Part Twenty One   "Mrs Simpson"

 

 
Friday 30th January
 

Tammy's schoolweek ended with a classroom rehearsal for Macbeth. The group was becoming more comfortable with the roles, even those who normally shy away from making a fool of themselves. There had been a shuffling around of the actors and somehow Tony Jenkins had ended up as a witch. Of course he protested just enough to be told that Shakespeare's plays were almost exclusively performed by boys in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

More needed to be done at the end of the hour so, despite a tempting study period immediately before the weekend, all stayed in the room to continue the rehearsal. By the end of the second hour the improvement was very apparent.

What Tammy, and many other students, missed that afternoon was the police arriving at the school around two o'clock.

When Tammy had told her father, and Elsie about the breach of security, as they called it, all hell had broken loose. Elsie it seemed knew all the right people and was ready to declare war but Richard had sensibly warned her from taking revengeful action.

Suspicion had first fallen on the doctor's surgery but Dr Sutherland was initially shocked and then very willing to assist. What helped was that the receptionist was Dr Hoskins wife and had guarded her position for the previous thirty years without a sliver of information leaking, not even to the patient themselves at times.

The investigation moved to Sutherlands Pharmacy; Elsie is seemed knew Cynthia Sutherland and her husband Ron Sutherland. Both were pharmacists and had met whilst studying some thirty eight years earlier. They'd founded the pharmacy after graduation at a time when many businesses were leaving the Highlands. Like many family businesses they employed the younger generation as staff.

Working the counter on Tuesday afternoon had been Eric Muir, one of Cynthia and Ron's more distant nephews. When Elsie and Richard arrived to speak to Ron about Eric, Eric had started talking immediately.

Eric had failed college and needed money. His aunt and uncle initially only employed him two days a week in order to be fair to the other family members but Eric was finding it difficult to get employment elsewhere and that had crept up to five days most weeks.

He told of a visit by a school teacher from St Andrews who explained they were concerned some of the pupils might be using prescribed medication without notifying the school. Given that this was a boarding school the argument seemed genuine to Eric.

What he was asked to do was to photograph the prescriptions and send the photo to Julianne's email address. Because she was family he didn't see a problem. For every prescription he would receive ten pounds, not much but it wouldn't take much for a bug to sweep around the school and ten or twenty prescriptions could potentially pass through his hands.

He was paid by Paypal transfer and didn't know who was sending it, Julianne had just said that it wasn't her.

Naturally Elsie and Richard were alarmed but Ron and Cynthia were outraged.

"You've just put us out of business you greedy ........" Ron started coughing badly.

"Calm down dear."

"Don't you realise? The fine for a data breach is potentially huge and we'd lose our licences."

Eric's head dropped, Richard later reported to Tammy. He said he'd advised the Sutherlands that the Police had to be brought in, regardless of their concern for self-preservation.

Given that this was a whole-school matter Tammy's involvement in the case was considered to be minor so she'd not been asked to become involved. She'd seen Julianne 'Radio' Sutherland in the school on Thursday and again Friday morning but they hadn't needed to speak, thankfully.

Tammy was by her locker, changing her sensible shoes for a pair of knee high boots.

"Did you see?"

"See what, Angela?"

"The police were here for that girl in the office."

"What girl?" Tammy could guess but chose not to.

"The new one, who started last year."

"Julianne?"

"That's her. So you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"She was arrested."

"What for?"

"I don't know, none of us do."

"So it could be for non-payment of a parking ticket?"

"Do they do that? Send four officers including plain clothed ones if you don't pay a parking ticket?"

"I was making that up."

"Oh."

"Look, Angela, we'll find out in due course what it's all about. I need to go as I want to catch that minibus, I'll see you at the theatre tomorrow."

"Okay, bye."

Back at the house Tammy wasn't learning anything about that day's arrest. What she did know, so far, was mostly just questions without answers. While she'd been at school the twins, Alison and Andrea, had left to return to London so the house would be a little quieter.

"Tammy, you need to get changed."

"Why Dad?"

"We're eating with your mother."

Tammy had completely forgotten that her mother, Tara, had been due to arrive in Thurso that afternoon, about an hour and a half earlier. She needed an early night but that wasn't going to happen right now. Tammy shed her clothes as she walked into the shower cubicle.

