Part   Four   "Family Affairs"

 
This is the seventh book in the Tamara's Tales (formerly Tommy & Tamara) series. For the whole saga visit Tamara's Tales
 

 
Wednesday 23rd December 2015
 

The previous evening's dinner had been a restrained affair, everyone had wanted to ask Elsie how she was but no-one wanted to risk it. Of course she stated, for the record, that she felt fine, although it was clear that Elsie wasn't her old self.

She'd sat at the table with them, but had needed her maid's help to enter the dining room as well as the butler's assistance in sitting down. Elsie had smaller portions than the rest but had managed a glass of red regardless; there was still some of the old Elsie in there.

The head of the Clan McPherson took her leave before the dessert course and had apologised as the maid, Anna, assisted her onto her feet.

"I find I need to rest more often now, but I have no plans to shuffle any further than my bedroom."

The butler, Thomas, had carefully asked if anyone wanted a dessert and only Helen succumbed, "I'll take it in my room."

Alison had arrived that afternoon and was now the overnight nurse so she excused herself to check on Elsie.

"What about you Andrea, did you want to come across with us?"

"No, thanks, I've been busy all day so I'll head for my room as well."

Thus the evening had finished, several hours earlier than past habits dictated.

Tammy's recollections of the evening were interrupted by a knock on her door, Joan put her head into the bedroom.

"Come in, mum."

"What's the plan today, Tammy?"

"I'm not sure, maybe I'll use the exercise machines? I need to lose some weight."

"You looked fine last night, dear."

"I know, but it was a new dress. I just don't want to replace my entire wardrobe."

"What about the clothes you have in London?"

"My suits are all tailored and fit me fine, it's the off the shelf stuff that tends to be tight so out of work I'm mostly wearing leggings and baggy tops."

"Do you have anything nice to go out?"

"I don't socialise with any of my work colleagues."

"Oh dear, I thought you'd have a busy social life?"

"I'm out the door at seven each morning, usually back by seven. I have time to microwave an evening meal, have a shower and go to bed, maybe an hour's telly as well. At weekends I restock the freezer, do the laundry and make myself available for phone calls from the family, if I'm not called in because of a crisis."

"That's not much of a life?"

"Nope."

"It also doesn't sound as if you're eating properly? Can't you jog to work?"

Tammy laughed, "I know I don't always eat healthily, not during the week anyway. As for jogging, you move with the herd on London's streets, sometimes that's faster than the car traffic, sometimes it isn't."

Joan tactfully dropped the subject. "Don't you ever see your sister?"

"I visit Thames House occasionally, it's under ten minutes work from where I'm based."

"I didn't mean that."

"She has a boyfriend and her own circle of friends; I've only been in London for a few months, she's been there nearly a year."

"You do speak, outside of work?"

"Yes, occasionally on Sunday evenings to compare notes, but we've been too busy for the last few weeks so she didn't know I'd spent a weekend up here at the beginning of December."

"If I recall, no-one knew you were here and you didn't go into town at all?"

"I didn't, but because I came up on the Friday I was able to see Dr Abi and renew my prescription. If I recall, you and Dad had meetings at the school all that afternoon and were out most of Saturday, I probably chose the worst weekend to visit as I never saw you for more than a few seconds!"

"Sorry about that, Tammy, you do know this is the first time I've seen Suzie since our wedding, I really should spend some time with her?"

She waited until Joan had left her bedroom before heading into the shower. Outside there was a thin covering of snow but the skies were now clear, that meant it was probably sub-zero out there. Tammy had just made it downstairs, feeling freshened, when two visitors arrived.

"Hello Ben."

"Hi Tammy, you know PC Brown, are your sisters around?"

They were still in their rooms, having been delayed by personal chats with Joan. Tammy gathered them into the lounge, Joan decided to sit in.

"Okay, we've finished interviewing the pair and now we need each of your statements."

"How does it look, Ben?"

"I'd rather not say anything until you've all given your account of yesterday afternoon. I had wanted to do this last night but I understand you all had a prior engagement?"

"We did, so we'd best get on with it? The study is available as Pru's with Dad."

"Right, PC Brown will take Angela and I'll do you, Tammy. Suzie, we'll catch you after these two."

"Wait, what happened?"

"Sorry mum, we'll tell you later."

"Later? You'll tell me now!"

"Mrs Smart, regardless of what you know, or don't know, time is pressing and I don't want to contaminate their testimony. Perhaps Suzie can brief you whilst we interview the other pair?"

Joan reluctantly accepted, but was clearly peeved. Ben quickly took Tammy out of the room.

