Part   Thirteen   "Broadsword"

 
This chapter is a collaboration between Shiraz & Snowfall
 
 
Friday 21st April 2017
 

Tammy was a little disorientated when she awoke, it had been several months since she'd slept in the Rose Room. The previous evening had created a minor panic when an Englishman had arrived in the Castletown Hotel, not that it was a rare event under normal circumstances.

The trouble had started when Andrew & Neale Fraser, part time police officers and shinty players, had arrived in the bar at the end of a shift patrolling the area. They had been briefed that an Englishman was due in the area that evening and may be armed. The name of the hotel guest they'd been given was John Smith. Unfortunately, Linda's father was John Smythe, this type of co-incidence is rare, but not completely uncommon.

Given the potential for misidentification the Fraser boys had suggested to Frances, manager of the hotel, that he verified if the man in their bar was, or wasn't, the suspected armed parent. The aim was to avoid the unnecessary inconvenience of an armed response team, as well as potentially incurring forced overtime, although the boys were keeping a very close eye on the man whilst the situation remained fluid.

The hotel manager listened for a short while and did consider it strange that an existing St Andrews parent would be asking such questions as how often the boys were seen wearing skirts in town. Frances hadn't wanted to alarm the school so had called the one person who might be able to answer his dilemma.

"As you can see, Miss Smart, I'm out of my depth here."

Tammy hadn't wanted to be the arbiter so had called Mike Thompson.

"According to the computer diary I have an appointment booked tomorrow with a John Smith, but I have no idea who or why. I'll have to check the main appointments diary, to see if there's more information there. I'll call back."

That had taken an agonising ten minutes.

"Tammy, it appears I have a nine o'clock meeting with a journalist and this is the first I've heard of it. We got rid of that girl on Tuesday, by the way, after she upset a few of the governors. I've had no secretary for a few days."

"So she probably booked it, where's Janet?"

"Somewhere in the Caribbean."

"I guess you wouldn't have easily acceded to an interview with a journalist?"

"Not without knowing the reason for their request and agreeing what line to take, beforehand, with the governing body."

Tammy called Frances back.

"Is he still in the bar?"

"Yes, what's the verdict?"

"He's a journalist, it would seem, perhaps it's for the best that he isn't at the wrong end of an armed response team?"

"Indeed Miss Smart."

Tammy's recollections were stopped by a quiet tapping on her bedroom door.

"Coffee, Miss Smart?"

"Yes please."

Tammy slipped into the en-suite bathroom and freshened herself in the shower whilst the maid delivered her hot drink and tidied the room. By eight she was in the breakfast room.

"Good morning girls."

Daisy and Florence were dressed for school, although Daisy was wearing a female version of the traditional kilted uniform. Florence, as a sixth former, had a wider choice of clothes but was in a long black skirt with a fitted jacket, a tartan cravat was around the neck of her ivory blouse.

Linda was in a gingham summer dress, not by her own choice it transpired. Cathy and Michael had already headed to work so one of the groundsmen was driving Florence and Daisy into school. That left Tammy and Linda.

"What am I doing today?"

"Hopefully putting on something warmer, it's hardly summer out there!"

"Daisy put me in it, I didn't feel right going through her wardrobe and she said she didn't have time to choose, so she just grabbed this and said it was her sister's old one."

"Well, we'll need to find something else. I'll have some breakfast then we can head over to my home."

They left twenty minutes later. Linda was now wearing a pair of tights under her dress and her school blazer over it. Tammy had retrieved her firearm from Thomas whilst Linda was upstairs.

"Is this your car?"

Tammy laughed. "No, we just don't need cars to get between my home and Cathy's. Put the belt on, it can get a bit bumpy."

Tammy had to unlock the connecting gate before the golf cart could pass through. She parked it up and connected the charging cable. She led Linda indoors and passed her father in the hallway.

"And who is this young lady, Tammy?"

