Part   Twenty   "Party Poopers"

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

 
Wednesday 6th January 2016 (Continued)
 

Tammy was in two minds, but her first instinct was that she had to protect the children. She drew her weapon from her bag and crept up the stairs from the games room. She could hear Ben laughing and Elsie was clearly chastising someone.

"The poor girl, out, both of you!"

Ben spotted Tammy in the stairwell and came over to her.

"Helen's had to go and change, I think she'll possibly want a shower."

"What the hell happened?"

"Jonathon and William came in and walked past the downstairs loo as Helen came out. They both had their shotguns, and a rabbit."

"So was it the sight of a rabbit or the weapons?"

"Does it matter? Mrs McPherson's torn them off a strip."

"Okay, but if they felt it safe to come back in?"

"It seems the Chief did leave some protection. I informed DI Edmunds of your intentions and he must have contacted Inverness. An unmarked patrol car was waiting near the surgery and followed when you picked up your tail."

"I never saw them."

"They were given instructions not to get too close, but the car following you came up as stolen."

"I see, did they get the driver?"

"Yes, she's a known local, and was paid to run you off the road."

"No-one else, no other cars?"

"No, just this one."

"So where does that leave us?"

"I wish I knew, it's a ruddy cat and mouse game."

"Great, all we can do is wait for their next move? Oh, where did the rabbit come from?"

"William bagged it, said there were a couple but he missed one."

"Okay, do we know where everyone is? Cathy's at work, the twins are with my dad in the chopper, Pru was at our's, where's Angela and mum?"

"Angela's helping your mum at the school apparently, checking in the returning students."

"Did you know there's a party tomorrow for Finlay and Daisy's birthdays?"

"No, who'll be here?"

"That depends who is back at school by tomorrow afternoon."

"How's this going to be managed? We can't afford to just leave the gates open?"

"I have a feeling Elsie was organising it, with Cathy."

"I'm not sure that we'd properly equipped here to manage a children's party?"

"I'll be sixteen on Friday, DS Franklin, not a small child!"

"Sorry, Finl.., Florence." Florence was a few steps below Tammy on the stairs, with Daisy sat at the bottom.

"We're bored, can we come up?"

Tammy deferred to Ben, "whatever you decide, make it quick before I also have an accident!"

"Okay, okay, the coast is clear at the moment."

Tammy finally received her tea, and a chance to relax. As the sun set over the McPherson estate, all they could wonder was what would the next day herald?

 
Thursday 7th January 2016
 

Breakfast was almost normal, if you accept that one woman sat at the table had been subjected to threats of violence the previous day, another had recently lost her husband and one had a terminal diagnosis of cancer.

With them, a boy who was sometimes a girl and a girl who used to be regarded as a boy - and was carrying a concealed weapon.

Helen was jumpy when one of the groundsmen appeared in the dining room, in order to speak to Elsie, and felt positively queasy when she overheard that more rabbits had now been shot.

Cathy left for school just before eight, driven by William as a precaution. The school was welcoming back the young pupils today after the Christmas and Hogmanay break; there was no way her class of ten year olds could start the new year without their teacher. William would collect her at three, ensuring she was back in good time, safely.

Once she'd gone, they reconvened in the lounge. The remaining adults wondered if a joint sixteenth and fourteenth birthday party was desirable, or sensible, given the security concerns. Plainly the fifteen year old and thirteen year old attempted to veto any moves to scrub the party.

"We've always had a joint party."

"How about we delay it, until it's safer?" Elsie offered.

"No!" Florence and Daisy wouldn't accept this.

"Then, I suppose we go ahead. When and where?"

"Could we hold it in the school?" Tammy offered.

"Could the staff cope at such short notice?"

No-one could answer that, but the question became irrelevant.

"I want to be Florence, wouldn't the school have a problem with that?"

"You do realise, that you'd be announcing Florence to quite a few students regardless where we hold the party?"

"I do, but at least the Head couldn't stop the party if it's held here?"

Elsie coughed, "But I could. Anyway, I don't think that Steven would do that."

Finlay was clearly thinking a response, the room waited. "Could we have our make-overs today?"

"You'd normally have to book well in advance."

"Oh." It looked odd to have a boy pouting, let alone asking such questions.

"Okay, I'll call Sandy and ask."

The boy's face brightened and Daisy had a sense of glee. Tammy went into the conservatory for some privacy, although it wasn't very warm in there. her phone call didn't start well.

