Part Twenty Eight   "Drowning Sorrows"

 
Friday 22nd May
 

Tammy arrived at Caithness Marine a little before nine, The sun was out so she was dressed for the summer, adding sunglasses and a brimmed hat to her shorts and top.

"I hope that wasn't an attempt at a disguise?"

"No, Hilary, when I walked to the car this morning the sky was so bright I just had to wear shades, the hat seemed to make sense too."

"Okay, about yesterday?"

"I messed up."

"Not really, you wouldn't have guessed to photograph the cars as it's not something a member of the public would do."

"I suppose not."

"You would also have raised suspicion if you had walked around the hotel carpark snapping the number plates."

"Yeah, so how do you do it?"

"Right, have a think about newspaper articles, they will often picture the location. So, you could take wide angle shots of the building, in case that's needed. Do that from a couple of angles, front and back, either before you go in or after you come out. It's a legitimate practice."

"Right."

"If there's anything parked at an odd angle, take a walk in that direction and use the camera in your phone, the quality will be good enough. Just don't get too close and don't make it obvious."

"Okay Hilary, what about these tasks in the harbours?"

"The objective is the fishing fleet and any other vessels in the water or out of the water. You should be able to get any cars parked on the quayside at the same time, We can also fit a couple of cameras to your car to capture what you can see."

"It has parking cameras already."

"Okay, I'll have someone make the software modifications, make sure you leave your phone docked in the car for a few hours."

"Won't that mean you'll see everywhere I've been?"

"Yes, but it could help you prove you're not at fault in an accident, and do you have anything to hide from us?"

"No, I guess my calls are monitored?"

"Not all the time, Tammy"

"Great!"

"It's nothing personal, I suffer just as much, if not more so."

"Okay, my first harbour duty is Sunday, where do I go first?"

"That's up to you, but how about getting to Scrabster in time for the first Northlink ferry from Stromness? At the weekend that's at 1030, the rest of the week it's 0800. Park your car near the exit route and it will capture the cars as they leave the port."

"So it won't look like I'm keeping tabs on the traffic?"

"That's right. Your port security passes have arrived, they're access all areas but you must still check in with the duty harbour master each visit. Don't wear heels!"

"Understood."

Hilary handed Tammy an envelope. "Don't mislay them, these might be small ports but they are bound by the same security laws as Aberdeen or Dover. You'll also need a hi-vis jacket, I've left one on that chair."

Tammy went to put the envelope and the jacket in her car before paying Sarah a visit, although she didn't trust leaving her phone on show so that was still in her bag.

"Tammy!"

"Hi Sarah, how's business?"

"Not bad, the sun's bringing them out. What's this about Veronica Salmond, apparently her daughter's been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? She was alright at breakfast."

"Haven't you seen the newspaper? Oh, breakfast? I take it that she's staying with you?"

"That's not public knowledge, Sarah, there's an injunction in place to protect Helen."

The shop door jingled as more customers came in, Tammy recognised them but purely from her times as shop assistant.

"So to what do I owe the pleasure, Tammy, I seldom see you?"

"I had to go upstairs, but I'm after a few bits."

"Well, you know the stock. Is it for you? I'll give you twenty percent, you know that."

"It's mostly for a friend who can't come shopping himself."

"I see."

"It's a long story but he's very much a him, I think."

One of the customers now needed Sarah's assistance so Tammy took a look in the storeroom where she could browse without being interrupted. She found cheesecloth shorts, size 14, that seemed suitable. Unfortunately there was only one white pair and one cream pair, otherwise the choice was aqua and salmon.

She finished her storeroom search and went back into the shop, just as Lori came in.

"Oh, hi Tammy. That was strange yesterday morning."

"It was, I didn't see you there?"

"It was my first sociology paper, I had to go straight to the gymnasium when I arrived as the bus was running a bit late. There was a queue at the gate yesterday morning when the bus was heading into town and we got held up coming back."

"I never saw anything, but I was there just after seven and almost drove straight in."

"Oh, and then Dr Meier collapses. Why was that boy in a dress?"

"It was all explained at breakfast, it's a medical issue."

"So, not like ..."

"No."

Sarah coughed behind Tammy, "could I have a word please, Lori? Tammy, can you mind the shop for a few minutes?"