Looking in the mirror after she stepped out Tammy had a bit of a fright and wished the twins were still there for advice. Sitting on her top lip was dark stubble, not much of it but it was very much there. She'd had a little light fluff there before but Joanne had tidied that up on recent visits. Tammy certainly didn't recall seeing anything in the mirror that morning, but had she looked closely enough? How had she looked whilst at school?

She used one of her razors, the ones mostly used for tidying up legs between tortures, and did her best to improve her appearance. Unfortunately she nicked herself and was now bleeding onto the vanity.

Tammy would have sworn but it would have been wasted without an audience. She grabbed a wad of toilet tissue and retreated to her bed, waiting for the bleeding to stop.

To her, the phrase 'late onset' might as well have meant 'never'. The phone rang.

"Are you ready yet?"

"NO!" She slammed the phone down and started to cry, no longer worrying that blood was dripping onto her towel.

If Richard had come to her room he certainly didn't enter, it was Elsie who walked in and sat next to Tammy on the bed.

"Now, now, Tammy, this is not worthy of a strop."

"It's so unfair. Everyone will see."

"Lots of women get facial hair, you just deal with it."

"Great, so I have to include shaving in my morning routine?"

"You might have to, for a while. Angela has to shave as well, but she's not making a song and dance about it."

"But Elsie, I'm supposed to see my mother today for the first time since ...." she waved her hand around, "since we went to London in December and I want, no need, to be a daughter to her. Looking like some half-and-half is not an option."

"And you won't. It's stopped bleeding now so I'll fetch some witch hazel. Get some underwear on and blow dry your hair before it dries by itself. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks Elsie."

***

Jonathon drove Richard and Tammy to the Castletown Hotel, arriving just after five thirty.

"Good evening Miss Smart, Mr Smart, Mrs Simpson is by the bar. Can I take your coats?"

"Thank you Frances." Richard didn't seem fazed but Tammy was confused for a moment until she remembered that her mother had reverted to her maiden name. She was obviously booked into the hotel under that name.

Tammy had finally opted for jeans, albeit smart ones, so as not to look over-dressed. She decided that going all out to look ūber girly shouldn't be needed, even if it was only the second occasion Tara had knowingly met her own daughter.

Tara Simpson was sat at the bar on a stool trying to hold a conversation with the barman.

"Your daughter has arrived."

"My, daugh... oh, thank you." She turned to see her ex-husband and daughter approaching.

"Hello, Richard, you're late."

"Tara, you should know that the female of the species takes longer to get ready." He didn't say how many times he'd had to wait for her over the years.

Any comeback by her was halted by France's re-appearance.

"Would you like a table in the restaurant?"

"No thank you Frances, we'll just have a drink here then we're going elsewhere to eat."

"Would you like me to make a reservation for you, Sir?"

"Yes please, six thirty at Le Bistro."

"Certainly."

As yet there had been no contact between mother and daughter, with Tammy still unsure how this would end. She chose a table near the bar and sat down, her father joined Tammy straight away and her mother made feigned noises of discomfort as she stepped from the barstool and walked over.

"I'm not getting any younger." Tammy was uncertain if that was meant to be a statement of the bleeding obvious or sarcastic or a plea for sympathy. In the end she said nothing and didn't give an obvious non verbal reaction.

The barman came to them and took their drinks orders, Tammy and her father both opting for a fruit juice at this early juncture. Tara refilled her white wine spritzer. Nothing was said until the barman was a respectable distance away.

"How is school, dear?"

"Fine, mum."

"Do you have another year there?"

"No, I leave in June."

"Silly me."

There was silence for a short while as the barman returned with the drinks.

"What are you studying, I've forgotten?"

"Maths, English Literature, English Language and Business Studies."

"Oh, that's right."

"I'm in another play."

"You've already been in one?"

"Yes, West Side Story, the first performance was just after our trip to London in December."

"How did it go?"

"We filled the local theatre for five performances and had great reviews." Tammy and Richard decided not to tell Tara about any of Tammy's recent troubles. Talk of Angela and Joan was also off the agenda, unless Tara raised it.

"What is the new one?"

"Macbeth."

"Are you a witch?"

"No mother," Tammy paused and looked at her father, wearing a wry smile, "I'm playing Lady Macbeth."

"I'd like to see it."

