Part Thirty Four   "Papers, papers"

 

 
Friday 20th February
 

"Hi Sarah, Emily."

"Good morning Tammy, where did you disappear yesterday? We could have done with a hand."

"Sorry, the police needed me, amongst others. How did you do?"

"Considering we only had a few hours of trading we did really well, I'm hoping for better things today because of the news coverage, after all the time the press took speaking to me yesterday. I referred a few of them to the library to speak to Sandy Franklin."

The story was front page on the Scotsman as well as the Scottish editions of most of the tabloids and had been running on BBC radio and TV since it broke the previous morning. Most photos included the front of the shop, emblazened with "Now Open" & "Opening Offers", although Tammy, Tanya and the others also had a mention. All together you couldn't have paid for better coverage.

The doors opened at nine and customers started to wander in, some old or repeat customers but many were new faces. The new lighting and the open displays helped even long-established customers find something they'd not seen before.

"Hello Tammy, I never knew you sold this, is it a new line?"

"No Mrs McIntosh, Sarah's stocked it for a few months. Lovely isn't it?"

The item was a longline wool/poly cardigan that was available in several colours, the Headmaster's wife was holding one in burgundy. The truth was that these had been in stock in the storeroom as there was seldom room on the displays for the item.

"I'm sure I would have seen it, I've been looking for something like this."

That was a definite sale but Anne McIntosh wasn't done yet. She finally spent sixty pounds, leaving happy.

This seemed to set the tone for the regular repeat customers, finding new stuff or simply being able to examine something in better light. Trade was brisk, with both sales positions in use by Emily and Tammy. This left Sarah free to speak to customers.

It looked like their coffee break wasn't going to happen when Angela arrived with Joan.

"How are you today?"

"Better, not one hundred percent though."

"Would a steam treatment help your sinuses?"

"It might."

"Go put the kettle on then, we could do with a coffee."

***

The rush seemed to die a little around twelve so each of them took half an hour's break, ensuring that two cashiers were left in the store throughout lunchtime. Tammy took the last slot, at one.

"Hello Frances, I don't have long I'm afraid."

"Would you like to order immediately, I'll let the kitchen know you're in a hurry."

"Thanks, I'll have a mushroom omelette with salad."

Tammy hadn't even reached a seat but knew the usual menu well enough. She found Sandy Franklin who beckoned Tammy over.

"What a day it was, Tammy!"

"I was wrecked at the end of it, Sandy, so was the flat over the shop!"

"You really own it?"

"Yes, it's an investment and the first of several properties in Thurso, probably."

"Who phoned you about it?"

"I can't say, sorry. Not even Ben knows."

"I thought he was cleared for everything? Anyway, what I wanted to say was well done, you coped with the extra songs really well."

"It just came back to me, and Tanya too."

"The crowd loved it, there's some Youtube footage that's now linked from the Thurso Echo's website."

"Amazing considering they weren't even going to send a photographer!"

"You're kidding?"

"No, then he turned up late and just left his car in the road, one of the Fraser brothers sent him back to move it, I'm not sure if he made it back to the shop in time."

"There's a photo on the front page of the Echo of you holding the scissors so I guess he managed it."

"I didn't know in advance about that! How have ticket sales gone?"

"Excellent, we've almost sold out for the Friday and Saturday nights. We might have to add to the five we've advertised?"

"I can't do any more, Sandy, my exams start just after that weekend and I won't want any extra distractions. I haven't told Sarah but I'll have to stop working in the shop for a bit during my exams as well."

"I understand, it's not that many years ago that I did my Highers."

"How did you manage it?"

"I locked myself in my bedroom, it was easier then as we didn't have the internet at home."

"Too many distractions now?"

"Far too many, even my library staff are more interested in Facebook than their customers, and don't like it when I remind them why they're there."

"Not good."

Tammy's omelette arrived, judging by some of the looks she received it must have been bumped up the food orders waiting list, possibly to the top.

Tammy tackled her lunch straight away, all but killing the conversation. Sandy's sandwich arrived shortly after so the table was almost silent, with just the noise of the cutlery against china.

Around them a few whispers were gathering. Tammy couldn't hear exactly what was being said, nor who was saying it, but was becoming concerned; Sandy sensed it too. As soon as Tammy had cleared her plate she caught Frances' eye, gave him a tenner and left swiftly.

"You're back early."

"I'm not sure, Sarah, but I think I was about to be hit with questions in the hotel, ones that I might not want to answer."

Sarah suggested they moved to the storeroom. "About what?"

"Again, I'm sorry but I can't even tell you because I've been asked, told, not to."

"This sounds serious, are you in any trouble?"

"No, not at all, it's just that I was contacted by someone in counter-terrorism yesterday and I gave my assurance that I wouldn't disclose any of our conversations."

"I noticed your phone was working but ours weren't?"

"Yes, they did something special to my handset apparently so they could call me."

"I see. They told you that the bomb was upstairs?"

"Yes, but please don't ask any more, otherwise I'll have to wear a disguise around Thurso."

"Fine, but a moustache or a beard wouldn't suit you!"