Tammy put the shorts behind the counter so she could field questions from a lady who had walked in behind Lori. That resulted in a sale a few minutes later.

"Thank you Tammy, Lori's working the rest of the day."

"Good, what about half term?"

"Sarah's asked me to work Tuesday to Saturday, nine to one each day."

"Okay, I have something to do most days so I wouldn't be available."

Tammy's phone rang, it was Richard.

"Have you seen today's Scotsman?"

"No, Dad, but I understand an allegation was made regarding our guest?"

"Yes, I've had DS Franklin on the phone asking us to take security precautions."

"Fair enough. I'm with Sarah at the moment, when do you want me back?"

"The fitness trainer is due at half ten, if you want clearance to use the equipment then be here from half past ten."

"Understood."

Tammy decided she would just buy the shorts from Sarah, perhaps Gerry could come into town by himself when he was feeling a little better? Could he afford to buy anything? She really knew very little of his circumstances.

Tammy proceeded to the sports shop and located a plain black bikini with a 36A top and medium bottoms. She added the same style in her own size.

Tammy's next stop was another clothing shop, here she picked up some plain white vests and a pack of cotton knickers, the plainest she could see. Out of curiosity, she also picked up a 36A training bra. She'd just paid for the items when she was called.

"Tammy!"

"Hi Tanya, not helping your mum?"

"No, apparently I'm a liability." Tammy laughed.

"What are you doing then?"

"Window shopping, fancy a coffee?"

"I haven't got long."

"You must have enough time for this?"

"Sure, probably."

They walked around to the Castletown Hotel just as the manager, Francis, was forcefully escorting two ladies from the premises. He spoke to them once outside, both of whom she recognised from the previous morning.

"I gave you a lifetime bar, please don't return and embarrass yourself further. As for you, I don't care if you're the MP, as far as I'm concerned you're a crook and you're barred too."

"Isn't that Veronica Salmond, Tammy?"

"Keep your voice down, yes. The other lady is called Fiona and was barred from here earlier in the year."

By the time they made their way into the lounge, Frances had resumed his normal calm professional manner.

"Good morning ladies, what can I get you?"

"Two lattés please." Frances had gone before Tammy could say anything or even decide if she wanted a latté.

"I actually wanted a mocha, Tanya."

"You always have a latté."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do!"

"Look, I don't." This argument was going nowhere. "What have you done with John today?"

"He's gone south to see his folks, he left this morning."

"I didn't know he'd planned that."

"You don't see each-other every day any more. Are you a little jealous Tammy?"

"Me, never! It's just that we always knew what the other was doing in the past."

"Including when you were working as a girl and going to school as a boy?" Tanya whispered.

"Okay, not everything."

"So, you didn't tell each-other everything. I mean, do you know about his dimple?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Well, where is it?"

"In the small of his back."

"How would you know that?"

"We played rugby together."

"I thought you were a cheerleader?"

"I see, it's 'insult Tammy' day, is it?"

"Come on girl, loosen up. You're way too tense and serious, what's your plan for the day?"

Frances had returned with the coffees, Tammy caught him before he left.

"Frances, one of the ladies you threw out, her name's Fiona but what's her surname, please?"

"Campbell."

"Thank you, I guess Ms Salmond tried to sort that out?"

"She did, but the moment she raised her voice to make a scene I knew she didn't belong in here, I like quiet and polite customers!"

"Thank you Frances, I quite agree!"

Once he'd walked away, Tanya had a few more questions, this time she was more restrained. "What was that about?"

"Fiona Campbell was a friend of Yvonne Stewart."

"That cow? I see, but why do you want her name?"

"It's because I took a photo of her and I want to catalogue it properly."

"Oh, secret squirrel stuff."

"Tanya!"

"Whatever, so what is your plan for the day?"

Tammy checked her watch, "I'm due at home in thirty minutes to see the trainer."

"Trainer?"

"We now have a mini gym next to the pool, I have to be there for my induction."

"So you can't use the equipment unless you're inducted?"

"No, that's Dad's rule."

"Right, drink up. We need to go to mine so I can get my swimsuit."

"What for?"

"Durrr, I need to be inducted as well if I'll be using your gym, and I might as well get my swimsuit instead of a leotard so I can go straight in the pool."

"I don't have a leotard, I was only in the sports shop fifteen minutes ago."

