His Path of Darkness by Ed James

Author:Ed James [James, Ed]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grey Dog Books
Published: 2024-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

35

The vista opened up, giving them the first view of Walkerburn, framed by Plora Rig to the south and Caberston to the north. Hills Marshall had been up and down many times over the years, mostly on foot but sometimes on his bike – and once with an alpaca for Thea’s birthday.

Struan was behind the wheel, slowing as they hit the long high street into the town, mostly houses with a shop and a closed pub, the artery narrowed by parked cars.

Struan was taking no prisoners and just ploughed through. ‘Thinking about buying a flat here before it gets too expensive.’

‘In Walkerburn?’

Struan glanced over at him. ‘Something wrong with that?’

Marshall shrugged. ‘Would’ve thought it’d be pretty cheap here.’

‘That’s the thing. It is. But Innerleithen’s going right upmarket now and it’s just two miles away. Before too long, it’ll swallow up Walkerburn, you mark my words.’ Struan turned past a row of houses painted in the colours of the Brazilian flag – or at least the football strip. He had to slow to let a car through. ‘Staying at the old boy’s place over in Kelso just now. Bastard of a drive to Gala in the middle of winter.’

‘Can well imagine.’

A long row of stone cottages lurked around the bend, opposite a drying green with some decaying garages dotting the perimeter.

Struan pulled up outside the Henry Ballantyne Memorial, a grand old building that looked like a country pub. ‘If my intel is right, he should be in here just now…’

Marshall couldn’t remember who Henry Ballantyne was or why he’d need to be remembered. Probably someone who founded the town or its now-defunct mills. ‘Drinking or working?’

‘Usually both.’ Struan looked over at Marshall with a hard stare. ‘You wanting me to lead in here?’

‘I guess so, otherwise there’s no point in you being here.’ Marshall held his gaze then grinned. ‘Elliot wanted rid of you pretty quickly.’

‘To be brutally honest, gaffer, we don’t see eye to-eye.’ Struan leaned over, like he suspected the pool car was bugged. ‘Between you and me, I’m worried about her. She doesn’t seem to be…’ He looked down at the handbrake, then back up. ‘Look, losing her husband is a massive deal. Huge. I’m not expecting her to be over it or anything, but do you honestly think she should be back at work?’

‘I don’t know. I just spoke to her and… She didn’t seem to be the same person I know. She seems to have a lot of grief still to process. She needs to speak to someone. And Andrea’s probably the last person to want to do that.’

‘It’s a hard road to go down, especially for a cop, but you can’t force someone to walk it, can you?’ Struan nodded slowly, like he’d trodden that path himself. ‘Anyway. Thanks for listening to my TED talk.’ He opened his door and got out.

Marshall took a few seconds to process the fact Struan had showed concern about another human being.

All anyone seemed to do was talk to him.

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