"So no chance of a Groucho Marx mask?"

"Ha! Could you tidy the storeroom for me, I'll keep an eye out for any unwelcome visitors.

"Thanks."

Sarah left Tammy whilst she returned to the shop, to be immediately questioned by Thurso's finest shoppers.

It was a few minutes before Tammy's phone rang, number unknown.

"Hello, who is it?"

"It's the Echo, would you be available for an interview?"

"No I will not."

"It will only be a short one."

"As I said, I am not giving an interview. Goodbye."

Tammy killed the call; she'd called the paper a few days earlier from her mobile and realised they must have stored the number. She then had an idea, she called Sophie.

"Hi Tammy, can this be quick?"

"Yes, just had a call from the press but they withheld their number, can my phone be adjusted to show all incoming, regardless?"

"Yes, but we'll have to get back from Trago Mills first."

What's Trago Mills, she thought, maybe a name for an investigation?

"Okay, thanks."

Tammy continued her tidy up in the storeroom, space would be needed for deliveries the following week. She heard raised voices coming from the shop doorway.

"Is Miss Smart here?"

"Who are you?"

"Someone who wants to catch up with her."

"I'm the store owner and unless you give me a good reason you are to leave the premises."

Tammy was now watching the CCTV monitor and adjusted one of the cameras to get a better view, it was James Yates, whom she'd last seen in December.

"Sarah it's fine, hello James, where's Sally?"

"Sorting out Becky, they were behind me."

"How did you find me here?"

"Easy, check any newspaper or TV channel in Scotland. Most name you too."

"Oh dear, I want a low profile right now."

"Too late!" That came from Sally Yates, pushing a buggy. "How are you?"

"Fine, Sarah do you mind if I find somewhere quieter?"

"Not at all, can you be here tomorrow?"

"Only for an hour before I have to go to the rehearsal?"

"Is that all, damn, Emily's going after breakfast. What about Angela?"

"She's one of the witches, so's Josie."

"I really am going to be on my own, aren't I?"

"'Fraid so."

Tammy quickly said goodbye to Emily and left the shop, she suggested they went to the hotel which should, by then, have lost much of the lunchtime customers.

"Frances, we'd like to talk somewhere quiet, could we use the restaurant?"

"No problem, the last customer just finished in there. Would you like drinks?"

He took the order as Becky was pushed in her buggy past the bar, her eyes wide open.

"Sally, how old is Becky now?"

"She'll be three soon, Tammy, on the first of March."

"Still a little terror?"

"At times, far too much energy."

Tammy remembered their first meeting was at Wick Airport when Angela prevented Becky from running into the road outside the terminal.

"Are you staying with Helen?"

"Yes, we arrived on Wednesday, I managed to get some time off as Becky's nursery is closed this week for maintenance. How are you coping?"

"Mostly fine, my problems are only with a few people."

"Because you're transgendered?"

"That issue caused one person to get violent with me, he's due in court soon. No, the others were all after me for various criminal reasons and I needed a bodyguard after the first abduction attempt."

Sally gasped, "How bad?"

"It was connected to terrorist attacks near London, so potentially very bad, the second attempt was in here."

James decided the subject needed changing. "Are you back at school?"

"Yes, the school will now accept girls into the sixth form so Angela and I went back just before Christmas. Oh, thanks for contacting Professor Roberts although I was a bit upset when he told me."

"I should apologise then."

"No, it helped sway the decision for me to start HRT immediately."

"It did? I'm so pleased for you." Sally walked over to give Tammy a hug. Becky, who was still strapped in the buggy, obviously decided she needed attention so started to scream.

"Let me out! Let me out mummy! I wanna hug!"

Duly unhitched she went to Sally but turned and looked at Tammy, who held out her arms. There must have been a spark of recognition in this little girl's eyes as she ran into Tammy's arms and was swept up onto Tammy's lap.

"What's your name?" Asked the urchin.

"Tammy."

"Tummy."

"No, Tammy."

"Tummy, yes. Are you a friend of my mummy?"

"Yes."

Becky wriggled her bottom around and leant back, attaching a thumb to her mouth. Her eyes started to close.

Frances chose that moment to bring the drinks but moved quietly so as not to disturb the child. The adults sipped first, before continuing their conversation.

"You mentioned Angela?"

"Yes Sally, she's seen the Professor recently and is making progress but I don't think it's fair to say any more without her permission."

"It must be unusual for two students to come out as TG in one school in the space of a few months?"

"Make that three, now."

"Living as a girl?"

"No, not until she finishes her A levels."

"Are you staying in Thurso when you finish?"

"Yes, but I'll be in the South-West for much of the summer."

"Holiday?"

"Work experience, a unique opportunity you might call it."

"Are they going to sponsor you?"

"No, my Dad's now retired but the deal includes his former employer paying for my university education. The money's not important but it eases the cashflow situation. I'll be living at home so costs are down too."

"Sounds like you have this sorted out, what are you studying?"

"BA in Business & Management, specialising in finance."

"So the work experience is with a company?"

"No, a forensic accountant, a one-woman company but a part of a much bigger operation."

"Sounds intriguing."