"You shouldn't keep her in the dark, Tammy!"

"I know but she worries so much, Angela's up here on her own and probably wouldn't be let out of the door!"

"I think you're exaggerating."

"Okay, a little perhaps, but Joan would definitely over react. I promise she'll be kept informed, if only to keep her off our backs!"

"Of course, but as you're all over eighteen there's no legal requirement."

"Yes, but Suzie and I are in London whilst Angela is here so neither of us can support her, that allows others to take advantage of her. Joan continues to see Angela as a teenage daughter and not an adult, remember she wasn't even a daughter until a year ago."

"You seem to have managed?"

"I've had to cope on my own since I was a little kid, boarding school does that to you. I'd also been able to explore my girlhood without the ever presence of a domineering father, unlike Angela. We're really quite different."

"Okay, but this isn't the first time you've taken executive action when you should have informed the authorities, or your parents."

"Ben, you've already said we're over eighteen, and once again we had no evidence of what their intention was. Hindsight is wonderful but hardly a valid investigatory tool?"

"That sounds like a course I went on recently, where are you working?"

"National Crime Agency."

"Bloody hell!"

"I'm on secondment, I didn't want to be there."

"Only four or five detectives a year get to go from the whole of Scotland, I've applied four times and not even got an interview."

"I was told one Saturday lunchtime that I was starting there the following Monday, no interview and no choice."

"It kept you out of Thurso, and for that I should be grateful!"

"That, unfortunately, was the intention. Can we get on with this?"

"Sure."

Tammy was familiar with statement writing so the whole process took under fifteen minutes, she copied her own one and asked that she be able to copy the other two. DS Franklin went to find Suzie.

It was another quarter of an hour before Angela emerged from the dining room and joined Tammy for a coffee in the kitchen.

"That was hard work, he was very thorough."

"PC Brown has to be thorough, he really doesn't have a choice."

"Why?"

"His father is DI Iain Brown."

"Oh, but wouldn't the PC have known about me?"

"Not if I know Iain, he won't pass on anything he learns unless it's in an official capacity."

"I suppose it wouldn't be good if any of my personals were leaked?"

"Exactly, I wonder how Suzie's getting on?"

"I don't know but mum was going out so I guess she's finished her own interrogation? We should have told her?"

"Perhaps, but you know how she'll take it?"

"Sure, I know she's protective of me, but that's only because you and Suzie have flown the nest."

"Suzie was never here, remember, and I'll be back in the new year. How's your course going?"

"Fine, I'm enjoying the social work."

"I knew you would, what about the nursery at the hospital?"

"I had to give it up as I needed the time, it was only voluntary."

"Didn't it help your coursework?"

"Not really as none of the staff wanted to write reports on me for the tutors."

"Oh, but you enjoyed it?"

"Yes, I still see some of the mothers on home visits with the health visitors. I suppose it helped make me a familiar face?"

"It also looks great on a CV when you don't have any paid work experience."

"I didn't think of it like that."

"So go back in January and tell them you want to help again."

"I can't do the same time, I have a seminar then."

"So find a different slot, if they're short of volunteers then they might agree to write a short report every month, just to keep you?"

"Okay, thanks Tammy."

There was still no sign of Suzie but Richard and Pru had arrived.

"Tammy, Angela, can you lend a hand as there's a load of groceries to unload and store?"

Of course there were other supplies as well so Tammy found herself running to the store cupboard on the upper floor with toilet rolls and bathroom supplies, Lily could distribute those next time she was in.

Tammy deeply regretted not putting on a coat or at least a jacket, the temperature was confirmed as minus something Celsius out there. Of course, by the time they were done, DS Ben Franklin and the Constable had gone.

"Damn, we won't know what that pair said in interview!"

"What pair?"

Richard was stood behind Tammy. Suzie looked at her sister, "I got mum, it's your turn!"

"Okay Dad, can we use the study and Pru had best sit in and take notes. Suzie, did you get a copy of your statement?"

"Yes, it's in the study."

"What about Angela?"

"I don't know."

Angela's statement wasn't in the study and Tammy kicked herself, that was the important one. "Okay, let's have this sorry tale?"

"Sure, Dad."

---

Lunch followed, their housekeeper, Zara, had the day off so they fended for themselves. "Tammy, you and Suzie can do dinner."

"What does everyone fancy?"

"Curry!"

"Mum's not keen?"

"But she's not here, can you make a mild one and a spicy one?"

"Home made naan breads?"

"Yeah, and onion bhajis." Angela was warming to the idea.

Suzie glared at Tammy, they were going to be occupied most of the afternoon.