"I think you need a guided shopping trip, how about taking me over to Wick tomorrow?"

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere tomorrow. I'll be back in a min, I need a wee."

Tammy returned a few minutes later, Tanya was holding the bra, having gone through Tammy's shopping.

"You're a bit bigger than this, aren't you?"

"Yes, it's not for me."

"It can't be for Angela or Helen either, so what's her name, or is it for a boy?"

Tammy blushed.

"What's his name?"

"I can't say, confidentiality and all that."

"Rubbish, the Girls' Code applies here, you have to tell me everything."

Tammy decided she was out of time. She left enough coins on the table to cover the coffees and picked up her shopping, including the bra.

"Coming?"

"Wait for me, I need the loo!"

"I'm parked behind Sarah's."

Tammy saw her friend walking towards the ladies loo but made tracks for the door anyway. She arrived at her car to find a parking attendant looking at it.

"Excuse me, is there a problem?"

"You're illegally parked."

"There's no parking restrictions here."

"This is a loading and delivery bay, it's clearly marked on the road."

"Fine, I'm loading these shopping bags." She pressed the release and opened the boot.

"Well, that doesn't qualify you to leave it here."

"I have permission, in fact I own the building."

"That's an original one."

Tammy went through her bag and found the Caithness Marine identity card.

"You see this?" She pointed at the sign by the security door. "This pass opens that door, is that enough? I also have keys for those delivery doors for the clothes store."

He prodded his hand-held gizmo. "Maybe, but it still doesn't explain why your car has a special entry on the database and I wouldn't be able to issue a ticket even if I wanted to?"

"I know nothing about that."

Tanya came running around the corner. "Put the poor officer down, Tammy."

The attendant walked away, not happy at all, and the girls climbed in. Tammy docked her phone, a strange chime indicated it was busy doing something. She decided not to worry as she put her seat belt on, pulling away as soon as Tanya was also restrained.

Tammy ended up double-parked outside Sandy Smith's little house while Tanya went looking for her stuff - it would have been a little embarrassing if the same parking attendant found her now. What was it about her car that was special?

They arrived at Dunbankin' with five minutes to spare, once parked the pair rushed up to Tammy's room to change. Without thinking, Tanya stripped her clothes off and started putting on the bikini she'd brought from home.

Tammy decided she'd follow suit and pulled a bikini out for herself, turning away from Tanya. She just pulled the bottoms up when she noticed Tanya looking.

"Sorry, Tammy."

"What for?"

"I'd forgotten."

"That I'm a girl?"

"Oh, never mind!"

The girls pulled on leggings and a simple top. Tammy completed her outfit with trainers, which Tanya had sandals. They met Richard in the hall, coming out of the study.

"Hello Tanya, Tammy could I have a word?"

"Tanya, head outside; Angela and Helen are out there, I'll catch you up."

"Okay."

Tammy shut the study door and sat down, unsure how long this would take.

"I had Hilary on the phone, you nearly put yourself in Veronica's firing line."

"That was Tanya's fault, but I don't think she heard or saw us?"

"How come Tanya was with you?"

"She found me when I was shopping and decided I needed a coffee. Then she found out about the gym."

"What else did you tell her?"

"Oh, she wanted plenty more but I wouldn't tell. How did Hilary know, anyway?"

"Maybe she has your phone bugged?"

"Probably. Oh, my car now photographs by itself, I have no idea how that works."

"She asked if you could leave the car here tomorrow, apparently a technician needs to do something to it."

"Okay, she didn't say that to me. Something strange happened with a parking attendant." Tammy recounted the tale.

"That must be because of your new contract."

"Maybe, I've never heard of it before though."

"Okay, it may be worth looking into. There's a couple of things in today's post for you, including what I believe is a payslip."

"I only signed a week or so ago and I've hardly done any work, so far. By the way, I am out for a few mornings this week, starting Sunday."

"Where will you be?"

"Scrabster and Thurso harbours."

"For Hilary?"

"Yes, I'm photographing and surveying the boats, vessels and people. I have clearance from the harbour masters so it's perfectly safe."

"Make sure you put the dates in your calendar so Pru knows."

"Will do."

"You will find time to study, won't you?"

"Of course, are we done? I don't want to miss this."

