Part   Twelve   "Linda"

 
Thursday 20th April 2017 (Continued)
 

"Lyndon's - err - Linda's father is already on the way, Mum? I thought he wasn't going to be up here before the weekend?"

"We had a call from his wife, apparently she didn't agree to anything and they had a huge argument. She didn't want her son, or daughter, pulled out just before the exam season starts as it would ruin their life."

"At least she's not going along with this, but haven't you applied for a court order to protect Linda?"

"I spoke to the school's solicitor, there's insufficient grounds so far."

"Do you think we can sit down and discuss it with him when he gets here?"

"Linda's mother now thinks he took their shotgun with him as it's not in the gun cabinet."

"Did she see him leave with it?"

"No, she only noticed a few hours ago and he sometimes leaves it elsewhere."

"Oh, when is he due?"

"Tonight, coming up by train and then hiring a car apparently, she doesn't know which station he's using or what time he might get here."

"Are the police aware?"

"Yes, but they simply said to lock the gates and to phone if he turns up armed."

"He could be stopped on a train or at a railway station if he's carrying a shotgun with intent to threaten?"

"But we don't know which station he's using, or which trains he's catching, Tammy."

"Great. What if Linda isn't at the school? Perhaps on a trip?"

"It's difficult to arrange something like that at no notice?"

"Not if she's at Cathy's place learning about forest management from the gamekeepers? I'm sure Daisy's clothes would fit her."

"Well Lyndon is doing Environmental Studies as one of his subjects."

"So that's believable."

"Yes. I'll get Mike Thompson to agree it and then work with Cathy."

"What would you like me to do?"

"Can you be at Cathy's, stay the night there if necessary, so that you can re-assure Linda? Officially, only Mike, myself and you know the full circumstances."

"Sure, Mum, I'll collect a few bits and head over there. If Cathy says she can't help, let me know."

"Will do, thanks."

Tammy stopped at her office and put in an hour's work just to keep the business ticking over. There were a few applications for the vacant office job but the deadline for applications was a week away so she saved the few that had arrived, although she didn't recognise any of the names.

Whilst there she sent her solicitor the videos of Lorna damaging her car, plus a summary of events so far. Tammy then remembered to go back through the car videos for the whole day, and not just the time slots she'd previously looked at. Tammy started playing the front camera's recordings at the time she'd driven into the carpark on Tuesday morning, but hadn't seen anything. She then played the rear camera for the same time period.

This time she spotted Lorna and Corrine trying to hide behind her car as she was waiting for a parking space. Lorna was pointing at the car, then was scanning the surrounding area with her finger.

Tammy saved this clip, then sent it to Sgt Stuart St James as well as her solicitor.

Finally, Tammy accessed the safe and withdrew both weapons, placing them carefully into her bag. She made a mental note to store her firearms elsewhere as her new office manager would likely need access to the safe and shouldn't know about any extra-curricular activities.

Tammy parked behind Dunbankin' and went to her room to check with Cathy.

"Has Lyndon, I mean Linda, arrived?"

"Yes, she's upstairs with Daisy and Florence."

"Excellent, I'll grab a few things then I'll be over."

"I know what your mum said but is that necessary?"

"It's a precaution, but I'd also like to get to know Linda a little better and reassure her that she's safe."

"Okay, I suppose it's just one more mouth to feed!"

Tammy packed an overnight bag, then added a second set of clothes as a precaution. She showered and dressed in a skirt and top before heading downstairs, right now she didn't need to look threatening if she was to win Linda's trust. She told Pru where she was going then took one of the golf carts through the connecting gate to the McPherson home.

Tammy was met at the rear door by the butler, Thomas. Tammy asked if she could deposit something in his safe.

"Of course, Miss Smart, I'll be happy to help."

She handed over the Glock 19, which he secured.

"Will madam be carrying anything else?"

"Yes, Thomas, my Glock 26, but that will be in my bag." Tammy unnecessarily patted the small shoulder bag she was carrying.

"Does Madam McPherson know you are carrying weapons?"

"No, and it's best that Cathy and the girls don't."

"Understood, Miss Smart. Are we expecting trouble?"

"I hope not, we have moved the young lady here to avoid trouble at the school. My hope is that the issue will be dealt with quietly and well away from here. Could you advise the groundsmen that the main gate is to be shut, as a precaution?"

"That has already been taken care of, Miss Smart. Let me show you to your room."

Thomas insisted on carrying Tammy's overnight bags. She'd barely made it to the door of the Rose Room before there was a scream.

"Aunt Tammy!"

"Hi girls, just give me a moment to get settled."

"We'll help!"

"I know you want to, Daisy, but I don't want anything creased. Please give me a moment."

"Did you bring a swim suit?"

"Yes."

