Part Thirty Eight   "Advice Given & Received"

 
Tuesday 9th June
 

The damage to Tammy's car was more than superficial. On Monday morning one garage had said they could fill the dents and respray, "no-one would know." Tammy, and her father, weren't convinced. Another said the door could be straightened but they would struggle to get the exact shade of green for the respray as apparently it was a limited edition.

In the end, the garage was instructed to obtain a new door panel from the manufacturer and fit it, probably after Tammy had gone South. Until then she would have to drive her car resplendent with the ram's horn marks. The conversation with the insurance company was certainly one to be chalked up. Helen had a different tack.

"I can see the advert now, Tammy, one careful lady owner!"

"I can't see you getting on the road?"

"I'll just have a taxi everywhere?"

"Good luck with that. Have you been over to see Elsie?"

"Not yet, I understand she's found some more of my money."

"Well, I suggest you visit her."

"How?"

"Bicycle?"

"Are you kidding, Tammy?"

"No, it's not far and it would help get you fit."

"Cheeky moo."

Tammy had met Helen in school Monday lunchtime after Miss McPherson's history exam. Helen had opted to go home rather than stay for lunch in school so Tammy had followed, this meant they could speak privately.

"When did Elsie get back?"

"Sunday afternoon, she's resting today but we're invited to dinner Tuesday evening."

"Oh, I wasn't told?"

"You have been now. Do you check your mobile regularly?"

"I'm still getting used to having one, it's only been a few weeks."

"I suppose so, but please remember to keep it charged up and within reach, just don't use it in school!"

"Yeah, not again!"

"How's Jeri doing?"

Tammy had spoken to Jeri separately but wanted Helen's opinion.

"She's frightened, what if she was the target?"

"She can't assume that, there's no real evidence that points to it."

"She's scared he'll try something again."

"Please Helen, we have no idea what Lori meant by her remark. If word of this gets out then I am going to have to do heavy duty damage limitation, I might even be lucky to stay in school for the rest of my exams."

"You're over-reacting."

"No, I am bloody well not."

"Hey, you got PMT?"

"Helen, you know I ...."

"It looks like it to me."

Tammy had been getting wound up. The enormity of Sunday's incident in Scrabster hadn't fully sunk in, she could have been injured badly - the dent to her car was just a regular reminder of the morning's events.

It was now Tuesday and Tammy was feeling uncomfortable. She hadn't been able to have any supper, nor breakfast, owing to another fasting blood test. She had managed some more exercise and had made the requested changed to her diet, but would it make any difference?"

The phlebotomist couldn't have cared, blood was blood and Tammy was just another customer.

Tammy was getting into her car when Hilary called, suggesting a meeting, protestations about food went unheeded. When Tammy arrived at Caithness Marine she was pleasantly surprised to find an old friend.

"Sophie!"

"Hi Tammy."

"What are you doing here, how's Heather? How long are you staying, has it really been two months?"

"Whoa, slow down."

Tammy accepted a coffee that Hilary passed over, along with a packet of Hob Nobs. "DS Grieve has come up here because of you, Tammy."

"As Hilary said, Tammy, I'm here because of you. You're a little bit of a loose cannon but I'll accept it's not all your own fault?"

"Fault? I've nothing wrong."

"That's a matter of opinion. You became too closely involved with Helen Salmond, Helen McPherson. That led you into conflict with the press and other parties. Neither of those were sensible if you want to keep a low profile."

"But I had no control over that."

"Exactly, you had no control. You should have taken control, taken steps to protect yourself instead of protecting others."

"Isn't that selfish?"

"Self-preservation is key here, if you are exposed then your work for the Security Service is over. Take Sunday for example, you didn't read the situation well and put yourself in danger. That meant having to use the emergency button, which brought London into the equation. You were very lucky those police officers were nearby."

Tammy shuddered, this was not the Sophie she remembered.

"What can I do?"

"Get on with your exams, I'll be around for a few days to watch your back. Nobody up here knows me and I'll try to keep it that way."

"Okay, did you want me to see if you could stay with us?"

"NO! If we aren't seen together than that suits me just fine."

"Sorry, I just thought ...."

"Tammy, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have reacted like that. It's very obvious you need training. Just to give you an example, I would not have come up here without a plan for transport and accommodation. If that had involved you, or your family, then you would have known about my trip before now."

"I see."

"So the flip side of that is don't offer, it will only cause problems in the future."

"So what if I'm asked?"

"Hilary would do the asking, or London. It would not be a tea and biscuits request."

Tammy put her coffee down. "I guess so."

"The main thing is, you have training booked for the end of this month. That will help you learn how to avoid problems."

"Right. I suppose I can't tell anyone you're here?"

"That's correct."

Tammy left the office feeling reassured by Sophie presence but the Detective Sergeant was not in Thurso as her personal protection officer, as Louise had been several months earlier. Instead she would be running around in the shadows, watching Tammy or watching whoever was watching.

What with the lack of food, Tammy was feeling a little light headed. She drove home, carefully.

Dinner that evening was a strange affair. Elsie had invited Helen, and therefore Jeri, as well as the Smarts/Smalls. Richard was the only male at the table but there were five sixth form girls sat there. Unbalanced was probably the best word to describe the collection of dinner guests, the same tag could also be applied to some of the individuals there.

What was even odder was Elsie made no mention of the financial aspects of her trip and concentrated on remembrances of old friends, those alive and those who had passed on. Some of the hotels still had the same bar staff as ten, fifteen or thirty years earlier.