"Yes, but please don't wind your mother up."

"I didn't, she accused me of turning Gerry into a girl and I objected, that's all."

"You did put him in a skirt."

"To replace the dress he put himself into."

"And then a bikini."

"He has boobies, not quite A cup, but they're definitely boobies. He needed to cover up."

"Okay, good idea last night for dinner."

"Thanks, I'd forgotten I had those navy cheesecloth shorts and we borrowed that white t-shirt from Angela. He was comfortable and shouldn't have had any problems going back into school."

"Joan saw him this morning when she took the laundered clothes to him, he didn't enounter any trouble. Anyway he's been invited over tomorrow."

"Oh damn, Tanya asked me to go into Wick with her tomorrow, I didn't know about the car when she asked."

"Where's John?"

"With his folks."

"Well, Tanya will have to find another way. I presume she's staying to lunch?"

"She's never turned down a free meal."

Tammy finally joined the others outside, thankfully the trainer had only just arrived. Helen was in her swimsuit but there was no sign of Angela.

"She's gone to change, a long skirt isn't appropriate gear for a rowing machine! Did you see, by the way, what that bitch said about me in the newspaper today?"

Tammy shook her head and zipped her lips with a finger.

"Talk later?"

"Yes."

The session went well, once Angela had returned. Richard joined in enough to get the safety talk but the guy was concentrating on the four eighteen year old girls in front of him.

Helen was getting a little wound up when the trainer was favouring Tammy so much, having her be the first on each device.

"Excuse me, what about the rest of us?"

"Sorry, but I've been told she's the client."

Helen walked smartly over to Tammy and gave her a kiss. "And she's my girl!"

Richard was tending to something by the pool when he heard this exchange but said nothing immediately.

They spent another half an hour on the equipment before the trainer left, satisfied that they met the minimum standards. "I'll be back in a few weeks to make sure you haven't slipped into any bad habits."

Richard escorted the trainer to his car, returning to the pool. He then took Helen off to one side, walking her out of the barn and around the back out of earshot.

"Tammy, what's with her?" Demanded Tanya.

She shrugged, "insecurity, I guess."

Helen had returned after a few minutes with Richard and wasn't happy, she was keeping a distance from Tammy that was not normal, by anyone's standards. In the end she removed her outer clothes and dived into the pool, thinking it was the shallower end.

Immediately she was in trouble.

Tammy and Tanya went straight in, without shedding anything. They managed to support Helen, who was thrashing, and took her to the closest ladder. Richard lifted her out as Helen was disorientated. He put her into the recovery position.

"I'm fine," cough, "fine rea," cough, "lly."

"No you're not, stay there for a minute." Tammy grabbed a towel and laid it over Helen whilst the girls considered calling an ambulance.

Richard didn't seem so concerned and after a couple of minutes helped Helen into a poolside chair, wrapping the towel around her shoulders as she started to shiver. Tammy and Tanya meanwhile stripped off their sodden clothes.

"Damn, my trainers are ruined." Tammy wasn't happy. Helen started to giggle, the others joined in.

"Hey, I only bought them a week or so back."

Richard told her to use a hose to wash them. "But they're already wet!"

"You need to get the chlorine out of them, then let them dry - they'll be fine. Rinse out your leggings and tops too."

Tanya now did the same to her kit before deciding they were cooling as they dried, so the pair jumped back in the pool. Angela finally stripped to a swimsuit and joined them. Helen shrugged off the towel and climbed down the steps at the shallow end.

"You sure about this?"

"Yes, Richard, it just goes to prove that I need to learn how to keep alive the next time I make a stupid mistake in the water. I was angry and I shouldn't have let that affect me. Sorry everyone, sorry Tammy."

Tammy swum over and gave Helen a hug. "Please be careful." She withdrew slowly but before Helen could plant a kiss on her.

They messed around for an hour, and by the end of the session Helen could tread water for a few seconds; she came out of the pool very pleased with her progress.

They walked indoors after standing under the poolside shower to rinse the chlorine out of their hair and headed upstairs. Tammy had reached her bedroom when she heard the front door open, she looked down to see Joan and Gerry arriving, both were clearly unhappy; Joan fell into Richard's arms and sobbed.

Gerry saw Tammy and rushed up the stairs, throwing himself at her, regardless of her soggy appearance.