Part   Twenty Four   "Elsie's In Charge"

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

 
Saturday 9th January 2016
 

Tammy woke up as her phone chimed seven thirty; despite her ongoing security concerns she'd slept well, but this was probably due to the previous day's activities and their return flight. It also helped that she was back in Thurso, in Elsie's house, along with Finlay and Daisy.

The decision had been taken that everyone would travel to Birmingham Airport, although Kevin had remained in Stourbridge. They'd returned to the hotel to collect the three from there before getting the taxi driver to make the run across to the airport. She was due to check in with Kevin at ten so pulled herself into the shower.

Gilly had stayed at the house overnight as well, but Joan had gone home. Tammy, at times, wondered where her real home was.

When she arrived downstairs Finlay was at the dining table, with a huge pile of birthday cards in evidence. His interest was however diverted to the equally large breakfast in front of him. Daisy was somewhat subdued, pushing her breakfast around the plate without eating much. Alison was the first to react, Cathy had already left to visit a friend in Inverness.

"What's up, Finlay, Daisy?"

"Why does everyone hate us?"

"Who? Not us?"

"No, the others." Daisy waved her arm towards the front of the house. "Why, why, are they so awful?"

"I wish I knew Daisy, dear, but you're safe here."

"I know."

Finlay looked at Tammy, "who were they?"

"I don't know, Finlay, Detective Inspector Edmunds is investigating and I might know more later."

"But why?"

"It could be many things, perhaps money, the businesses or the special reports. Weren't you able to give the DI all the reports?"

"Not all of them, we still need to access the physical server to retrieve some files. I thought we were doing that yesterday?"

"So did I, but it wasn't a good idea."

"How long before we can go again?"

"I wouldn't like to guess, Finlay, don't forget you're back at school on Monday?"

"Yeah."

Outside snow was starting to fall, driven by a strong gale, Daisy wasn't impressed.

"Is it still winter?"

"Yes, this is normal for January." Finlay didn't bother look up to answer his sister. This was his fifth year in the Scottish Highlands but it was Daisy's first.

"Tammy dear?"

"Yes Elsie?"

"Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Tammy picked up her coffee after refilling it from a cafetière. A moment with Elsie could take a while. She waited whilst a maid pushed her wheelchair around to the study.

"Come in, sit down."

Tammy closed the door behind her, guessing that this conversation was private.

"Now, what went wrong yesterday?"

"Someone impersonated the executor but I spotted them before anything was disclosed."

"Good, but what damage was done?"

"He had been expecting to see a boy and a girl, but saw two girls. That could be attributed to poor research but I believe our disguise for Finlay wouldn't work again."

"For Finlay it's not a disguise?"

"True, but it was a good way to muddy the waters if we were in public."

"Well, you'll have to find a better way if you're going to try that again?"

"I know, but he's not available now until half term and I frankly think it's too risky right now."

"What happened at your second appointment?"

"The police were already there and an area was taped off, we made a decision to leave town straight away. I left Kevin there but he hasn't briefed me yet."

"Does he know you're back here?"

"Yes, I sent him a text when we landed at Wick last night."

"Did you have any problems, legally?"

"Not really, the solicitor accepted who we all were, but the will wasn't ready to be read despite what had been suggested."

"Why did you retain that solicitor?"

"Because I didn't have another one available, not one qualified in English law."

"I see."

"In any case, Finlay and Daisy are now responsible for it, I could only make a recommendation."

"So it's a mess?"

"Yes."

"Is there any point in sending another firm in?"

"Only if the children agree, the law is quite clear. Right now they'll have Pru on their back."

"What about John Hibbert?"

"What about him?"

"He's a solicitor's clerk, isn't he?"

"Yes, but he's also a trainee solicitor."

"Don't his parents live near there?"

"Yes, they're away until next week."

"Well, why don't we offer his services to Wilkinson & Thompson?"

"What about Tanya?"

"She'll have to fend for herself."

"It's a good idea, we'd have someone on the ground handling the probate?"

"Indeed, and the children need not know?"

"Okay, what about you, Elsie?"

"I'll survive, for a while yet. I'm on new painkillers."

"Are the pills helping?"

"It's patches, and yes."

"Patches?"

"The pills affected my appetite and there was some concern about my liver."

"I see, how are you feeling?"

"Fed up that I can still run mental rings around bureaucrats but I need help getting around my own house."

"How's Cathy doing with Social Services?"

"They're insisting on checking for family members first and arguing that the official solicitor in London doesn't have jurisdiction in Scotland."

"We know there's no viable family they could go to but what can be done with the court?"

"Cathy and Joan are in the high court in Edinburgh on Monday. Ideally that court just confirms the London decision, Social Services would have to go to the Court of Appeal to change it."

"What if they claim the children aren't safe?"

"Then they could, in theory, just take them regardless of the court order, but firstly they would need a warrant to get in here or into the school and we're ready for that."

