“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” said Charlie. “Since that Christine woman left, they’ve all gone back to their sloppy ways.”
Hamish was hungry and missed Dick again. Dick would have had sausages frying on the camper stove and a flask of coffee. It was a clear frosty morning. Sonsie and Lugs were chasing each other through the heather.
“I wonder how her cap got in the sea,” said Charlie.
“Probably blew away when she was shoved ower the cliff,” said Hamish.
The sun shone into the space between the boulders and something in a cranny sparkled. Hamish went forward, put on latex gloves, and gingerly fished it out. It was a diamond necklace, a small diamond on a thin, gold chain. “Take a look at this, Charlie.”
Charlie came forward. “Maybe the murderer had decided to keep it and then decided to hide it and maybe pick it up later.”
Hamish fished out an evidence bag and dropped the pendant into it. “I wonder what she was wearing when she was murdered.”
“I mind the inspector telling me. She was wearing a short black dress.”
“Not her nurse’s uniform?”
“No.”
“We’ll need to question the Eskdale woman again. It could be Sean and his friends were looking for outfits and played with the cap and then threw it away. Let’s eat something first.”
They sat outside the café, eating ham rolls and drinking coffee. “You wouldnae think it was November already,” said Charlie.
The incoming tide crashed on the beach and the restless seagulls swooped and dived.
“The only thing I miss in my diet is guga. I could murder a guga,” said Charlie.
“Baby gannets? I tried one once,” said Hamish. “Didnae fancy it. Oh, well, let’s face Mrs. Eskdale.”
It transpired that Sean and his friends had tried on the cap and the nurse’s uniform found in one of the cases. Sean had gone out wearing the cap. It had blown into the sea. He had gone after it and got it back.
Hamish then phoned Jimmy and told him about the find of the pendant and that it looked as if Gloria had dressed up to go out on a date and then was murdered.
“I’d better get back to Harrison’s,” said Jimmy. “It’s all beginning to look as if the woman was murdered at his place.”
“But forensics found nothing,” Hamish pointed out.
“I just feel like rattling the cage. If Gloria came on to all and sundry, then she may have made a pass at Juris. You pair, over to Strathbane and hand over that pendant. I’ll tell Iron Knickers you’re coming.”
“I hate going to Strathbane,” grumbled Charlie when Hamish had told him what Jimmy had said. “I’m always frightened they won’t let me go back to Lochdubh.”
When they had passed over the pendant to forensics to check for fingerprints, Hamish and Charlie were just about to leave when Blair approached them. “Not so fast, laddies,” he said. “The super wants to see you.”
“Now what?” said Hamish. “Blair’s been up to something nasty.”
They climbed the stairs to Daviot’s office. “You are to go right in,” said his secretary, Helen, with a smile that did not reach her eyes. She detested Hamish.
“Ah, come in, come in,” said Mr. Daviot. “No, don’t stand. Make yourselves comfortable. Tea?”
“Thank you, sir,” said Hamish, who didn’t want tea but who knew it would infuriate Helen. Daviot summoned Helen. “Tea all round,” he said, “and a few Tunnock’s tea cakes would go down well.”
“Certainly, sir,” said Helen. Hamish had placed his cap on the floor beside his chair. Helen managed to tread on it on her road out.
“Don’t look so anxious, Macbeth,” said the superintendent. “Your station is safe. The matter in hand concerns Constable Carter here.”
So that’s the way the wind is blowing, thought Hamish wearily. Blair can’t get at me but he can get at Charlie.
“The fact is that we are seriously undermanned here. It has been pointed out to me—”
“By Mr. Blair,” said Hamish.
“Don’t interrupt,” snapped Daviot. “Ah. Tea. Thank you, Helen. We’ll help ourselves.”
Downstairs, Fiona was accosted by Blair. “Grand day,” he said.
“Have Carter and Macbeth left?” she asked.
“They’re up there with the super,” said Blair. As Fiona marched towards the stairs, he called after her, “I wouldnae interrupt, if I were you.”
Charlie sat, looking stricken. Daviot had just told him he was being transferred back to Strathbane.
The door opened and Fiona walked in. “Ah, Inspector Herring,” said Daviot nervously. “Is it very important?”
“When Mr. Blair has a smile all over his fat face,” said Fiona, “I assume he has put the boot in for this pair. What’s happening?”
“This is an internal matter and nothing to do with you,” said Daviot loftily.
Fiona looked at Charlie’s miserable face. “Who found that pendant our famous forensic team missed completely?”
“Charlie found it,” lied Hamish. “Got an eagle eye when it comes tae clues, ma’am.”