"Sorry, but I'm on my own today, with a diary full of appointments"

"What's up?"

"Debbie's gone to Inverness to get our stock, the delivery didn't happen yesterday. Added to that, Jane's coughing badly and Joanne slipped yesterday so can't stand for a few days."

"Oh, anything broken?"

"Thankfully no, just a badly bruised ankle and a pulled tendon. She'll be off until Monday probably."

"Damn, Florence and Daisy will be upset."

"Why not ask Tanya? She can't do waxing but is capable of everything else."

"I'd forgotten that, what's John's position?"

"He's improving and can drive again, give them a call. It'll be good for Tanya to get out."

"True. How are Tanya's sessions coming along?"

"She's coming to terms with it, but she'd like some closure. I heard a rumour that the woman was arrested?"

"Her sister was, she tried to abduct Andrea."

"Oh, that wasn't in the news."

"The police are keeping a lid on it, for now. Where did you hear it from?"

"Sandy Franklin saw me this morning as I arrived, oh a customer has arrived - got to go."

Tammy finished the call, she phoned Tanya who agreed, so long as lunch was included. Her next stop was the loo, the chill had reached her bladder.

"Well," as she returned to the lounge, "there's some good news and some bad news."

"Fewer dramatics please, Tammy."

"Yes, Elsie." The young ones giggled. "Sandy Smith is running solo today and can't fit anyone else in, but Tanya is available and will be over about eleven."

"Is she okay about this?"

"Yes, and John's coming over with her."

"Good, we can accommodate two extra for lunch, I don't think it'll be a good idea for these two to be made up before lunch?"

"Maybe a swim first? I'll suggest Tanya brings a swimsuit."

"It's being cleaned this morning, perhaps your pool?"

"Sure, I'll organise that. I wonder if any of the girls at school want to join us?"

"Hold on, young lady?"

"Well, a pool party? Followed by a make-over session?"

"I guess you'd like lunch by the pool?"

"I'd best let Zara know!"

Tammy realised, after everyone had agreed this was a good plan, that it was still early January. Outside there was snow and ice, with an air temperature hovering around zero during the day. It was their proximity to the sea that kept Thurso's weather mild, compared to most of the Highlands in the winter.

Firstly she scooted over to Dunbankin' to speak to her father, she brought him up to date.

"Well, it's workable, but we'll need to make sure the barn is warm. We installed a ground-coupled heat exchanger to heat the water during the autumn, the same system keeps the open area of the barn at a near constant temperature."

"Okay, so it doesn't need much power?"

"The pool only normally needs power for the pumps, plus lighting. I'd take the covers off now though, check the water at the same time."

"Right, who's back at school?"

"Your mum reported that Lori, Jeri and Ellie are back in town although Lori has her own apartment."

"Any sign of Martina?"

"No, and her mobile is off. The Headmaster doesn't want to start enquiries before Monday, but officially she's due by Sunday."

"Okay, can we use a school minibus to get the girls here?"

"I would imagine so. What about any boys?"

"I'll check with Florence and Daisy."

"Do that soon, I'll organise the minibus for eleven thirty."

"Why not eleven?"

"So you have some time to talk to John and Tanya before the place is overrun!"

"Doh! Thanks Dad."

Tammy sent a text invite to the three girls as she walked over to the pool, within a few minutes she had 3 positive responses, although Lori complained that she'd have liked a bit more notice.

Next was a call to Kevin Edmunds that she didn't want to make.

"What's the problem, Tammy?"

"I think we have a leak, an unintentional one."

"Who?"

"Ben Franklin's wife, Sandy. He obviously says things to her and these are being repeated by Sandy during the day."

"Examples?"

"Well, Sandy Smith spoke to her this morning, then Tara told me a few days ago that Sandy Franklin was overheard in the hotel bar." Tammy explained what had been said.

"I see, this is worrisome."

"As far as I see it, Sandy may be talking to trustworthy friends but has no idea who is also listening."

"Has Ben arrived yet?"

"No, not when I'd left."

"I'll send him on an errand then, how did you get on with PC Harris yesterday?"

"A bit green but okay, why?"

"As everyone's met her, I'll ask Police Scotland to release her for a day or two, what's today's plan?"

Tammy explained.

"Oh, she'll need a swimsuit too?"

"I bet that's not standard police uniform?"

"Probably in some countries, but not in the UK!"

"What about Sandy Franklin?"