"Oh good! We can go swimming" She took the hand of the new girl, "Linda, let me find you something you can wear ...."

Tammy hadn't seen Florence yet and barely caught sight of a timid Linda outside her room before the latest feminine St Andrews student was dragged away.

She changed into a plain black one piece and wrapped herself in a cotton dressing gown before re-opening her door. Daisy was just coming out of her room, Linda was in tow wearing a luminous green swimsuit. She didn't look happy.

Tammy remembered the first time she'd worn a woman's swimsuit, she hadn't felt as if it fitted her, but had been desiring the experience for so long she had put aside any doubts. It had helped that this was the same pool they were using today.

"Daisy, I'd like to have a chat with Linda? Go and change."

Tammy shut the door after inviting Linda into her room.

"I'm scared, Miss Smart."

"Firstly, Linda, my name is Tammy although Daisy calls me 'Aunt' Tammy. Secondly, what scares you?"

"Everything."

Tammy sat on the bed and patted a space next to herself. Linda sat but was starting to shiver; Tammy told the girl to wait whilst she fetched a towel.

"Put that over your shoulders, you can take it down to the pool when we go down there."

"I didn't see a pool when I arrived?"

"It's in the basement. So, what's the scary issues?"

"No-one has told me why I was taken out of school this afternoon, or why Florence and Daisy had to come with me?"

"Typical, no-one's said anything?"

"No. Whose house is this?"

"Cathy McPherson owns the house, Florence and Daisy are her adopted children. This house has been in the McPherson family for over a century."

"There's a memorial in the main hall at school to an Elsie McPherson."

"Elsie was Cathy's mother, she was a close friend of mine and she looked after me when I first transitioned. This room was my bedroom for several months."

"That doesn't explain why I'm here?"

"Maybe not, but I can assure you that this house is safe."

"You're talking in riddles, Tammy, what's going on?"

"You're hiding here until tomorrow, probably. We've been told your father is on his way here."

"I know, I told that to Mrs Smart."

"Well, your mum phoned up the school later and said he might have shotgun with him, she didn't agree with what he was doing, or of the suggestion you left school. My guess is she didn't go along with burning your clothes stash either."

"There were only a few nice things that actually fitted me, the rest was stuff I couldn't wear but I dare not put in the rubbish."

"Well, we'll have to let you develop a proper wardrobe?"

"I had a very small allowance and, even if Dad lets me do my exams here next month, there's no way he'll pay for the sixth form. I guarantee my room will be searched daily when I get home."

"Well, as you're over sixteen your view matters. That's the law!"

"Dad does things his own way, he always has done."

"Well, right now he's probably on his way to the school with a shotgun. That's why you're in this house and not in the school."

"It doesn't explain why I'm wearing this."

"Well, this way you can be a girl for a few days."

"But what's Dad going to say? What's he going to do when I'm not at the school?"

"So far as your form tutor and all of your fellow students are concerned, you've been given a two day special trip because of your Environmental Science course. That puts you back in school by Saturday, which is when your parents initially said they'd be in Thurso."

"He won't believe that."

"He won't have much choice, and if he thinks that a shotgun will open doors, forget it."

"Still?"

There was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Come on, Linda, let's go swimming."

"But?"

"Enjoy it, it's just us girls this afternoon."

Florence tore herself away from her revision and joined them for the half an hour before Anna arrived with important news.

"Dinner is in twenty five minutes."

There was a groan from Daisy but all made their way towards the poolside showers.

"Who was she?"

"'She', Linda, is one of the staff here. Her name is Anna and she was Elsie's chambermaid. Rinse off here then wrap yourself and put back on the clothes you were wearing earlier."

"Where?"

"In Daisy's room? Use the bathroom if you need to."

"Is she like me, and you?"

"Errr, no."

"Can I use your room?"

"Hmmm, okay."

They hurried upstairs. Tammy wanted to take a proper shower and wash her hair but Linda had raced ahead to collect her clothes and had now bolted herself in Tammy's bathroom. The time was quarter to six, dinner was at six.

Tammy removed her swimsuit and slipped the dressing gown back on. She brushed her hair out, wondering if she'd get her shower. Her phone was flashing so she picked it up whilst waiting for the bathroom.

1715:Police have identified Linda's father bought a ticket to Inverness using a credit card but haven't been able to identify exactly which train he's on. No news on any car hire yet

1725:Police cannot find any record of a car being hired in his name

Tammy replied:

Is it possible he'll continue onto Thurso and buy a ticket on the train? One train is due right now and the next is gone ten tonight. I suggest locking the school gates

Joan replied a minute later:

1749:We've come to the same conclusion, I'll head home at seven assuming nothing happens

By the time Linda reappeared there wasn't enough time for Tammy to do anything for herself. Linda, however, was not ready for the dinner table.

"I guess you haven't had much experience with girls' clothes?"