Tammy smiled, Elsie was still on top of her game, except this wasn't a game.

"Have the children been interviewed yet?"

"No, there's no date but we'll deal with that when they ask. We have, however, supplied the statement they wrote a week or two back. As Finlay's now over sixteen and Daisy's shortly to become fourteen their opinion has to be considered."

"Of course. Has John been asked to assist us yet?"

"No, but they have been invited to dinner, I spoke to one of the partners at his employers yesterday and I have permission to release him, he'll be employed by me whilst he's there."

Tammy made her way over to Dunbankin' after confirming that Gilly was okay to stay with the children for an hour. Given that it was a Saturday, Pru wasn't around but Richard was in the study.

"Hi Tammy, I just got off the phone from your sister."

"How's Suzie?"

"Fine, you could give her a call sometime?"

"I've been a bit busy, did she move into the flat?"

"Yes, that boyfriend got upset and had a go at her when she told him he had to move out."

"Oh, is she okay?"

"Yes, Fransesca had roped her boyfriend in to help Suzie move and they'd just about got everything in a van, that's when the idiot showed up with his new girl. Only thing was, Suzie hadn't told him she was taking a day off work to move. Anyway, the idiot was told to get his stuff but he decided to complain physically to Suzie."

"Was she hurt?"

"No, Fransesca's boyfriend is a copper, he restrained the lad and called for transport. Suzie's changed the locks and I have Gerald on the case."

"When did all this happen?"

"Yesterday, we're waiting to hear how the magistrates will deal with him. Silly thing is, she'd have given him two weeks to sort himself out."

"I thought the police would just bail him, they wouldn't normally get a hearing straight away?"

"It seems he has previous for assault, cautioned once and fined another time."

"I see, at least Gerald is on the case, it's useful having a tame solicitor in London!"

"He's your solicitor as well."

The secure phone interrupted them, Richard answered but passed the handset to Tammy.

"Hi Kevin, what do you know?"

"Not much, Tammy. The impersonator executor was Robbie Hill, a freelance investigatory journalist. He was interested in the O'Shaughnessy family back in October and wrote a small piece for the local weekly paper but last week a lady contacted him and suggested he dug a little deeper."

"Was that Penny Lavoska?"

"She gave her name as Irina Petrovska, they never met apparently and she only promised to pay if he got results."

"Damn, that takes us nowhere!"

"Indeed, Tammy, but his mobile phone records have given us a new number that a day earlier was at Birmingham International Airport, and that phone was purchased in Edinburgh."

"So where is it now?"

"There's not been a signal since yesterday late morning."

"Oh well, what went on by the studio?"

"A murder on the tow path by the canal, he'd been found about ten o'clock by a dog walker."

"Was this behind the studio?"

"Yes, just a few feet away, local police have identified him as a local singer."

"What's his name?"

"Ian Croft."

Tammy checked a folder that was on the desk, Pru had printed off each of the studio bookings for the next few days, but had all of the previous week's bookings as well. "Here he is, a one hour session for Ian Croft at nine that morning, he must have just left the studio."

"The local officers knew he'd left home at eight thirty but didn't know where he'd been, that's a help."

"What did he look like?"

"He was nearly twenty but apparently looked much younger."

"Could he have been mistaken for Finlay?"

"Possibly, can you send me a current photo of the lad? I've only seen Florence recently."

"I'll send you the latest school photo, it was taken in December."

"Thanks."

"Are we any further forward, Kevin?"

"Not really, but I'd advise against bringing the children back here."

"Understood."

"I'll let you know if there are any developments, but don't expect anything soon!"

"Thanks Kevin, bye."

"Bye."

Tammy sat back, there were still too many unanswered questions. She updated her father and asked him to find Finlay's photo.

"Could you email that to Kevin?"

"Sure. When are you coming home?"

Tammy shrugged. "That's anyone's guess."

"Ben phoned for you yesterday but I couldn't tell him anything, Kevin had warned me."

"That's unfortunate, he was a good friend. Elsie has an idea, by the way, to ask John if he'd like to go to Stourbridge to supervise the probate."

"His parents aren't far away, are they?"

"No, but I understand his mother's dementia is getting worse. It would mean we have someone we can trust down there."

"Nice idea, I doubt if Tanya would like it?"

"Probably not, but Elsie has a way of dealing with people."

"Indeed."

Tammy made her way back to Elsie's and relieved Gilly. "Please go home and return to a normal life!"

"Thanks, but I think I'll need a few rest days to recover!"

"Just be careful, we don't know who's out there and they may be getting desperate."

"Sure, I feel a change of hair colour is due!"

Tammy giggled, "I think my highlights have grown out!"

She found Finlay and Daisy in the games room, there was now a large TV in there and a music channel was playing loudly as soon as Tammy opened the door from the hallway.

"Turn it down!"

"It sounds better played loud!"

"Maybe, but I can't think straight if it's up too high."

"That's because you're old."