Part Thirteen     "Protection"

 
 
Sunday 28th December
 
Elsie had allocated one of the guest rooms to Louise, the one last used by Joan, although Tammy knew such arrangements couldn't last indefinitely. One thing that she and her father needed to do was to find somewhere of their own.

It had been agreed that Tammy could go into town this morning to help Sarah but Louise would accompany her.

Before they left the house Louise explained that she often changed her hair colour between jobs so, no, she wasn't a natural blonde. She had, however, attended stage school in her teens and could change her mannerisms and voice to suit the situation. Right now her persona could switch from serious to stereotypical ditzy blonde instantly. She also wore contacts and was wearing blue ones at the moment, but again could change as necessary.

She had also asked that Tammy wear a broach that contained a tiny video camera and microphone. None of these details would be passed outside of the Smarts.

There had been fresh snowfall overnight but the roads were mostly clear, once you left the driveway of the McPherson estate. Louise had borrowed one of Elsie's Landrovers because the handling was so much better than her own car, a BMW Gran Turismo.

They arrived in town just after nine and walked directly to Sarah's Boutique, being a Sunday the bakery was closed so there were no pastry items to collect today.

Tammy did the introductions and explained to Sarah and Emily that they should treat Louise as a friend of Tammy's, this was the approach she and her father had agreed.

The morning passed quickly with Louise, Tammy and Emily all pitching in with the restocking, relabelling and repricing according to a plan Sarah had devised. Sarah had also printed several signs herself although a local printshop had provided the standard window banners.

By eleven o'clock they had finished the work but had fielded a few queries from those knocking on the door, so Sarah decided to open the store for two hours, until one. She'd also phoned the Castletown Hotel and booked a table for lunch at ten past one - that way she would definitely close!

There wasn't a rush but it appears word was getting around that there were some bargains to be had, in a manner of speaking. Sarah had found a box of gypsy tops that had been fashionable a few years earlier but had hadn't sold well since. They were effectively dead stock, taking up space and generating nothing. Knocking them down from ten pounds to two for fifteen would achieve the kind of necessary eye catcher bargain.

Several people walking down the lane, especially men and children, looked through the windows of the shop but didn't enter. One pair of eyes lingered.

By one o'clock the last customer had been cleared, Sarah was very pleased as she'd taken about five hundred pounds in the two hours, that bode well for the next few days as more sale stock was put out. Normally she would leave that amount of money, mostly cash, in the small safe behind the counter but her and Emily hadn't deposited Saturday's takings either so bundled all of it up to use the bank's night safe.

The security detail for the walk to the bank now consisted of four ladies. One or two pairs of eyes had observed Sarah locking the shop before they set off, and were now following at a careful distance. These eyes were disappointed when the group met with Detective Constable Ben Franklin near the bank.

"Good afternoon Miss Smart."

"Hello Ben. You've met Sarah and Emily before, this is my friend Louise."

"Pleased to meet you. I just want to make sure that you're safe, there have been one or two bag grabs over the past few days and holding a bank bag isn't the cleverest idea.

"I'm sorry officer but I only brought a small bag with me today and it wouldn't fit!" Sarah had by now deposited the bag and could relax, as could the rest of them.

"As bad as my wife!"

"Consider yourself reported for that remark!"

"Sorry Tammy! Where are you going now?"

"We have a table booked for lunch."

"I'll walk with you, a coffee would be a good idea."

They were a couple of minutes late but Frances didn't complain as he took their jackets before showing them to a table. They had placed their drink and sandwich orders when Frances returned and asked Tammy to go with him. Louise looked concerned.

"Louise, I trust him but by all means come with me."

He led them to his office, tucked out of the way, where Ben Franklin was waiting.

"Hello again, I was on my way here anyway as Frances had phoned the station, but I couldn't say anything out in the street."

"What do you have?"

"Before I say that, could you tell me what your connection to Louise is?"

"Well, Detective Constable Franklin, Louise is my bodyguard for the next few days, but out there she's a friend."

"Right, I did wonder."

"Okay, what do you have?"

"Well, Frances told me that you were in here on Christmas Eve."

"Yes, with Sandy Smith's daughters and son. What have you found?"

"One of the cameras in the bar had a good view of your table and those adjacent. It seems someone was listening to your plans for the evening."

Louise was very interested now. "Can you show us?"

He pointed at a monitor which showed a still from Christmas Eve morning. Two men were sat close by with expresso coffee cups on their table. They could been Italian, Greek or from somewhere else in the Eastern Mediterranean area.

"That was my fake taxi driver!"

"That's what we thought, what about the other one?"

"I've seen him." Louise sounded definite.

"When?"

"Earlier today, around midday. He was in Grove Lane looking through the window into the shop at us."

"So he's still in the area. Thanks for that, I was hoping we might be able to locate him."

There was a knock on the door, Frances walked into his office.

"Excuse me but there is someone asking Mrs Bonney and the bar staff if they have seen Miss Smart."

"Can you show us on the CCTV?"

Frances leant over and tapped a few buttons, the image changed to a live image of the bar area. Ben had his phone out and was asking for backup urgently, but no lights or sirens were to be used. Tammy looked at the others and folded her arms.

"I know, I know, I'm not going out there, Ben."

"We may have a problem, so far he hasn't committed a crime other than be associated with the failed abduction."

"So you want me as bait?"

Louise was plainly not happy.

"I'll be there and the other officers will be close by. If I know Frances, he'll probably call the shinty team too.

"Those nice lads? I've met them."

"Just walk out with Louise, smile and joke. I'll be a few feet behind."

They exited the office, the two girls talking loudly about a party that night, pure fantasy of course.

"I'm so glad you could be here Lou."

"Tammy, I wouldn't miss this."

As they approached the bar the man appeared, just as intended.

"Hello ladeez. Miss Smart?"

"How can I help you?"

"You come with me, quiet okay?" He produced a knife from under his jacket.

"I don't think so."

"Yes, now."

He waved the knife, Louise chopped his arm in one swift movement whilst two large gentlemen in sports style clothing pulled the offending idiot to the floor. DC Franklin moved forward to make the arrest then two uniformed officers finally entered from the street to cart him away.

It all took less than a minute. Louise took Tammy's hand, a visit to the toilet was needed. They just made it through the door when Tammy started to shake.

"Tammy, you did brilliant. Instead of there being no evidence they now have him for real offences that will stick, plus evidence of prior planning." Louise gave her a hug,

"I don't feel brilliant right now."

"Look, you've faced him and he's gone."

Emily came through the door. "There are two rather large gentlemen sat in the bar with orange juice who are saying nothing to anyone but it seems they were involved, unfortunately we couldn't see from where we were sat. That copper had a smile on his face when he went out the door too."

"He's gone?"

"Yes, but a uniformed officer is having a coffee near our table now. I brought your bag as you left it on your seat, get yourself straight then rejoin us."

Tammy had a wee first, then another quiet sob. Finally she washed and re-applied her spoilt face paint. Fixing a smile she walked back out with Emily and Louise. As they passed the bar the two shinty players spoke.

"Good afternoon Miss Smart."

"Thank you gents, again."

"Our pleasure."

A good number of heads turned as the three walked back to their table where their sandwiches awaited, it would seem that Frances had deliberately not served until Tammy was ready to return to Sarah and Emily, fresh drinks were also provided.

"We didn't ask for the refills and the staff haven't given us a bill, yet."

"I'll speak to Frances before we leave."

Before she started her food Tammy acknowledged a uniformed officer who was just leaving, DI Edmunds however, trying to blend in as a member of the public, was now sat nearby with an orange juice; Louise made small talk.

"How are you finding Thurso?"

"There's more going on here than I thought?"

"True enough, fancy coming up to the house later?"

"I might do."

"See you later, then." Louise turned back to the others who were now discussing the more amusing customers of the day.

She suddenly turned back to speak to the DI.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I have a video you might find useful, it'll be available later."

"Okay, thanks."

"Tammy, we need to speak to your father."

"I know, but not in here."

"Agreed.

They finished their lunch, Tammy tried to persuade Frances to supply a bill but he refused. Not willing to leave it like that she walked to the bar and asked the barman to put a twenty pound note in the staff tips box and supplied ten pounds extra "to keep these fine gentlemen supplied with orange juice."

"Thank you Miss." The barman dealt with the cash.

The two shinty players thanked her but then followed Tammy back to the table where everyone was putting jackets on.

"We understand you're leaving, would you ladies mind if we walked with you?"

"That's a very kind offer, thank you."

"It's no trouble at all. I know we're off duty but we are PCs Andrew & Neale Fraser when in uniform, Andy and Neale otherwise. Okay?"

With a nod of thanks to Frances the four ladies and two part-time shinty-playing police officers walked out into the snow. A few minutes later they were by their vehicles.

"Many thanks, guys, I'm hoping that it's all over?"

"We're on late duty for a couple of night so we'll keep our ears open and call the McPherson house if necessary."

"Thanks."

The pair stood there long enough to see the two pairs of ladies pull out of the carpark.

Tammy pulled her phone out to call her father, putting it on speaker.

"Dad, we're on our way but there was another incident."

