Chapter Nineteen

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height


Together, Stone and Burke searched the pub for Hamish Gordon. They found him after a few moments, seated at a table in the regular's bar, a half-empty glass in front of him. His flaming red hair and matching beard, tinged here and there with patches of grey, made him easily recognisable.

While his partner ordered them a couple of cokes, Stone made his way over to where the gardener was watching cricket on the large TV screen that hung over the bar. "Good afternoon, Mr Gordon," he said when he reached the table. "May I sit down?"

"There's plenty of other seats," Hamish Gordon said. He showed no curiosity over how the stranger knew his name as he looked pointedly around at the empty tables to either side of him, and at the stools at the bar.

"I know, Mr Gordon, but I need to ask you a few questions." As he sat, Stone took out his warrant card. "This is my partner, DS Burke," he said as the sergeant arrived with their cokes.

"What sort of questions?" Gordon wanted to know, exhibiting the first sign of curiosity.

"There was an incident this afternoon – your employer's daughter, Alice, was kidnapped while on the way home from school," Stone said, watching the gardener for any sign of guilt.

The old Scotsman's hand froze in the act of lifting his glass to his lips. "Is she alright?" he asked in a voice filled with concern.

"We don't know, we haven't yet had any contact with the kidnappers," Stone told him. "We have no reason for believing they will have harmed her, but until they do get in touch, we can't say for sure. Where were you at a quarter past three, Mr Gordon?" he asked.

"Ye dinnae think I had anything to do with it, do ye?" Gordon's Scottish accent became broader and more noticeable as his voice rose in indignation. "I'd nae hurt a girl, especially no Alice, she's a sweet wee thing."

"We have no reason for thinking you were involved in the kidnapping, sir," Burke assured him. "We simply want to eliminate you from our enquiries. We've already spoken to the rest of the Keatings' staff," he said, wanting to let the man know he wasn't being singled out.

Gordon calmed a little, though his face remained tense. "I was out wi' the wife," he said. "We were at the shops. It's the same ev'ry Wednesday – I finish at one, head home to have a bite to eat, and then take the wife to the shops." It became clear as he spoke that he only lapsed into Scots' dialect when agitated, for as he calmed, his words became more English and less distorted by his accent.

"Is there anyone, other than your wife, who can confirm that you were at the shops between three and half past?" Stone asked.

The expression on Gordon's face was that of a man about to snap and lash out, verbally if not physically, and Stone wondered if he was always so quick to anger, or if there was something behind his reaction. After a couple of deep breaths, he responded in as even a voice as he could manage. "Yes, we bumped into my wife's friend, Tracy, at the shops and stopped for a coffee and a chat. We were there for almost an hour – when that women starts talking, ye cannae stop her."

"What's the last name of this Tracy, and how can we get hold of her? In case it's necessary to confirm what you've told us."

"Ye'd have tae ask the wife. The woman's a nattering pain, I have as little tae do with her as I can." He drained his glass and set it down. "Have ye got anything else tae ask me?"

"We've got a few more questions for you, Mr Gordon," Stone told him.

"I'll tell ye what I can," Gordon said, "but talking's thirsty work." He looked significantly at his empty glass.

Stone took the hint and signalled for his partner to get a fresh drink for the older man. He waited until the amber-filled glass had been set in front of Gordon before he continued, "It's possible that whoever has kidnapped Miss Keating has been to the house recently to gather information in preparation for today. Have you seen anyone suspicious, or heard anyone in the family or staff mention seeing something or someone suspicious, either at the house or in the vicinity?"

"No." Gordon shook his head. "I've nae seen anyone, but that's no a surprise, I'm usually out the back o' the property, and ye cannae see much from there. As fer the staff, I've nae heard them say anything, but Ken, my assistant, is on drugs."

"You know that for certain, do you?" Stone asked.

"No. He often acts a little strange, though, and young Dan, my other assistant, he says he's on drugs, says the boy likes a smoke, if you get what I mean."

That matched his suspicions, and those of his partner, but Stone chose not to say anything about that, instead he asked, "How about deliveries or workmen?" He saw he had confused Gordon, so he explained. "Have there been any deliveries or workmen at the house recently? People you wouldn't normally be suspicious of."

"Ah," Gordon expressed his understanding monosyllabically before taking a long swallow of his lager, draining a third of his glass in one go. "I wouldn't know about deliveries, not unless they were gardening supplies; ye'd have to ask Mr Chambers or Mrs Wembley about deliveries. They did have the pool cleaners in last week, though, I know that."

Stone doubted anything would come of it, nonetheless he made a mental note to have DC Hill look into the pool cleaning company, along with the delivery companies they had already been told about.

"Thank you for your assistance, Mr Gordon." Stone ended the informal interview after another quarter of an hour, when he was sure there was nothing else the gardener could tell him. "You've been very helpful. If you should think of anything, no matter how insignificant it might seem to you, don't hesitate to contact me, no matter what the time." He handed over a card with his number on it before putting in a drink for Gordon at the bar on his way out.    

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net