"It's on over the May Day weekend but I have rehearsals in the morning."

"I thought you helped that Bonney woman on a Saturday?"

"I do, I'm not due at the theatre until ten."

They all took a long sip at their drinks. Frances walked over to them.

"Your table is booked, Mr Smart. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No thank you, Frances."

Two gentlemen walked into the bar and took up positions at the bar. "Good evening Miss."

"Good evening officers."

"We're not on duty."

"Sorry, force of habit. This is my mother." Tammy indicated, as if necessary. "Mother, these gentlemen are my personal protection team."

"Protection?"

One of the boys spoke "We're pleased to meet you Mrs Smart. I believe your daughter is exaggerating somewhat, we help any pretty lady in need of assistance."

"T-T-Tammy, are you known to everyone?"

"Not everyone, plainly, but I work in a popular shop, have appeared on stage in front of many townsfolk and had my photo in the local paper so it's not strange when I'm recognised."

"I thought, under the circumstances, you would have kept a low profile?"

"I didn't get a chance, but Dad did his best to protect me."

That earned a scowl from Tara.

The bar was filling up with people, some on their way home and some on their way out. Cathy Stewart née McPherson walked past, on her way to the ladies.

"Hi Tammy."

"Hi Cathy."

Cathy didn't stop moving, obviously a lady on a mission.

"Who was that?"

"That, mum, was Cathy Stewart. I was a bridesmaid at her wedding last November."

"Last November? But you were a..."

"Mum, enough of that unless you want to embarrass yourself."

"Don't talk to me like that and don't interrupt me!"

Richard stood up, indicating to Tammy, who grabbed her bag, that she should do the same.

"Tara, unless you're going to be civil and fully accepting then we'll leave. I tried to tell you this afternoon that it might be easier to say nothing rather than saying something you would instantly regret."

Tammy's mother fumed whilst the pair stood there. Frances wasn't far away and was ready to collect their coats should it be necessary.

"I'm sorry."

Richard went to sit back down but Tammy remained standing.

"I need the loo." Tammy could have waited but this was a strategic withdrawal. She met Cathy who was just coming out of the Ladies and gestured her to go back in.

"Your mother?"

"Yes. The evening is going downhill fast, just not as fast as the last time we met."

"I heard about that from Alison. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm hoping the pair of them will act like adults while I'm in here."

"Unlikely, but you can hope."

"Thanks Cathy." Tammy dashed into a vacant cubicle.

When she made it back to the table, after checking the concealer was still doing its' job, it looked as if an armistice had been declared.

"I'm sorry dear, that lady told me how you saved her wedding when the other bridesmaids couldn't get there." A slight stretching of the truth.

"It was very last minute but I'm so glad I had the opportunity, like any girl would I suppose."

"What was the dress like?"

"Mine or the bride's?"

"Your's."

"Ivory, with a tartan sash."

"Are there any photos?"

"A few but I haven't any, I'll see what I can do."

"Please."

"I'll get some from the theatre too, there is also a video of West Side Story."

"Which part did you play?"

"Anita."

"Oh, right." Tara didn't seem to be familiar with the play.

"Tara, Tammy, how about we walk round to Le Bistro."

Frances was in attendance very quickly with coats. Of course, Tammy had to greet many folk who were scattered around the hotel's bar. Some enquiries were related to the shop move, some about the forthcoming play and one or two asking if the lady was her mother.

They escaped onto the street and walked the short distance to Le Bistro. Tammy was less well known in here and the atmosphere would be more subdued than in the hotel. Being less well-known didn't stop the manager asking Tammy to sign a programme from West Side Story.

"Merci, merci. We were there for the Saturday matinée and were so pleased with the performance, more so considering Friday's events.

He left happy whilst Tara was confused.

"Friday's events?"

"We had problems with two customers that night plus an out of control car in the carpark. Around here that would make it a very busy night. In London it would be considered a quiet night."

"I suppose it would."

The meal continued but by eight Tammy was clearly tired.

"Sorry Mum, but I need to get to bed."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

Richard had phoned Jonathon a few minutes earlier, just in case. They walked Tara back to the hotel where they would wait for their driver.

As they got into the rear of the Range Rover Tammy spotted Julianne Sutherland walking with someone who looked familiar. She asked her father to look but the pair had disappeared around a corner.