Death of a Liar Read Free Page A

head. There may be something else when the full autopsy’s been done.”
    â€œVicious and nasty,” said Hamish. “They seemed to have come from nowhere but, och, that didnae seem ower-strange. I mean, from time to time English folk come up to settle here, but you know how it is, if the weather doesn’t chase them off, the drink will get them. It looks as if the Leighs were villains themselves and had something some gang wanted. There was more than one of them, wasn’t there?”
    â€œMore than one size of footprint. Guess four men, but it looks as if they might have been wearing forensic boots and the whole place had been wiped clean.”
    â€œIn a wee village like this,” said Hamish, “four men drive up and break in and no one sees a damn thing…”
    â€œNo sign of a break-in,” said Jimmy. “Either the Leighs thought it was friends or someone held a gun on them.”
    â€œWait a bit,” said Hamish, clutching his red hair. “They could have come over the back during the night in a Land Rover or a four-by-four of some sort. Get in by the back door. Decide to take Frank Leigh off and torture him. Take him off over the moors and park. One of the men gets into the Audi and drives off sedately and meets up with them. They put Frank in the Audi and one of the men takes the four-by-four away. Did you see any tracks at the back?”
    Jimmy sighed. “We didn’t get a chance. The pathologist and the forensic team have been working all day in the garden.”
    â€œLet’s go now!”
    Jimmy took a last swig of whisky and got reluctantly to his feet. “You’d better bed down in the cell tonight,” said Hamish. “You’ve had too much to drink and drive.”
    â€œHavers. I tell you, laddie, there’s nothing at this time of night on the road to Strathbane but the odd sheep.”
    Dick, Jimmy, and Hamish put on their forensic suits and boots and made their way to the back of the schoolhouse garden, shining their torches on the muddy ground.
    â€œYou see!” said Hamish excitedly. “Tyre tracks going out, just a bit there. The rain probably washed away the rest of the evidence. There’s no fence at the back. We won’t get any further tracks in the heather. But if they went the way I’m thinking, they may have gone past Angus Macdonald’s cottage. We’ll go and ask him.”
    â€œThon seer gives me the creeps,” said Jimmy. “We’ll take your Land Rover. I’m not walking up that steep hill to his cottage.”
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    Angus Macdonald opened the door to them, looking more like one of the minor prophets than ever with his long grey beard and long white gown.
    He ushered them into his low-ceilinged parlour. His peat fire was smouldering and sending out puffs of grey smoke.
    Hamish explained the reason for their visit.
    â€œYou havenae brought me anything,” complained the seer, who always expected some sort of gift.
    â€œThis is police work, you greedy auld man,” snapped Hamish. “You’ve heard about the murders. Did you see or hear a vehicle passing on…” He swung round to Jimmy. “When do you think Mrs. Leigh was murdered?”
    â€œAbout two weeks ago at least.”
    â€œWell, Angus?”
    â€œIt must ha’ been about two in the morning,” crooned the seer, closing his eyes. “I sensed black evil and went to the window and looked down the brae. A four-by-four was racing along and turned over the moor, heading down to join the road at the outside o’ the village. That would be about fifteen days ago.”
    â€œThat would be them,” said Hamish. “Thanks, Angus.”
    As they made for the door, Angus said, “Oh, Mr. Anderson. If I were you, I wouldnae drive tonight.”
    â€œWhy?” demanded Jimmy.
    â€œSomething’s waiting for you on the Strathbane road.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI