Part Thirty Eight   "Knock, knock"

 

 
Saturday 28th February (Continued)
 

Richard came running out of the hotel, along with many of the customers. The street was filling up with people, suddenly a tannoy was heard.

"This is Chief Inspector Brown, please stay calm. Please keep away from the Meadow Lane carpark until further notice."

"Tammy, I'm still here, can you confirm your last?" Sophie was still on the other end of the phone.

"My last what? Oh, about the car exploding? Hang on."

She turned to her father.

"Could that have been our car?"

"It would be a bleeding miracle, the Freelander has a Diesel engine."

"Oh, so what could it have been?"

"I don't know and you shouldn't speculate."

Tammy spoke to Sophie, but only to end the call. She started to walk.

"Where are you going?"

"To see what's up."

"Didn't you hear Iain's announcement?"

"Yes, but ..."

"but .... it doesn't apply to you?"

"Well, I thought ..."

"... you thought wrong. If he needs you he'll get you. Come inside for dessert, we plainly can't go home yet."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Because I've been through this sort of thing before. I was working in the City on the weekend desk in April 1993 when the Bishopsgate bomb went off. There wasn't much warning and the information I received was vague, but I got out. You worried about everything else afterwards, when it was safe to go back - if the building was still there."

"Was that bad?"

"Only one person died but it took months to recover, over a year before some buildings were back in use."

"Oh, so another hour here wouldn't seem so bad?"

"No, would you like some ice cream?"

They returned to their table and Tammy adopted the Gallic shrug as an answer to most questions, guessing was no longer a sensible option, plus it was much more safe than opening her mouth. So much for suggesting that Angela watches what she says.

By the time Tammy had finished her Lemon Meringue Pie she was mellowed. DC Franklin found then at their table.

"Mr Smart, could you move your car please?"

"So it didn't explode?"

"No, the robot knocked the tracker off your car without any trouble, unfortunately it seems that someone left the butane gas turned on in a motorhome that was parked on the South side of the carpark. It may have been an electrical fault, or a kettle that burnt dry, but the cylinder went up. It was a bit of a surprise to us, and to the owner."

"Oh, it sounded more than that."

"You've never seen or heard one of those cylinders go up before? It's an awful lot of compressed flammable gas. I have to go, take care Tammy."

"Thanks Ben."

Angela was in two minds whether to go back to the salon to have her nails done, but Tammy decided she could do with a trim anyway. Richard and Joan tagged along to see what the score was.

"Now Tammy, it looks like a few more of my appointments won't make it because of a security alert, Joanne's waiting for you plus Tanya is practising her nail craft today. That's at your own risk and not covered by our insurance, by the way, it's also half price."

Tammy waved bye to her parents and walked towards the side room whilst Angela shook her head and decided to leave her nails as they were.

"Tammy, we'll go. One of us will be down later for you."

"Okay."

Joanne wasn't going to take any prisoners today.

"Spring is around the corner, you'll be in short sleeves and bare legs before you know it. I have plenty of time so we'll do the works!"

"It isn't that long since ..."

"Rubbish, Tammy. You've obviously had a hormone issue as there's much more hair than there would normally be. Strip!"

***

It was just before four when Tammy left the salon. It seems her parents hadn't gone home but had instead gone over to the Tesco at Wick and wouldn't be back for a while. She first went to an ATM to restock her cash supply, wary of everyone nearby, before doing some shopping.

Tammy needed some everyday clothes, suitable for the warmer weather. That mostly meant tops but she also needed some new undies and hosiery. A trip to the chemist also restocked her pads, she'd used her supply after her recent operation.

Suitably laden she made it to Sarah's shop just before five.

"I'm about to lock up, Tammy."

"I didn't know how late it was."

"Like the hair."

"Sandy's just done it." Tammy flashed her nails. "Tanya practised on me."

"Will they be allowed in school?"

"I don't know, I never considered it."

"Sophie wasn't allowed anything more than plain colours, I don't think those designs would be suitable at her school, and that's a common policy from what I know."

"I don't think there's a policy, I'll have to see what mum says."

"I doubt if the governors or senior staff would have considered it, not if they're all men."

"True." Tammy laughed.

"Give me a few minutes to lock up, I need to go to the night safe and drop the takings, I haven't had a chance for a few days."

"Okay, I'll let dad know what I'm doing."