"Not really."

"Hold your arms up, I need to take the dress off you."

"Why?"

"Two things, it's back to front and I can see you have twisted straps."

"I couldn't work out how to ..... and there wasn't a label to tell me which way round the dress went."

"It's in the seam in the left side. Arms up!"

A few minutes later Linda was more presentable. "You're good to go."

"What about you, Tammy?"

"Well, my hair still needs washing and I really need to wash everywhere else as well."

"Oh, I hogged your bathroom!"

"Yes, you did."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry!" Linda started to cry, it didn't take long for Daisy to knock.

"Why are you crying Linda?"

"I messed up, Daisy, Aunt Tammy didn't get a shower."

"Oh. Leave that with me!"

Daisy went out of the door and straight downstairs, Florence went after her "No, Daisy, don't!"

Tammy gave up.

"Look, Linda, I'm going to have my shower regardless. I have no idea what's going on but please give my apologies to Cathy, but I'll be late for dinner."

Tammy turned and went into the bathroom, locking the door. She turned on the water and a few seconds later was under it.

Ten minutes later she had a hair dryer to her head when her bedroom door opened, revealing Cathy.

"I knocked but I guess you didn't hear it?"

Tammy had by now shut off the dryer, and when looking at her phone for the time, noticed that she'd missed a call.

"Your mum called the house phone, the security lights have gone on by the school gates but the grounds staff didn't see anything."

"So it could be nothing?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'll get dressed and I'll come down for dinner, sorry I'm late."

"Daisy went to the kitchen and put a hold on the meal, she explained what happened and Linda is very embarrassed."

"She's new to this, all of it, and doesn't know how to react."

"That's clear, much like yourself?"

"I guess so."

"So, make yourself presentable and we'll eat shortly."

"Cathy, why didn't Linda have her own room?"

"We hadn't got around to it, trust Daisy to put a spanner in the works! I'll ask Anna to make a room available."

Tammy finished her hair then redressed in the skirt and top she'd arrived in, she arrived downstairs as the clock approached six thirty.

Daisy spent dinner time trying to get Linda to open up. Although they were in the same school year it seemed they didn't know each-other. Tammy put this down to Linda's shyness and wish to stay under the radar. As soon as dinner was over Florence made a beeline for the stairs, to continue her revision.

"Daisy, don't you have revision to do as well?"

"Yes, Linda and I can do it between us."

That left just Cathy and Tammy.

"Where's Michael?"

"He's working in Wick and will eat at work."

"Working, what does he do?"

"He's the manager of the new gay bar that opened last month."

"I saw something about that opening. How did he get the job?"

"He bought the place with his share of Elsie's legacy."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"You never asked, plus we haven't seen you very often."

They walked into the lounge where an open fire was burning.

"How's your life, Tammy?"

"Not great at times. It looks like I make enemies easily but can't get or keep friends."

"It would help if you called every now and again."

"Sure, sorry."

"Forgiven, but what's this about your car?"

"It's a local issue that's being dealt with. Two girls have been arrested for criminal damage."

"Nothing more than that?"

"It's something to do with boyfriends and has been brewing for a while. It boiled over this week."

"I hope you won't be taking the law into your own hands, Tammy?"

"Not at all, Cathy, this is in the hands of the police and my solicitor."

"Good."

Tammy's phone started to ring.

"Hi mum."

"Tammy, it's gone seven and nothing's going on. Mike's told me to go home."

"Fair enough. I guess there's no more calls from the mother?"

"No, how's Linda?"

"Getting the full Daisy treatment!"

"Okay, we'll talk in the morning."

"Sure, bye mum."

Tammy put her phone down.

"I reckon this is a lot of fuss about nothing?"

"Perhaps, Cathy, but a child's life could be ruined in so many ways depending on how we handle the next twenty-four hours."

"But nothing's happened at the school?"

"There's another train at ten tonight."

"Anyone going into that school in the dead of night needs their head examined!"

"The gates are locked, so perhaps nothing will happen but he could still be in Inverness, or even further South. Damn, I should have asked mum if Linda's parents had been here before."

"Surely they must have?"

"Not necessarily, there were boys in my year who never saw their parents unless they flew to Geneva or Strasbourg."

"But don't they check out the place before sending their children up here?"

"The school holds regional meetings for parents and guardians who are interested, there's a wealth of material available on the website as well."

"I don't think my school could operate without the parents' support?"

"My guess is that just about all the children in your school were born in the town?"

"That used to be true, but there's a few Sassenachs now, as well as those from further afield. All of the families come into school several times a year, we make sure of it."

"You know that St Andrews has to be a surrogate family, that's the way the school has always worked."

"Elsie said as much. Why don't you check on Linda?"