"There's a risk to tomorrow's travel, we can only assume that Ben's told his wife what he's doing."

"Indeed, we were due to leave here at ten in the morning."

"Leave that with me, where's your father?"

"Indoors, Pru's in the office."

"Okay, I'll liaise with them."

---

Tanya and John arrived shortly after eleven.

"We had to wait for the gate to be opened!"

"Yes, Tanya, we're having a few security issues."

"Oh, sorry Elsie."

John pulled Tammy to one side.

"She's a little pensive if we pull up at a junction or get stuck. It couldn't have taken half a minute for the gate to be opened, but she was starting to freak."

"So what's worse, the attack or losing the child?"

"It's the attack that's still giving her nightmares, it's as if she was never pregnant."

"Oh, I was hoping she'd come to terms with the loss?"

"The shrink thinks she's blanked it, trouble is it could come back. At least she's dealing with the PTSD from the incident."

"It wasn't an incident."

"The shrink is calling it an incident, to reduce the severity, and it's helping me."

Tammy waited a few seconds before her questions continued. "How are you, physically?"

"I'm going back to work on Monday, but I'm doing half days at the Thurso office for a few weeks."

"So no driving to Inverness?"

"Not for a while yet, I can manage ten to fifteen minutes behind the wheel but that's all."

"Are you going to swim?"

"My doctor says it'll help but I have a nasty scar, two in fact."

"Did you bring a swimsuit?"

"No, I really don't think I should be in the water with others."

"Ridiculous."

"I know, but it's done."

"Then you can wear a one piece, that'll cover it up."

John's response was swift. "I'll look truly stupid."

"Everyone there will be in a bikini or a one piece, so you won't stand out."

"What will Tanya say?"

"By the time Elsie's finished with her, she'll be fine. Come upstairs and I'll find one for you."

"I really shouldn't."

"Okay, I'll ask one of the girls to join us, the only males here are the staff."

"If it was anyone else ......."

"Look, I promise I won't get you in a skirt."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Tammy quickly told Alison what she was planning, so that Elsie would be duly informed, then escorted John to her room. He was uncomfortable, to say the least. John had been Tammy's room mate at school for five years before they achieved individual accommodation, although Tammy had still been Tom at that point. As such they had been close buddies, and both had been in states of undress many times.

This was different.

"When did you last shower?"

"Er? Last night."

"Can you have one now then, don't worry about your hair. I've some hair removal cream so you can clear those hairy legs of your's."

"I shaved them."

"When, why?"

"Tanya wanted them smooth, this was last week."

"Anything else?"

"She's behaving like a sixteen year old again, the maturity has gone."

"Maturity? Are you sure?"

John laughed, "I know, but it was there at times. Thing is, I like this Tanya, but our relationship has changed."

"In what way?"

"Stronger, but like we're courting and not on the point of marriage. Sex is off the menu."

"Completely?"

"Yes, I think the wedding won't happen either."

"Oh, her mum will be devastated."

"Sandy understands, but my mother won't."

"How is she?"

"Her short term memory has completely gone and her long term memory is suffering. Dad's close to a breakdown just trying to cope with her."

"Does she know about the miscarriage and everything else?"

"No, but she does remember that she's supposed to go to a wedding and has bought four dresses so far, even if she can't remember who's getting married. I ought to see her, before ...."

"That bad?"

"It won't be long before there's nothing of my mother left, Dad will have to get help or put her in a care home."

John was tearful.

"I'm sorry, truly sorry."

"Do you have a new razor I can use, just to tidy up?"

"You don't mind?"

"No."

"Hold a minute, I'll find that new swimsuit I bought for our European trip, it's a size up from my existing ones but I haven't worn it yet. You can get into it once you're dry, but use some talc first."

"Sure."

Tammy was waiting for John when he finally emerged. He did look like a man in a one piece swimsuit, but not in a bad way. "It's more comfortable than I thought."

"I see you re-arranged yourself." Tammy's eyes had been drawn to his crutch.

"Umm, it seemed sensible."

"Okay, I have some things for you to wear."

On the bed were a set of joggers, in grey and pink. Tammy was dressed similarly, having changed into a bikini whilst he was in her bathroom.

"That?"

"Well, you can hardly go over to our pool in just a swimsuit!"

They returned to the lounge, with John expecting hilarity. All they saw were solemn faces.

"Sandy Franklin didn't make it to work this morning."