They were just leaving the estate when Elspeth recognised Hamish’s Land Rover, leaned out the window, and signalled to him to stop.
Both climbed out of their vehicles and met on the road. “I actually got an interview,” said Elspeth. “It’s going to look odd on film. Rather like the Addams family, all lined up behind the old man’s chair. He lied. He said he couldn’t move from the chair. Oh, and at the end, he threw a hissy fit and demanded his lawyer.”
“His son’s a lawyer.”
“Doesn’t want him. Got one in Strathbane.”
“This is getting more like a damn film every minute,” said Hamish. “If it were a film, the old sod would be found dead before he could change his will. I checked the alibis this morning. Andrew and his wife were guests of people down in Somerset the weekend of the murder, so that rules them out.” He got back into the Land Rover and drove on to join the others.
Just after he arrived, the head of the forensic team came out. “They’re all in the drawing room and we’ve taken their fingerprints and DNA samples. You can interview them.”
“Before we go in,” said Hamish, “I’d better tell you what Elspeth Grant has found out.”
“You should not have spoken to the press without my permission,” raged Fiona.
“Elspeth is a good source of information. Listen to this.” Hamish told her about Mr. Harrison changing his will.
“These old folk with money can be murderees,” said Fiona. “They use their wills as power over people. ‘Be nice to me, or I’ll cut you out.’ Let’s go in and see what we can find out.”
Just as they were about to enter the drawing room, Fiona stopped short and held up her hand. They could clearly hear Andrew pleading, “But we’ve always looked out for you, Father. It was your choice to bury yourself up in this godforsaken place. We offered you a home with us.”
“Maybe I’ve been a bit hasty,” came Mr. Harrison’s voice. “Get me another whisky, Mackenzie, and don’t ever bleat on about my high blood pressure again.”
Fiona nodded and opened the door and they all walked in. “What now?” demanded Andrew.
“Mr. Harrison misled us when he claimed he could not walk,” said Fiona. “Macbeth here thought he saw someone lurking outside the building when we were last here and went to have a look. He saw you, Mr. Harrison, get out of your chair and go to get yourself a drink.”
“Police spies, that’s what you are,” shouted Mr. Harrison. “I can only walk a few yards.”
“That is the case,” said the nurse, moving to stand between her employer and the police. “I drive him down once a week to Strathbane Hospital for physiotherapy.”
“I don’t understand,” said Fiona. “You said you came off your horse and broke your back. If you had a broken back you would not be able to walk at all.”
“I meant I damaged the nerves on my spine,” said Mr. Harrison.
Fiona painstakingly took him back through the events of the evening when Gloria had disappeared until Helen Mackenzie stepped forward.
“That’s enough,” she said harshly. “You have tired him. It’s time for his nap. Come along, sir.” She seized the handles of his wheelchair and pushed him towards the door, which Andrew leapt to hold open.
When he had gone, Fiona turned her attention to Andrew. “Do you know what is in his will?”
“He said he had some lawyer in Strathbane,” said Andrew, “but as far as I know, I am the heir.”
“And what is the name of the lawyer in Strathbane?”
“Someone called Tinety, I think.”
Hamish left Charlie to take down what was being said while he studied Andrew. Pompous but hardly the murdering type, he thought. Still, it’s hard to tell.
When they were once more outside, Fiona phoned Jimmy Anderson and asked him to visit the lawyer in Strathbane and see if he could find anything out. When she rang off, she said to Hamish, “You go back to that cliff. There must be something we missed. Charlie will come with me to Strathbane where he can type up his notes, and then we’ll go over what we’ve got.”
As he got into his Land Rover, Hamish watched Charlie and Fiona getting into the back of Fiona’s car and pushed his peaked cap back and scratched his fiery-red hair in bewilderment. Fiona must have a lot of power to use the services of a lowly constable like Charlie. Was something going on there? She was married and Charlie was a great big innocent. I hope he doesn’t get hurt, thought Hamish.