Richard laughed, "check the larder, there's some vacuum packed naans and I think there's some vegetable samosas in one of the freezers?"

Tammy almost felt like saying that was cheating but, firstly it reduced their workload and secondly she'd been living mostly on take-away or ready meals so could hardly complain. She started to laugh.

"What's funny?"

"I told you on Friday I had a curry in the slow cooker, that was the first meal all week I'd make for myself from scratch."

"If you don't fancy another curry then we'll think of something else?"

"No it's fine, best get used to it as you'll have turkey curry for the next fortnight, alternated with turkey fricassée and turkey stew."

Tammy was looking quite pleased with herself.

"We're having Christmas dinner with Elsie, didn't we say?"

"No, Dad, I thought the plan was we'd spend a few hours there but we'd eat here?"

"Change of plan last night."

"So why do we now have a huge turkey in the fridge?"

"Just in case, we're already on Plan B or C or ... anyway it's useful for Turkey sandwiches too."

Richard's suggestion fell on dead air.

"Oh, Dad, I'm out with Debbie tomorrow afternoon. I don't know if these two are joining us?"

Suzie was up for it but Angela was non-committal, as ever.

"Where & what?"

"Starting at the Castletown for alcohol and a few laughs, other than that I really don't know for sure."

"Count me in."

Angela shook her head, Tammy wouldn't waste time trying to convince her otherwise.

"Where did mum go?"

"Welfare issue? There shouldn't be any pupils there?"

"It seems one or two of the students couldn't leave on Thursday and no-one can take them in."

"What's the problem?"

"Sorry Tammy, I can't discuss it any further."

Richard left the kitchen with Angela following close behind, both had left their lunch plates on the table.

"We've got the clearing up first, great."

"We do the same at home, Tammy, although I'm usually cooking for two."

"Doesn't he help?"

"Ken hardly does a thing."

"Ken, ah, now I have a name!"

"Okay, okay, is that offer of the apartment still available?"

"Yes, just for you?"

"It looks that way, I'll give notice on my place and he can find somewhere new. I think he's seeing someone else too." Suzie had stopped clearing the table, Tammy went over and gave her a hug, holding her tight.

"I really don't know anything about long-term relationships but I won't have you unhappy. You can move as soon as we're back, we can both take a day off."

"Thanks Tammy, I don't think Jenny would object."

"It's a deal."

Suzie dried her eyes, "I saw a recipe for onion bhajis on Saturday Kitchen recently, it should be on the BBC website. The recipe looked really simple and I reckon we have all the ingredients here. If I start that, can you finish clearing up. Then we'll start on the main dishes, I reckon we'll get an hour in the pool?"

"Sure."

Tammy's phone rang as she was chopping vegetables for the curries.

"Mum just told me you're in town?"

"Yes, Tanya, I sent you a message yesterday."

"Oh, John said there was a message from you."

"Didn't you read it?"

"I didn't get a chance."

"Well, a group of us are meeting up tomorrow afternoon if you want to join us?"

"I'm seeing mum tomorrow evening."

"That shouldn't matter, and you're not drinking now are you?"

"No, but I'll need John to get me ready and he doesn't finish until three tomorrow."

"We're meeting at one, that gives you plenty of time?"

"I can't do it on my own, can't you come here?"

"Not tomorrow and not the following two days, things are a bit in the air right now because of Elsie."

"I heard."

"Look, I'll see if I can get over this evening?"

"It's John's works do, he's not back until nine or ten."

"So?"

"I won't be able to let you in."

Tammy gave up and uttered seasonal greetings before putting the phone down.

"Hard work?"

"Yes, Suzie, I really don't recognise that girl any more."

"Debbie wasn't too kind yesterday, whilst Sandy was out of earshot anyway."

"I need to speak to John, on his own."

"Good luck with that, she's very protective apparently."

"Or paranoid?"

The girls had everything under control by three, one curry just needed to be warmed when needed whilst the other was in the warming drawer of the range. They only needed half an hour to finish it all off.

"I've been looking forward to a swim."

"I hope there's a health club near the apartment, Tammy?"

"There's several but I have no idea about them as I've not been in any."

"That's a priority when we get back then. How much longer do you have with the NCA?"

"My secondment runs out on the nineteenth of February but I have a feeling I'll be there a bit longer."

"So I won't be on my own in the apartment just yet?"

"No, not for a while, but we won't tell mum?"

"Okay."

Tammy had pulled herself out of the pool and was looking forward to a shower when Pru walked over to the barn.

"There's a call from Jenny in London for you."

"Okay, give me a minute to dry myself off and get warm."

"She wants both of you."