Tainted Ground Read Free Page B

‘You’ll be right on the doorstep.’
    â€˜Does James know?’ I asked.
    â€˜Yes, he does. And I should imagine he’s not too happy about it.’
    â€˜But why not?’ Elspeth wanted to know. ‘The pair of you are good friends.’
    â€˜He’ll assume those in charge don’t think he’s up to the job yet,’ Patrick told her. ‘But it’s worse than that. Because of my previous army rank I’m classed as acting detective superintendent.’
    â€˜That’s disastrous!’ I said. ‘It’ll be bad enough to have you parachuted in like that but as his superior …’ Words failed me.
    â€˜It really is only a pay scale,’ Patrick explained. ‘I have to take orders from everyone above the rank of sergeant. James won’t see it like that.’ He went off to find a couple of whisky tumblers, one of which he waggled interrogatively in his father’s direction before pouring them both a tot from the new bottle of single malt he had brought in with him.
    â€˜This could be another test,’ said John reflectively from his armchair, after taking an appreciative sip. ‘This is wonderful – you’re spoiling me. To see how you handle such a potentially difficult situation, I mean. They can’t be that stupid at HQ as not to realize the state of affairs they’re creating.’
    â€˜But most of the difficulty could well be James’s,’ Elspeth said. ‘Patrick, be so good as to fetch the ladies a sherry – or whatever Ingrid wants.’
    â€˜Sorry,’ he said and hastened away to amend the omission.
    â€˜Use those nice large schooner glasses,’ she called after him.
    â€˜Well, I think it’s really crass,’ I said, nevertheless amused at the way she always keeps Patrick on his best behaviour even when he is really put out about something.
    â€˜Or a test for Carrick?’ Patrick said when he returned. ‘Or the powers-that-be are a bunch of insensitive thickos?’
    â€˜Ring James,’ I suggested.
    â€˜I’ll grovel,’ Patrick said gloomily and went away again.
    We could tell by his face when he came back into the room that the call had not gone well. He told us that Carrick had already complained about the arrangement, which he felt to be untenable, and although he recognized their friendship he felt they could not work together under those circumstances. Patrick, therefore, would kindly stay away until something else could be sorted out. Despite every assurance that Patrick had given him he was of the opinion that the Bath posting stemmed from an unverified supposition by everyone that he was no longer, or not yet, fit for the job.
    â€˜Scottish stubbornness and pride,’ Patrick said, taking a fierce swig of his drink. ‘Where do I go from here?’
    â€˜It’ll blow over,’ Elspeth said soothingly. ‘He’ll soon come round.’
    Patrick shook his head. ‘I’ve a nasty suspicion he won’t.’ He did not burden his mother with the news that Carrick had once taken a broadsword to him following another misunderstanding and there had been a brief but electrifying duel that the inhabitants of a certain Scottish castle are still talking about.

Two
    C arrick’s objections were overruled. I was made aware of this before the man in my life heard of it by the rather surprising development of a phone call to my mobile number from Carrick himself on the Sunday morning.
    â€˜Are you free to talk?’ he asked anxiously.
    I told him that I was, having stayed behind to watch over John as Patrick had accompanied his mother to church.
    â€˜I’ve been ordered to get on with it and stop arguing, so there’s no choice,’ he muttered. ‘But I don’t need help, I can do my job. I can’t face having someone shadowing me around either, learning the job or not and him with a senior rank, whoever it is.