Part Twenty Nine   "Be my Valentine"

 

 
Saturday 14th February
 

"Dad, have we had any deliveries to the house this morning?"

"Apart from the newspapers?"

"Yes."

"No, not as far as I know, the postman's not normally here before ten. Why?"

"There was a card for me on the doormat."

"What sort of card?"

"A Valentines card."

"Okay, it's the right day to receive one, but quite a few years since I had one. Who is it from?"

"It isn't signed."

"So who do you think it is?"

"I have no idea."

"What's the message?"

"Nothing special, 'please be my Valentine'."

"Do you recognise the handwriting?"

"No."

"A mystery then."

"Don't you think we should review the security footage?"

"Why?"

"In case we had an intruder?"

"An intruder who left a Valentines card and did nothing more?"

"We can't be sure of it?"

"Tammy, be sensible. Now, what do you want to do today?"

"What's Angela's plan?"

"Haven't you asked her?"

"Dad, she's in the shower."

"Oh, she might be some time."

Angela had, naturally, fully embraced the concept of an en suite bathroom, especially given the single shared shower in the cottage she'd used for the past six or seven years. Her personal timetable was often thrown out of the window as a result, and she'd only been in the house a week.

"Okay, can we work Angela into the equation when she's finished? I'd like to go to the theatre and see Sarah for maybe an hour after that. It's only a few hours I'm talking about."

"Joan can drop you down there, give me a call when you're ready to come back but please liaise with your sister!"

***

Iain was back at the theatre that morning.

"Hello everyone, I have finally been allowed some time off on a Saturday morning to be here, frankly I think my officers were pleased to have a few hours without me."

There was a smattering of laughs from those who knew Iain was Chief Inspector Iain Brown of the Police Scotland Highlands Division.

"I'd like to welcome Tammy back after her little scare last Friday."

"Thanks Iain, who had the job of standing in for me last week?"

"I don't know, Sandy was here, who was it?"

"Me."

Tammy looked around to see John Hibbert glowing bright red.

"Oh!"

Iain coughed to quell some tittering that had started.

"I'm sure John had been the best person here, although we'll need someone closer to Tammy's size once the costumes are fitted as we can't afford two dresses, especially if John is her understudy."

That had the effect of extending John's blushing, Tammy gave him a hug.

"I'm sure you were good."

"Not as good as you, but I knew most of the lines."

"Talking of costumes, everyone was measured last week except you Tammy, can you check with Mrs Bonney? Now, come on everyone, let's get going. Positions please for Act One Scene One - witches?"

The rehearsal went well, in fact only Tammy needed to refer to the script but it had been two weeks since she'd done any work on the play. She was tired by the end, but glad to be back. Angela, Tanya and Josie rounded on her.

"I had a wonderful Valentines card from John," gushed Tanya.

"I had two, both from school, Angela?"

"None, and I didn't expect any. Tammy?"

"One."

"Who?" They chorused.

"I don't know, I found it on the doormat this morning."

"You didn't say anything at home!"

"You were in the shower so long I thought you'd miss the rehearsal."

"Tammy, leave your sister alone!" Tanya was quite insistent. "Anyway, we need to work out who your secret admirer is."

"No, we don't."

"Sacrilege!"

"It's really not that important."

"Of course it is, now who's been paying attention to you?"

"No-one in particular."

"What about the barman at the hotel, Tammy, he looks after you."

"Hadn't you noticed his wedding ring, Angela?" Tanya had.

"No."

"Sorry, folks, I need to get along to Sarah's shop, she closes this afternoon ready for the move."

"Are there any discounts?"

"Yes Josie, at least she was going to have a little stock clearance."

"I'll come along."

"I need to see if mum needs my help." That was Tanya's destination.

Angela shrugged, she clearly didn't have a plan. The four grabbed coats, scarves and bags before heading for the stage door and the walk back into town.

They talked and continued trying to establish who Tammy's potential suitor was. Various sixth-form boys were unsuccessfully evaluated.

