, realised Caroline, that she had given him once again his childishly reassuring preface of ‘Uncle’. But childish reassurance was what she felt like at the moment.

‘What are you doing in that place—Durness, is it?’

‘It’s a long, long story. Look, what’s going on down there, what’s all this business about finding pot in my room? I don’t use the stuff, I mean, you know that. They must have planted it. I don’t know who. The police I suppose.’

The sergeant and constable who had moved discreetly to the far side of the office from which she was telephoning looked at her with hurt expressions and she blushed.

‘Not, not you. I don’t mean you. It’s different down there … Hello, Uncle James? Sorry, I was talking to the policemen up here. They’ve been so nice, really, yeah. Great.’

Somewhat mollified, the policemen returned to staring out of the window.

‘Listen, Uncle James. I’m worried about Bill. Bill Hazlitt, that’s right. Yes, I’ve seen him. Up here, just before they arrested me. I think he’s in some kind of trouble. No, I don’t know what. No, I didn’t speak to him either.’

‘I think,’ said Professor Nevis, ‘that you must concern yourself with your own problems first, my dear. What Hazlitt is up to, no one knows. I know Stewart Stuart is most perturbed by his behaviour. Apparently there are all kinds of loose ends he left for his office to tie up as best they could. I fear he’s done his chances of replacing Stuart little good.’

‘It’s not his career prospects I’m concerned about,’ said Caroline with slight acidity. ‘It’s his physical wellbeing now, this minute. The police here have said they’ll look into it, but I don’t know what they can do.’

Hurt looks again from the window.

‘I’m sure they’ll do their best. But what about you, what arrangements have been made? Shall I come up, do you think?’

‘No, don’t do that. They’re planning to send me back. That’s right, isn’t it?’

Nods from the window.

‘Yeah. I think they were going to manacle me behind a train at first, but evidently they’re sending someone for me, to see me safely home. Look, will you see about my legal rights, fix up a lawyer, that kind of thing? Tommy Poulson might be useful. Tell him I’ve been framed. And would you get in touch with the embassy for me? Start some big wheels moving, but ask ’em to play it cool, will you? I don’t want any clever American correspondents sending a little piece about me back home to frighten Mom and Dad. No! Please, Uncle James. You mustn’t ring them, not before you talk with me. It’ll only upset them and I’m sure it’s all going to blow over.’

‘All right, my dear. I’m sure you’re right. Everything will blow over. I’ll find out at this end when you’re getting back and see you as soon as I can.

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