Tammy headed upstairs but couldn't hear anything. She knocked on Daisy's door and, after a few seconds, pushed it open finding the room empty. Tammy knew the next room along was Florence's and found her in there with her head in a book,

"Oh, hello Aunt Tammy."

"Do you know where the other two are?"

"I think Anna came for them, try the end of the corridor?"

Tammy continued past several more bedrooms but knew these to be Cathy's and Michael's. The end rooms were Elsie's personal quarters and included an ante-room. Tammy had been down here only a few times and wasn't comfortable but she could see a light under the door of the ante-room, formerly used as a private office and occasional dining room for one. She knocked.

"Hi Aunt Tammy, isn't this wonderful?"

The room was now a twenty first century bedroom and completely unlike the traditional four-posters of the other bedrooms.

"When did this happen?"

"Mum decided we needed a modern guest room, Florence and I helped choose everything."

"Well, it's certainly different."

"It's cool. I wish this was my room."

"That's a conversation you will have to hae with your mum. I'd like a word with Linda, in private please."

Daisy reluctantly left, it was clear that they hadn't done any revision as Tammy couldn't see any textbooks or folders. Linda was sat on the edge of the double bed with her hands folded on her lap, still in the white dress. Tammy pulled up a chair and sat facing the girl.

"You want to ask me something?"

"Yes, Linda, when was the last time your parents came to the school?"

"Five years ago, when I started here. Dad couldn't stand the place but, by then, he'd paid the fees for the year. Mum wasn't keen on the wind and the rain so they were only here for an hour."

"So he wouldn't know the school very well?"

"No, I used to move classrooms around to test him!"

"If Why did they put you in a boarding school?"

"I was getting bullied in primary school, I was small and quite girly, the local secondary school would have been a death sentence for me. Mum could see it, but Dad took some convincing."

"There must be hundreds of boarding schools in England you could have gone to?"

"Dad reckoned I wouldn't try to go home at weekends if I was hundreds of miles away and so St Andrews was ideal."

"My mother felt the same way."

"Oh."

"Linda, did you want to continue into the Sixth Form at St Andrews?"

"Well, maybe ....."

"Look, I'm trying to gauge how best to help you, let's assume that there are no reasons why not?"

"Yes, if I can, but ... what about the money? Dad won't pay, I'm sure of it, and Mum doesn't have access to his money."

"Don't worry about the money, this comes down to what you want. What if I told you there was a scheme to help girls like you?"

"Really?"

"Yes, and the lady who used to use this room was responsible for setting it up. Aunt Cathy looks after the admin."

"So this isn't just somewhere safe, whilst my Dad creeps around the school looking for me?"

Tammy laughed, "yes, I mean no, I mean it's an ideal environment for us to have a talk and for you to get comfortable. No-one will judge you here."

"Thank you!"

Linda jumped off the bed and put her arms around Tammy and sobbed into her shoulder. Tammy let the girl recover and sit back down.

"Sorry, sorry, I don't know what came over me?"

Tammy reached for a box of tissues and offered a few to Linda.

"So I could stay at the school until I'm eighteen?"

"That's the way the Sixth Form works, yes. After that you can get a job, or go to university, anything that you fancy."

"And no-one would mind if Linda does all of that instead of Lyndon?"

"Nope. It's just a question of getting the medical confirmation sorted out, that's your legal protection."

"Doctors?"

"'Fraid so."

"Shrinks?"

"Sort of, gender counsellors probably. Anyway, that's a little way down the line, although St Andrews is well-versed in helping young adults be the person they want to be."

"So there are others?"

"Yes, but everyone's story is different and some, like me, have left the school. Remember never to judge others based on rumour or supposition."

"I'd heard that before. What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"We'll ask the groundsmen to take you into the woods and show you how to track the wild animals, and see where that takes you."

"I can't go into the woods in a dress!"

"Why not?"

"Ummm, I'll probably ruin it."

"I think that's something to worry about tomorrow and hopefully the the worst problem to deal with tomorrow. Now, where's your books?"

"In Daisy's room."

"I suggest you retrieve them and work on your own."

"I usually do, Daisy can be a bit intense."

"Definitely."

Tammy checked the time, it was half-past seven, where had the time gone? She followed Linda as she went to find her schoolwork and checked that Linda was on her own as she walked back. Tammy slid into her room but left the door ajar to listen for marauding children.

She checked social media, as well as the news media, for any relevant reports but there was nothing of note.

Her phone rang close to eight, her phone claimed the call was from the Castletown Hotel.

"Hello?"

"Is that Miss Smart?"

"Yes, who's calling?"

"This is Frances, I'd like some advice please."

"Well, if I can?"

"An Englishman has arrived and he's been asking everyone in the bar about your old school."

"Oh, when did he get there?"

"About an hour ago, maybe longer. He ate in the restaurant before asking for a room."