"Why does it have to be a boy?" Asked Josie. "Both of my cards were from girls."

***

Tammy, Josie and Angela walked into a busy shop, Tammy was immediately tasked to work behind the counter while Angela was asked to restock some of the displays, Josie just joined in, much to the surprise of her mother who was already there.

Naturally many customers asked about the forthcoming show, which was only three weeks away. Sarah's phone rang just after two.

"That was the golf club, they've a problem with the roof and can't host any events until it's fixed."

Tammy tried to sound surprised, "why haven't they called Ms Lane?"

"They tried but there's no answer on a Saturday so the club secretary rang here. What are we going to do?"

"I'll ask the school if they can host it, Penny had said it was one location she'd considered."

"Will you know what would be needed?"

"I've received all the paperwork from Penny, it should be in there."

"Good, now, you look a little weary. Hadn't you best consider getting home?"

Tammy was about to answer when she heard a familiar voice.

"I'm here to collect both of them."

"Hello Joan, they arrived at just the right time, but Tammy needs to rest."

"Exactly, I've done what I needed to do in town. Come on girls."

***

"Dad?"

They were sat in the study while Tammy looked through the latest email from Ms Lane. Richard was writing a long report for his solicitor, Gerald.

"Yes?"

"Apart from Dounreay are there any other nuclear facilities near here?"

"There's the Royal Navy's research base."

"What research?"

"They design and test engines for the nuclear boats, mostly submarines. Why?"

"One of the items in the original documents was for a dozen dosimeters."

"What are you thinking of?"

"That the fashion show might be a cover for someone to get into the base."

"They'd be lucky, the security there is very tight."

"How do you know?"

"I had a tour around it once, Elsie organised it for me and her husband."

"What's it called?"

"It was HMS Vulcan but now it's privately run, Rolls Royce manage the site and it's now known as the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment or NRTE for short."

"Why have I never heard about it?"

"Probably because of the subjects you take at school, I know the physics A level and Highers students get a tour, they do have to sign a non-disclosure contract through."

"So they can't tell anyone they've been there!"

"Not quite, but most are apparently too frightened to see how far they can go so say nothing."

"How do you know about the school's connection?"

"The latest trip has just been arranged, the Governors need to approve any off-site visits. We have to supply a list of names to Rolls so they can run security checks, we've already sent this year's list to them."

"Do any get rejected?"

"I'm told it's very rare and one student was unfortunate to have the same name, with virtually the same date of birth, as a known terrorist so was queried. The request for a copy of his passport was mislaid and it was too late when it was found to have the clearance issued."

"Shame, I wonder if I could see it, but it's probably too late for clearance?"

"Seeing how you seem to be cleared already, to a higher level than me, it might be possible."

"When's the trip?"

"March the sixth."

"That's the day before the fashion show."

"Interesting juxtapositioning?"

"Yeah, can we sort it out?"

"I'll send Rhys Fulton an email, he's the physics master co-ordinating the trip."

"Thanks. Are you going to be long with that report? I want to use the phone."

"I'm done for now, I'll just email this draft to him and see what else he needs."

"I'll go upstairs to collect my laptop."

"I'll be out of here by the time you get back, can you remember the door-code?"

"Yes, 82669."

"By the way, the staff do not have the code so can only clean in here if one of us lets them in."

"What about Angela and Joan?"

"They can use it the study but can't have the safe combination until their clearance arrives, even then it wouldn't be unless they need to use it, most files are in the cabinet anyway."

***

Tammy checked the family diary before making the phone call. Angela had marked herself as going to the Valentine Ball and Julie was shown as a day off. What were the dinner arrangements then? Tammy then saw that she had been marked as cook for the evening. Was she supposed to prepare a menu? Something to confirm soon.

She dialled the number and let it ring for a minute before hanging up. Her laptop complained of needing updates so she set that going and dialled the number again.

"Hello Tammy."