Tammy wondered if Elsie was having a farewell tour as mention was made of future travels to Cyprus, Gibraltar and the US. It seemed as if she might intend a world cruise?

The dinner party broke up around ten. Tammy had an exam the following day and Jeri had lessons. Tammy wondered if Tanya and John had bothered with the self defence class that night? Lori would also have gone. Lori.

Tammy had reached her room so no-one else saw her flood of tears, Lori was being moved the following morning to Manchester and Tammy had no chance of seeing her again, possibly ever?

She dragged herself into her bathroom to clean her face, especially the black streaks, before climbing into bed.

 
Wednesday 10th June
 

That morning's Scotsman reported on the unusual case of the Scrabster harbour master. It transpired that some creative accounting by members of his extended family had netted him a tidy sum. He was bubbled, it seemed, by his ex wife who claimed during interview that he'd offered to support her political aims using 'dirty money'.

Tammy wondered, as she sat in the sixth form common room, how much of this was Sophie's doing - if any. The harbour master and daughter were under arrest for embezzlement whilst his son was nicked by HM Customs & Excise for using duty-free diesel in his personal vehicle - almost a hanging offence according to their spokesman.

Tammy smiled as she put down the newspaper; the clock was approaching nine fifteen, it was time to make her way to the gym.

The exam was no different from the previous two Business Studies exams, most of the answers required more than just a few words, indeed she was well into an essay about the reasons for business failure when an unwelcome sound was heard.

The fire bell rang.

"Everyone out! Leave your papers but turn them over."

The next sound was that of fifty chairs being scraped across the gym's vinyl floor. There was no rush for the door, more an orderly procession. Tammy's handbag was in her locker and all she had over her blouse was a thin cardigan that did not close. All the boys were wearing blazers or jackets.

The weather than morning was not typical June, it was overcast and well below seasonal average. The group were shepherded out onto the gravel at the rear of the gym but instructed to stay together and not mix with the other students. They were also told they couldn't discuss the exam they'd been taking with anyone.

John had been in the same exam so wandered over to where Tammy was. "Are you cold?"

"Not really, but I should have put a cami under this blouse."

"Yeah, I can see ...."

Tammy pulled the cardigan as tight as she could, obscuring her bust. She hadn't used the enhancers for a while so it was purely a natural look, with the appropriate issues on a cool day.

John went red. "Umm, sorry, I didn't mean to look."

"I'll tell Tanya!"

"Smart! Hibbert!"

They looked around, Deputy Head Mike Thompson was heading their way. "What were you discussing?"

"Nothing relevant, Sir," offered John.

"If you were talking about the exam then you'll be eliminated, so what were you talking about?"

"I promise you, Sir, it was nothing to do with school."

"If you don't tell me now, then you aren't going back into the gym."

The pair looked at each-other. "Well, Sir, John asked me if I was cold as he could see my nipples. I said I should have worn a camisole." John and the Deputy Head blushed.

"That's hardly appropriate talk for a boys' school? One hour detention, both of you."

Detention for sixth formers was very rare, detention for prefects was almost unheard of, but this pair were school ambassadors as well. John wanted to argue but Tammy grabbed his arm.

"Don't." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, this earned a round of applause, and a few whistles, from those boys who had turned to see the commotion. Mike Thompson walked off in disgust.

"You know, Tammy, he'll have to get used to that when the new girls start in September."

"I don't think he'll cope!"

With Mr Thompson gone, at least at least fifteen metres away, conversation turned to plans for the summer.

"Summer, John? This feels more like autumn."

"Well, it's alright for you, down South again. Where exactly are you going?"

"To be honest, I am flying into London and then I have no idea. I'll be met at the airport, that much is pretty definite."

"Oh, I thought you might be in Cornwall again?"

"Nobody's said that's definitely going to happen. What about you?"

"I'm going to see Mum and Dad but that's so that Dad and I can come back here with a load of my stuff. They're moving into a smaller house so I need to sort out a few things."

"When are you back?"

"That's a bit of an issue, I'm told it will take a few days to clean the cottage once Helen and Jeri move out but no-one's said when that will be."

"I really don't know, either."

"What about Lori's summer job, who'll do that?"

"I'll have to ask Janet, but Lori was due to start working with her in two weeks time." Tammy fought to keep herself from crying.

The fire bell had finally stopped, after a few more minutes they were allowed back into the gym.

"You have twenty minutes added, so there's seventy minutes remaining. You may begin."

Tammy stayed at school for lunch but retrieved her bag and checked her pigeon-hole before heading to the refectory. There was a note from Mr Thompson rescinding the detention, but no explanation why.

Tammy pondered this, she didn't believe he had ever married and likely didn't have any children. She was aware that he lived a solo life in an otherwise all boys school, perhaps he had so little contact with females he couldn't accept their presence in the school or the small personal issues they brought?

Perhaps he was becoming more accepting of the differences between the two genders?

The main topic of conversation at lunch was the fire bell. It seemed, however, that it was a false alarm, no-one had seen smoke or flames. One of the caretaker staff had, however, been seen going into the Head's office.

Tammy received a text from her father saying Jeri and Helen were invited to dinner on Friday evening, could she make sure they knew? A note was left in Jeri's pigeon-hole but she didn't want to go over to the cottage, hopefully Helen would look at her phone and see the same message.

As Tammy was walking towards the rear carpark there were voices in any otherwise empty hallway. Looking around she saw two uniformed police officers being escorted by Janet Adams. She decided that going home was the better option than becoming involved.