"Don't you recognise Linda Smythe, a year 11 student at St Andrews."

Linda suddenly realised who he was.

"I'm sorry, Mr Smart, Sir, I'll change straight away."

Richard shook his head. "Fortunately I know what is going on and I'm sure my daughter has matters under control?"

"Of course, Dad."

"In that case, welcome to Dunbankin'."

Richard walked into the study and shut the door before Linda could find a response.

"He's your father?"

"Yes, Linda, is there a problem?"

"Er, yes, no, I don't know."

"Look, let's get upstairs and find you something more appropriate."

The three Smart sisters had been ordered a week earlier to find any clothing that didn't fit any of them and to make it ready for the charity shops. Tammy judged that Suzie was only a little bigger than Linda so dived into the room where the bundles of clothes were waiting.

"That's Suzie's throwaways, some of which I suspect she only wore twice. There should be a pair of jodhpurs or jeans, a sweatshirt, that sort of thing."

Tammy couldn't recall having seen Suzie on the back of a horse, but had seen her in jodhpurs and boots a year or so beforehand. Unfortunately her shoe size hadn't changed in recent years so the boots were still in occasional use.

"Where can I try these on?" Linda was holding a pair of stretch jeans.

"Right here, we don't have all day!"

They ended up with a few choices in tops, bottoms and a pair of pink training shoes that were of the 'never worn' variety. "I think she was bought these and never liked the colour, or something like that!"

When they returned to Cathy's place Linda was dressed in a sweatshirt, jeans and the pink trainers. Tammy had put together a few make-up items and quickly did a 'less is more' job on Linda's face.

Thomas found them in Linda's temporary room.

"Excuse me Miss Smart, but the school has been trying to get hold of you. Also the groundsmen are waiting for Miss Smythe."

Tammy reached for her bag, realising it wasn't with her. "Have you seen my bag, Linda?"

"You had it at the other house."

"Damn. I need to go back and your lesson needs to start."

Tammy found Thomas and explained she'd left her bag, and phone, across at Dunbankin'.

"You didn't, Miss, your bag was left on the buggy when you arrived back here. I've secured it."

"Oh."

"I suggest you don't contemplate what could have happened."

"Indeed Thomas, many thanks for being discrete."

Tammy's phone showed several missed calls from her mother when Thomas handed her bag back to her. Tammy called.

"I've been trying to get hold of you?"

"So I gather, sorry. What's up?"

"The police have picked up John Smythe at Inverness Station."

"Oh, so he didn't make it here?"

"Apparently he stayed in Inverness last night. He arrived at the station at nine and was carrying his shotgun in a shooting bag. A railway employee queried what he was doing and he told them he was going on a deer hunt. The railway employee phoned the police as it's a few months before the hunting season starts for most classes but Smythe couldn't confirm which hunting class he was going for and didn't have a Scottish Game Licence."

"So what's up with him now?"

"The Police have interviewed him and although he initially denied he was coming here, he can't give a good explanation of why he is carrying a weapon, especially to the school. He'll go in front of a sheriff tomorrow, and they'll probably confiscate the gun."

"Is that it?"

"Not quite. Mike tells me you spoke to him last night?"

"Yes, a journalist was at Castletown Hotel."

"It now seems that journalist knew about Smythe's visit and basically accused the Headmaster of turning the male students at St Andrews into girls."

"That's ridiculous."

"It didn't help that Florence and Daisy arrived at the school at the same time as the journalist."

"Did he identify Florence?"

"No he used Daisy as an example of our 'conversion' policy and was a little put out when Mike explained that Daisy was all-girl, and attended the school due to her extenuating family circumstances."

"Did he infer the whole conversion allegation from meeting Daisy?"

"No, it's not exactly a secret locally, is it? Having said that, you do realise the number of transitioning students is well above the national average so would definitely get noticed?"

"Is it?"