"What!"

"Calm down Mr Smart, we were fully in control of the situation."

"I'm glad to hear it Louise."

"It seems Tammy has excellent backup in this town."

"I had noticed."

"ETA ten minutes."

"Okay."

Tammy ended the call as they climbed the hill towards the McPherson estate, it was close to three o'clock when they parked by the stables. Louise told Tammy to wait until she had walked around to the passenger side, before walking with her across to the house.

***

DI Edmunds and DC Ben Franklin arrived an hour later, a small meeting was convened in the study. DI Edmunds took the lead.

"Mr Smart, Miss Smart, we've positively identified today's assailant as Duran Kelmendi, a Kosovan. So far he's refusing to speak but his fingerprints were a match with a set in the Italian police database."

"Do you have enough to charge him?"

"Yes, but the more evidence we have the better."

"We can help," this was Louise, "the broach Tammy is wearing has a camera and a microphone. I've transferred the footage of the hotel incident onto a DVD for you." She handed it over.

"Thank you, Louise, but I'm afraid we'll need your full details for the chain of evidence, as well as a statement for the incident, you as well Tammy."

"I guessed that, Ben."

"We could do with footage from his walk along Grove Lane earlier, does the broach camera cover that?"

"No, but Sarah Bonney has cameras in the store, one is pointing straight out through the window, another monitors the doorway and window."

"I didn't know that and I work there!"

"Tammy, I'm paid to notice such things."

"Thank you, we'll visit her tomorrow morning."

"Now, my question is, am I safe?"

"We located your mother about an hour ago and are talking to her at a safe house; we're hoping she can give us real information this time that will identify the gang. When we have all of them the threat is neutralised."

Richard spoke next. "I tried Tara's phone about then, whilst Tammy and Louise were on their way up here, it's still switched off."

"We've got it at the moment but in any case she would be told not to put it on as it could be tracked."

"Right."

"We'll ask her to contact you when it's safe to do so."

"DI Edmunds, does she get due consideration to the charges she's facing if she co-operates?"

"That's not up to me Mr Smart."

"Oh well."

"Can we get on with the statements, please?"

 
 
Monday 29th December
 

Tammy was in town before eight thirty and went straight to Reids Bakery as usual, although this time Louise accompanied her. Debbie was there again.

"Hi Tammy, Louise."

"How do you know my name?"

"Well, Emily was talking to me last night ....."

As other customers walked in Debbie returned to a business-like approach and quickly served four pastries to Tammy. A minute later they were at the shop.

There had been no further snowfall overnight and the paths were now clear due to salt and grit. The sun was actually trying to brake through in a late dawn, Tammy actually felt it was going to be a good day.

The morning was steady, but at eleven Emily gave her farewells and walked out, heading for her car, almost walking straight into Yvonne Stewart.

"Mind where you're walking, girl!"

"Ms Stewart, you may have got away with that at Dundee Academy for Girls but here in Thurso it doesn't work, you're just rude. Apart from that you were the one looking into the shop window and not looking where you were going. Are you here to apologise?"

"The insolence!" She walked away, rapidly.

Emily put her head back inside the door. "I don't think you'll see her for a while, if ever."

Louise was wondering what it was all about, as it was quiet Tammy took her into the storeroom to talk.

"That woman, Yvonne Stewart, has just been appointed a deputy head at my school. I have tried to approach her but she's plainly rude and obnoxious, the problem is she's also the sister of Elsie's son-in-law.

"I see, what's her history?"

"I'm trying to get some background on her however I don't have a great deal yet. She made a scene in here a few days ago and insisted on not being served by me, Emily told her to leave the shop immediately. Emily will help when she's back in Dundee as she's at college with girls from Yvonne's last school."

"I see, I may be able to find something out myself."

They walked back into the shop and six ladies were picking through the sale stock, some of it landing on the floor. Tammy was out there, amongst them, trying to tidy the clothing in an ever fruitless battle. A few tried to ask Louise questions but her response was that she was Tammy's friend but was early for their lunchtime meet-up so had come to the shop to wait. That seemed to satisfy them.

Finally at twelve Sarah suggested Tammy took Louise off for lunch, with strict instructions to be back before one so Sandy could lunch as well. That way, she explained, the shop could stay open throughout.

The pair were out the door a minute later, choosing to head for Le Bistro instead. Given the events of the previous day they were very likely to be interrogated in the Castletown Hotel. Both ordered a seafood salad. Louise went back over the previous day's incident.

"You handled it very well yesterday."

"No I didn't, I was a wreck."

"Yes you did, what happened in the loo, afterwards, was understandable and a very normal reaction. The point is that whilst everything was going on you appeared to keep a cool head."