Tammy quickly called, they were on their way over.

"Don't leave the shop yet, but make sure the door's locked. I'll walk to the bank with you as it's dark."

"Thanks Dad, I'll let Sarah know."

She locked the door and started to bring the window blinds down when a man tried the door, shaking the double doors. He was wearing a balaclava with just a slit for his eyes. There was something familiar.

"Open the door!"

"We're closed, go away." She caught sight of a blade in one of his hands. "Go away before we call the Police, Jeremy."

Sarah had come from the back and was holding a cash bag, Jeremy must have spotted it as he rattled the door harder, perhaps trying to force it open.

"Call the police Sarah."

Sarah dialled 999 and started to give details to the Police operator but hadn't heard Tammy call his name.

One of the doors wasn't taking the bashing too well and Tammy thought it might burst open. She saw lights outside, followed by shouting. The voice was her father's. Jeremy now turned and ran so Richard came to the door.

"Dad, go to the rear door!"

Tammy lowered the blind that covered the shop doors. In the distance sirens could be heard, Sarah had now put the phone down.

"I gave a description of him, but it might not be good enough."

"His name is Jeremy, he used to work in the bank."

"Oh, why didn't you say?"

"I did."

"Oh. Do you still want to go to the bank?"

"I have to, I don't want to leave it on the premises until Monday, especially if that door's dodgy. I'll give the guys a call and see if they can get here tomorrow." She sighed, "that's more expense."

"Okay, my dad's coming around the back, let's get ready."

They checked the cameras and picked up their bags before unlocking the door as Richard pulled up outside.

"Get in."

Tammy waited until Sarah had locked the door, after setting the alarm, before climbing into the car. Richard engaged the central locking just as their masked raider ran up. A police car was just coming around the corner while Jeremy tried the door next to Tammy. Richard pulled away hard, knocking Jeremy to the ground.

Richard stopped a short distance away as an officer had arrived to detain Jeremy.

"Drop me off Dad, I'll explain to the officer what's going on, take Sarah to the bank."

"Okay Tammy, I'll come straight back here."

"Right."

Tammy stepped out of the car and walked over to the officer, who was now joined by PC Trethgarwyn, whom she recognised from that morning.

"Hello Miss, we're busy."

"I know, but I'm the witness and you haven't asked what he was doing."

"We'd need to speak to the boss, but he drove off."

"That was my father and he's not the boss. I own the shop so you deal with me."

PC Trethgarwyn laughed. "You own it? I should nick you for wasting police time."

"Have it your way, I'll call Chief Inspector Brown and he'll arrange that transfer to cattle control he mentioned this morning. Oh, and my friends in Cornwall seem to know your family."

Tammy could see rage in his eyes, but he wouldn't say anything as PC Stuart St James was walking over.

"Hello Miss Smart, I see we have another issue with young Jeremy?"

"Is he on bail for the last incident?"

"I believe he is, have you told this officer what happened?"

"Unfortunately this sexist bigot wasn't interested in the story from me and threatened to nick me for wasting police time."

"Oh dear. PC Trethgarwyn, take yourself back to the station with the prisoner then wait for me."

"He had trouble with Iain Brown this morning too."

"Thanks Miss Smart, I'm acting sergeant today so I'll review his bodycam footage. Can you let me know what happened?"

Tammy described the events and had just finished when Sarah returned with her father.

"Ah good, is there any CCTV of the incident?"

"Yes, do you want Sarah to do that now?"

"No, but can we see you tomorrow morning?"

Sarah agreed to meet him at eleven, Tammy checked with her father and agreed to be there as well.

"Now Miss Smart, do you think he was targeting you?"

"I can't see how, I think he was opportunistic seeing as Sarah is almost always alone when she closes the store. He couldn't have known I would be here."

"Thank you. I'll see the three of you tomorrow, good evening."

Acting sergeant St James walked back to his own car and set off for the police station. Richard dropped Sarah by her own car before they drove home.

"I like your hair Tammy."

"Thanks Dad!"

Richard looked back at the Land Rover as they walked towards the house, suddenly he turned and went back to it.

"Damn."

"What is it, Dad?"

"A scratch. It survives a bomb scare and an exploding caravan intact then some idiot with a knife ruins the paintwork!"

 
Sunday 1st March
 

"Good morning Tammy."