"It is, but I still don't know what I'll be doing, other than the date I'm due to arrive." Tammy hesitated to say and more and decided the brevity was essential.

Her phone chimed, getting it from her bag whilst cradling Becky was taking time, Sally just smiled.

Spoken to HQ, phone system upgrade will appear, wait until you get home and use wifi. You will be issued a new phone at induction

She put her phone away.

"Sorry about that, it was a reply to a question I asked earlier."

"Not your father asking what time you'd be home?"

No!"

That jolted Becky who started to cry. Tammy tried to calm her but it wasn't working so handed the little girl to her mother.

"Have you considered children of your own, Tammy?"

"I'm only eighteen and I'm too young to start a family." She blushed. "Oh."

"Don't worry Tammy, you've just said what any girl your age would say."

"Thanks."

Her phone rang, this time it was her father.

"We've had press come to the house looking for you."

"I had one of them call me and I said no to an interview."

"Where are you now?"

"In the hotel, with Sally and James Yates."

"I remember them, Wick Airport, wasn't it? Are you in the bar where you can be seen?"

"No, in the restaurant where we wouldn't get bothered."

"Good idea. I'll come down and pick you up, fifteen minutes?"

"Sure."

She put her phone away.

"Trouble?" Asked James.

"Yes, the press are looking for me. It'll be about yesterday."

"Why?"

"Probably because I own the building."

"The shop?"

"Yes, and the apartment over the shop which is where the bomb was found."

"How did you get to own it?"

"Dad thought it would be good experience to start a property portfolio and this is the first of them. Sarah's my tenant but I work for her!"

"Nice arrangement, you get to keep an eye on the property!"

"I'd trust her anyway. How's London?"

"Wet and cold mostly, we're considering moving up this way, there's an opening for a psychiatric nurse so I might take it."

"At the Dunbar?"

"No, at the Raigmore in Inverness. We're looking at properties while we're up here."

"Okay, so we might see more of you. James, you never told me what you did?"

"I'm a writer."

"Books?"

"Books, television productions, that sort of thing."

Frances came into the restaurant and quietly spoke to Tammy.

"Some press and photographers are in the bar and have been told you're in the hotel."

"My father is on his way to collect me."

"Tell him to park in the side street and we'll take you out of a staff exit, I've asked for help to clear the bar of the unwanted trash."

Tammy understood the code. "Thanks Frances, I'll call him now."

Richard answered using the handsfree and acknowledged the update. He had intended to leave the car in the carpark and walk round but that was no longer an option. He quickly dialled his solicitor in London.

"Hello Richard."

"Hi Gerald, we need to get a statement out to the press about Tammy's property company."

"Ah, the bombing in Thurso?"

"Yes, we need to include that the police contacted her as keyholder in order to facilitate access to the flat above the shop. Can you draft something, Tammy will be with me soon and we'll call you back when we get home."

"Okay, I'll get onto it. Have you thought about using a local solicitor?"

"Yes, but almost everything is with you, so apart from any legal representation up here I'd rather keep things as they are."

"Very well, bye Richard."

"Bye."

Richard drove past the front of the hotel and turned down a side road, ahead he would see one of the kitchen staff indicating where to stop. Tammy was brought to the door by Frances and able to jump into the Land Rover. Richard was moving before she had buckled her seat belt.

"I've just spoken to Gerald, he'll draft a statement we can put out to the press that explains your part in yesterday's events."

"Good, it'll sound better if it's from a solicitor."

Once parked at Dunbankin, Richard checked that no-one needed to go out so closed the security gates in front of the house. Acess was still possible through the McPherson estate, but no-one needed to know that, certainly not the press. Once inside he phoned Elsie to advise her and went to the study. Tammy was already in there, holding a fax.

"It's just come through, looks okay to me?"

Richard scanned through it and made a few alterations then faxed it back. Gerald would do the rest.

Now she was connected to the house wifi, Tammy told her phone to continue with an update, although the update didn't seem to come from the mobile network, or Google for that matter. Once the phone was restored a text came through from Sarah

More press looking for you, hopefully you're home. Call from Penelope Lane, can she meet us at nine in the morning? She's travelling up now. Emily has said she'll leave after lunch.

The fashion show was only fifteen days away!

"Tammy, there was some post for you this morning."

"Thanks Dad."

"It's on your bed."

There were several large envelopes. The biggest one had OHMS on it, and had to be signed for on delivery. Inside was a form, a return envelope and an inner envelope marked Restricted.

The form had a simple title: Official Secrets Act : and reminded the holder that there were bound by the Act even if they didn't sign the form, but weren't allowed to do anything until they had signed it. She signed, copied it and sealed the original in the return envelope. Inside the Restricted envelope were her joining instructions for June 29th, plus a few more forms and various instructions.

"Why so far ahead?" thought Tammy.

One of the instructions told her how to handle and store anything marked Restricted, Confidential, Secret or Top Secret. Having read it, she gathered everything up and went to put it in the safe. This was possible overkill but she didn't fancy having her clearance cancelled because of one piece of paper being in the wrong place. This digital society certainly loved paper, lots of it.