"I guess so."

"I say so."

The waitress returned with their drinks, pausing the conversation.

"When are you back at school?"

"Next Tuesday."

"Would you normally be going anywhere alone then?"

"Only into town on a Saturday to work at Sarah's Boutique as well as doing any shopping I need for myself."

"I see."

"What are you thinking?"

"That either in the next few days we'll know that the threat against you has gone otherwise you'll still need company from Friday night through to Sunday."

"Friday?"

"That's a potential girls night out."

"I forgot, that's what happens when you're living in a boarding school when you really can't go out in the evening any day of the week."

"But you're not a boarder any more and opportunities will come up, especially as you're plugged into the local girls' network now."

"So I might still be at risk next week, next month?"

"I didn't say that, but we need to clarify the situation within a few days before I and your dad make a decision about time beyond the fifth of Jan."

"Don't I get a say in the matter?"

"That's a conversation you should have with your father."

Whilst Tammy was pondering her response their food was delivered, meaningful vocal intercourse was suspended.

They were back at the shop in good time so Sarah was off to her own lunch before one o'clock, returning three quarters of an hour later.

"There's plenty of chat in the hotel about you."

"What have I done now?"

"No, it seems that not one of the customers yesterday saw anything before the guy was on the floor and being arrested, the suggestion is that you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The staff, of course, are saying nothing. The barman, in particular, will not be quizzed."

"Hmmm, I wonder why that is?"

"Young lady, do I detect that you influenced the barman?"

"Well, he'll be a good friend for a few weeks, and Frances is such a dear."

"And they reckoned you were a boy, bah!"

There was movement in the shop as the next gaggle of bargain hunters arrived, Sarah gave Tammy a sign to bring out the 'newly arrived' stock that had been prepared the previous day for staggered release. This was another range of tops that had actually been lurking, lost, in the back for almost a year.

Sarah again used the "Buy one, get one half-price" method which had the desired effect of that top being bought two at a time. In the space of half an hour she took four hundred pounds and was feeling happy, with the December takings so far she was close to clearing the overdraft that had almost seen her close the shop on the nineteenth of November due to the bank calling in the overdraft. How much more the discounting generated until it ended on the tenth of January was anyone's guess.

The rest of the afternoon saw another six hundred making the whole day close to two thousand pounds in a mix of card and cash transactions.

"Girls, I'll leave this in the safe and go there tomorrow morning instead. Tammy, could you ask Angela to come down tomorrow so perhaps we could train her? With Emily gone we could do a third pair of hands."

"She's been told to get a paid job by her mum."

"Ah, and I don't pay. Okay, leave that with me but can you still ask her to come down for the experience as it'll help her get a cashier job somewhere else."

"Sounds like a plan."

With the takings safely locked away they killed the lights and walked out into the night. Sarah had this time brought a larger bag in case of using the night safe but right now all it contained was an empty fabric cash bag and a roll of the see-through cash pouches. This was in her hand at the moment, her small bag was strung across her, under her jacket for protection.

Suddenly a man came up behind them and grabbed the larger bag, Sarah was irate! He pulled hard enough that he broke her grip but hadn't reckoned on Louise putting him in a hold on the ground.

"Tammy, could you be a dear and phone the police?"

Tammy used her phone to call 999, it didn't take long for officers to turn up.

"Good afternoon, Miss, what do we have here?"

It was Tammy's favourite double-act, the PC Fraser brothers. Now the would-be robber started making accusations of assault.

"He made a grab for Sarah's bag, no doubt thinking she was heading to the bank with the takings."

"It's a stitch up!" Came the voice from the cobbled roadway.

"By the way, that camera up there," she pointed to the semi hidden device, "should have the whole incident recorded."

"Thank you, we've been wondering when James Dougall, here, would try something. Only out of prison on Christmas Eve too. We'll need statements from everyone Miss Smart, Miss Bonney, best if we do that in the morning? We can collect the video as well."

"Sounds good to me." Sarah simply wanted to get home.

"We'll have to take the bag for now, I'm afraid.Could you get off Mr Dougall, please."

Louise stood carefully so the thief could be arrested, cuffed, and led away, still moaning. Sarah didn't know whether to laugh or cry after the attempted street robbery but was certainly grateful she hadn't lost the day's takings.

Of course, when told, Richard was not amused that Tammy had been involved in yet another incident, even if she wasn't the target. It did however, help her realise that females are more likely to be the victims of opportunist street robbery than males. Louise promised to teach her some defensive moves.

Tammy just remembered to send Angela a text about the following day but was asleep before any reply was received.