"Hi Heather, I tried a minute ago."

"We heard it but were coming in the door laden with loads of bags from Tesco, by the time I had the office door open you'd rung off."

"Okay, I have some updates for you."

"Fire away, whoops mustn't say that in case Sophie's nearby!"

"Does she carry a gun?"

"Sorry, that's a 'need to know'."

"I'll take it as a yes, then. Okay, the nuclear site that looks likely is the Royal Navy nuclear submarine development base, also at Dounreay."

"Good, what else do you know about it?"

"Not much but I'll look it up when my laptop finishes updating. Oh, I've asked if I can have a look around with a school trip next month."

"That's a great idea."

"It seemed like the right thing to do, Sarah's had a call from the golf club by the way."

"Oh, we hadn't arranged anything yet, what was the problem?"

"Repairs are needed so no bookings being taken until next month."

"Have they informed Ms Lane?"

"Not yet, I'll ask if the school can host the event."

"Anything else?"

"No, but it all sounds rather strange and there's almost a plot for a thriller there."

Heather laughed.

"What is it?"

"Well done."

"What?"

"You passed that test."

"I don't understand."

"It was a fake package, or at least parts of it were fake. You were to identify the problems with it, some glaring and some less so."

"Thanks, I did that work for nothing?"

"No, I needed to test you and that required some work on your part. Penny Lane played along with us."

"How do you know her?"

"Sorry, that's off limits."

"Fair enough. So I'm not going to see a dozen armed frogmen on the beach near Dounreay?"

"Not likely."

"What about the business plan, the second lot from Penny?"

"That's genuine, you told her you were going to use it as part of your Business Studies A level."

"That's right."

"So analyse it and enjoy yourself. Talking of which, are you going to the Valentine Ball tonight?"

"How do you know of that?"

"There was a poster in the Castletown Hotel bar."

"Oh, no I'm not, the Doctor's keeping me on a tight leash."

"Never mind. Any cards?"

"One."

"Who? We might need to have them vetted?"

"Don't know, can we check the gum for DNA?"

"Really, Tammy! Are you that bothered?"

"No."

"Then why did you raise it?"

"I didn't, you asked!"

"Never mind, I need to get some work done including sorting out dinner."

"I have that task today too."

"Off you go then."

"Bye."

Tammy locked the study and was going towards the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Stood outside was Janet Adams.

"Hello Tammy, I checked your pigeon-hole today in case there was anything for you and I found these."

She handed over a stack of pink envelopes.

"Have you had any others?"

"One, how many are there?"

"Ten I think. Did Angela tell you about the ones in her pigeon-hole?"

"No! Do you want a coffee while you're here?"

"That's an idea."

***

By the time Janet left it was time to start dinner. Fortunately this was not going to be difficult as there was a notice on a white board stating it would be pizza, salad and garlic bread. There was a twelve inch pizza in the fridge ready for cooking, a salad had been prepared already but the garlic bread had to be done.

She'd started chopping garlic when Joan walked in.

"Was Janet here?"

"Yes mum, she just left. She had some mail for me from school." The envelopes were unopened on the table.

"Well, open them!"

"Let me finished this garlic first."

"Okay, but I'm not leaving until we've seen those cards."

Tammy had wanted to put Joan off but knew better so, reluctantly, washed her hands and sat down. One by one she tore the envelopes open and checked the cards, most were unsigned or simply signed 'Admirer', but a few did have names.

"Who's Julian?"

"He's probably that small lower-sixth boy, the one with the tiny round glasses. I thought he was gay?"

"Or has awful eyesight!"

"That's cruel." Tammy paused. "This one's signed Damien year 10."

"That's either infatuation or he was bullied, I'll speak to him when I go in tomorrow."

"You won't!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Mum!"

"Who's that one from?"

Tammy snatched them up and pulled them to her bust.

"Sorry, but they're private." She started to cry.

"You're tired, go upstairs for an hour, I'll get dinner organised."

"Thanks."