"Hi Linda, what are we doing today?

"I'd like to go up to Scrabster then back past here into Wick. We'll see what time we have left after that."

"I've never driven into Scrabster before, and I think I've only been there twice."

"When you're learning to drive, every road is new even if you've walked it or cycled it before. Let's see if we can do a constant fifty along the straight stretches."

"Okay."

They set off, after Tammy had stalled the car, and soon gained speed as they drove north-east. Just outside of the town a turning to the left was signposted Dounreay.

"I'm going there on Friday."

"To Dounreay?"

"To the Vulcan place."

"My brother-in-law worked there."

"What does he do?"

"He helped excavate a new chamber."

"Explosives?"

"Yes, he's qualified for that but works on a trawler at the moment."

They continued down towards the quayside, Linda told Tammy to pull up in a small carpark.

"I thought there would be a ferry here?"

"It's probably only just left Stromness, there'll be fewer sailings today because it's Sunday. I wouldn't have brought you this way during the week as the traffic can be lousy at times."

"Okay, what are we going to do?"

"We'll practise some manoeuvres."

For the next twenty minutes Tammy reversed around corners, parked, pulled away, parked and so on.

"We won't have enough time to go into Wick, will we?"

"No, but your mum has booked some double lessons over Easter."

"So I understand but I don't know which days."

"I'll email them, can I have your email address?"

Tammy reached into her bag and pulled out one of her business cards.

"Tamara Smart Properties?"

"Yes, that's my business."

"But you're still at school?"

"I know, Dad suggested I bought a property and it went from there."

"What's the property?"

"Sarah's Boutique."

"Oh. The one that just opened?"

"Yes, I'm refurbishing the flat above the shop ready to let it, although I haven't seen what mess the police made yet."

"I thought your name was Small?"

"That's mum's name, she's my step-mum."

"Oh."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, let's get back."

Linda directed Tammy around some of the narrow streets before getting back onto the main A9 road to Thurso. They were held up behind a convoy of trucks that had joined the road at the Dounreay junction.

Tammy was frustrated but daren't show it as the convoy moved at thirty five miles an hour on a road that was good for sixty. By the time they pulled off the road there was a substantial queue of traffic built up. They were also late so Linda drove away as soon as Tammy had vacated the driver's seat.

"Was it a good drive?"

"Hi Mum, yes, but there's something strange going on and I can't put my finger on it."

"Well, don't get wound up thinking everyone's out to get you!"

"I shall not! Any chance of a coffee?"

"The kettle's in the kitchen, try there."

***

Tammy drove her father in her Mini Cooper into the town for their eleven o'clock meeting. Acting Sergeant Stuart St James saw them pull up at to the rear of the shop.

"I hope you have that properly insured?"

"Best ask the boss, I don't understand such things."

Sarah arrived a moment later, quickly followed by a locksmith. "Let's go in."

Sarah showed the officer the CCTV controls whilst she directed the locksmith to the damaged door. With the lights on and the door open, it didn't take long for shoppers to arrive. Sarah told the first two she was closed but decided that business was business. As only one of them could give a statement at a time that meant either Tammy or Sarah was free to look after the shop. Of course that meant opening the safe to retrieve the tray for the cash register.

Soon it was Tammy's turn to explain what she'd witnessed.

"What's going to happen to Jeremy?"

"Well Miss, it would be wrong for me to speculate but I doubt if the procurator fiscal will grant bail when he goes to court in the morning."

"Stranger things have happened before!"

"Quite, that's why I shouldn't speculate. That bodycam footage from yesterday was quite revealing, he does seem to have an attitude problem unfortunately."

"I don't want to see anyone hurt over a few words."

"Well, he is on report and will have to see the Chief Inspector tomorrow."

All the statements were done by twelve thirty but he had to wait for Sarah to burn a copy of the CCTV footage onto a disc, something she rarely did.

Sarah eventually closed the store at one, having taken a few hundred pounds. It seems that the sunshine had brought a few into town for lunch.

"Not bad for two hours. Don't forget that Penny Lane is here on Friday."

"I won't, bye."

"Bye."

Back home, with lunch out of the way, Tammy checked her emails. In amongst the usual supply of dross and advertising was one with the dates of the double driving lessons. What was curious was that it wasn't from Linda Young, but Linda Trethgarwyn.