"You know it is, our sixth form is quite small yet there's three in transition at the moment, and it looks like we'll have a year eleven in transition for the remaining few weeks of the year. I doubt many other schools have that number."

"True, who are the sixth formers?"

"Florence, you know, but sorry, confidentiality means I can't disclose the names of the others."

"Okay, what about the journo?"

"He's gone, but where is Linda now?"

"I think she's with the groundsmen."

"Leave her today, I'll ask Cathy if she can stay for another night. Meanwhile I'll talk to Mike about whether Linda could stay as a boarding student, and I still need to talk to Linda's mother."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not for now."

 
Saturday 22nd April 2017
 

Tammy had decided she needed to get away, she had become far too involved over the previous week, either as a victim of crime or as a protector, trying to avoid a crime. Right now her phones were both off and she was at 15,000ft heading South.

She'd already decided to take her plane for a ride but a phone call the previous evening had altered her plans, sat on the adjacent seat was an overnight bag and a printed confirmation of her hotel booking.

She'd been told to head for Durham Tees Valley International Airport, commonly still known as Teeside Airport, and to await instructions. Just under three hours after leaving Thurso she was on final approach, thankfully there was virtually no wind and visibility was perfect.

Once down she taxied towards the private aviation sheds and then sought out the fuelling point, it made sense to top up now. Twenty five minutes later she'd done her checks, fuelled and paid for overnight parking, she locked her plane and walked to the main terminal.

"Miss Smart?"

"Er, yes?"

"I've been asked to collect you, could you follow me please."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere until I know who you are?"

"My apologies, Miss Smart." He took a military ID out of his pocket. "Captain Wade sent me to collect you, he's waiting for you back at the barracks."

"Barracks?"

"I'm sorry, but this is not a secure environment, Miss."

Tammy acceded and followed him to a van parked in in a nearby bay. He had offered to take her bag but she'd declined. Her driver opened the side door and Tammy slid into a seat behind her escort, her bag alongside.

Tammy was watching the scenery go past and had no idea of the time, both of her phones were still off in order to prevent tracking. She'd also used her 'bug detector' that morning on her clothing, bag and plane, just in case. It was securely stowed in the plane in case it was needed before the return journey.

It was a thirty minute ride to Catterick Garrison, at the gate she had to go into the security point and produce her ID. Her weapon was secured in her overnight bag, along with spare ammunition, so she wasn't going to give the bored security team a fright. Tammy was issued with a pass that described her as a 'contractor', valid for a year.

It was another fifteen minutes of driving before they reached their destination, Tammy was completely disorientated but her driver said they were near the North West corner of the site.

"How big is it?"

"Two and a half thousand acres, home to about fifteen thousand soldiers, families and support staff."

"A small town, then?"

"Yes. This is as far as I've been told to bring you, go through that door over there." He pointed.

Tammy collected her overnight case and her shoulder bag before bidding her driver farewell. There was a small sign next to the, otherwise, plain door.

The door wasn't locked but inside was a small lobby and the next door was secured. Tammy waited a minute then Captain Marcus Wade appeared.

"Sorry Tammy, I was caught on the phone."

"Where's the loo?"

"Oh, come with me. Coffee?"

"Yes."

By the time Tammy returned from the ladies room, a hot drink and biccies were waiting.

"Right, what am I doing here? I haven't a ruddy clue!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, but we just gave you enough information to reach your escort. He didn't know how you'd flown into the airport, and you didn't know where he was bringing you, and yet you still arrived here safely."

"I'd expect to be briefed on everything that affects me."

"That's not how we work."

"Okay, not that I really know what it is?"

"Well, this is a getting-to-know-you weekend, at the end of which you can walk away. Until you sign up we can't give you any operational knowledge, and it's not fair to ask you to do that without some give and take on both parts."

"Fair enough, what's first?"

"The fitness suite."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope, did you bring a leotard or joggers?"

"Er, no."

"We'll come up with something, finish your coffee."

--

Catterick Garrison info