Part Thirteen   "The Highland Raver"

 

Tammy's Tales Book 6
 

 
Tuesday 22nd September
 

Tammy had a slow start in the shop, explaining on one hand where she'd been all summer and, on the other, being careful as to why Sarah was absent. Of course her mind was at the very same hospital in Inverness where Sarah was spending much of the day.

During a lull around eleven, she tried to find out how Ellie was but the hospital refused to tell her anything.

"But I was with Ellie yesterday?"

"I'm sorry, we cannot release any information about this patient."

Tammy considered asking the school for Ellie's mobile number but reckoned on the same answer from Janet Adams if the school was going to protect their student. Another customer interrupted her thoughts, asking if there were any summer frocks in stock?

"I'm sorry, all we have is on the rails, our new stock is autumn and winter, there was a frost last night."

"Oh, but I'm off to Ibiza for two weeks of peaceful relaxation, you should really have something for me."

"I'm sure we did madam, but the group bound for Menorca bought it all last week."

"And you didn't restock?"

"The fashion trade doesn't work like that madam, but I'm certain you could find something online."

"I'm flying tomorow, and I don't do that online thing."

"Well, I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"You've been no help at all, where's the manager?"

"Not here, which means I'm in charge. Perhaps you might find what you're looking for in HP Bazaar?"

The woman stormed out, Tammy estimated her age in the mid fifties and wondered if Ibiza was ideal, Ibiza in September was still a party island that went to bed around five in the morning. If she'd looked online she'd have discovered this.

The next few hours passed with just a few customers breaking up the otherwise empty store. Between one and four she'd only taken a hundred pounds, Tammy wondered how Sarah kept her sanity when business was this bad?

At quarter past four she decided enough was enough so turned the sign around and pulled the blinds down. Her phone started to ring but then stopped, Tammy checked the number but it wasn't known to her. She set about checking the till, and sorting out the float for the following morning. Her phone rang again.

"Hi Sarah, how did it go?"

"I've just got out, I saw your mum with one of the executives a few hours ago when I was stood by a coffee machine."

"I guessed she might be there today."

"There were some press at the entrance, they were being kept out but one managed to get up to female surgical apparently."

"I called the hospital earlier and they wouldn't tell me a thing."

"Okay, I've found my car, I'll bring you up to date when I see you."

"Right, Sarah, tomorrow probably."

Tammy ended the call but her phone started ringing again, it was the same unknown number as before.

"Hello?"

"Is that Tamara?"

"Yes, although I'm usually called Tammy."

"It's Ellie."

Tammy was speechless for a moment.

"Ellie? Thank you for calling me, I've been so worried."

"Did I see you yesterday?"

"In the clothes store, you collapsed so we called an ambulance."

"I'd missed lunch, I'm diabetic, and I forgot to bring my emergency kit."

"Were you running away?"

"Yes, I never wanted to be in Thurso."

"You don't have to run, you could just ask for help?"

"How would you know?"

"I started at that school as a boy and finished as a girl."

"Oh."

"So, Ellie, what's the latest?"

"I'm a girl, and always have been a girl apparently. And it's my time of the month, I knew there had to be a downside."

"Look, did you want this?"

"Yes, yes, yes, but it was a dream, right?"

"Didn't you tell your mum about your breasts and your feelings?"

"She wouldn't listen, Dad told her to keep out of my way. I was very emotional during the summer and he thought I was catching it from mum, or from the girls at my old school."

"That's a load of tosh."

"I know."

"Didn't you get seen by a doctor?"

"What for? Granddad gave me a few booster shots, he had delivered me."

"Was he a Doctor?"

"He'd retired as the village doctor ten years before I was born but did one day a week to help out, didn't believe in me going to the surgery and filling the spot of a more needy patient."

"How was he eyesight?"

"Awful."

"That might explain a few things?"

"Not really, I suppose it looked almost normal down there."

"What's happening next?"

"I go into surgery tomorrow to tidy things up and remove some useless flesh, assuming my period ends by then."

"Did you see my mum?"

"Mrs Smart?"

"That's her."

"Yeah, it seems Dad has kicked up a fuss and wants me playing first team rugby again, he was threatening to sue any doctor within a mile of me."

"So?"

"I'm over sixteen, just, and was able to consent to my own treatment once I was concious. He can moan all he likes, I was asked if I'd like to put an injunction in his way and I said I would, but I couldn't pay for it."

"That usually isn't a problem?"

"No, but it did mean having to be examined by a shrink to make sure I really did know what I'm doing!"

"I spoke to your mum last night."

"Mrs Smart said so, I want to speak t her, but it's difficult."

"How much does your dad control her?"

"He controls everything. He retired as a Colonel from the Army fifteen years ago and still thinks he's there. His father, Granddad, was an army doctor for thirty years, rising to Major just before retirement so Dad did what he was told to do."

"Cascade bullying?"

"I suppose so."

"I'l be at the school on Thursday to meet the lower sixth, you do realise there are no girls below the sixth form?"

"I heard you were the first in the sixth form?"

"Yes, so maybe you can be the first in Year 11? Have you seen the female dorms?"

"No, are they all singles?"

"Yes, with en-suite."

"I might stay after all. My phone's running low on charge so I'll turn it off until I can get a charger."

"I'll send one over, what type?"

"Micro USB."

"Okay Ellie, bye for now."

"Thanks Tammy."

Tammy put her phone away, this was a dream come true for Ellie, apart from her parents that is.

She finished sorting out the safe, there was no reason to go to the bank for just a lousy hundred quid. She checked the storeroom was locked, set the alarm and stepped out into the empty street.

A few minutes later she was safely inside her car and on her way home.

 
Wednesday 23rd September
 

Tammy decided against mentioning the call to Joan, in case Ellie had been told not to call anyone? Then again, had Anne or Sarah seen Tammy put her business card in Ellie's wallet on Monday afternoon?

Her appointment this morning was with Hilary at Caithness Marine, a mug of coffee awaited Tammy when she walked into the general office. Hilary was on the phone so waved in the direction of the mug and a plate of biscuits.

"Sorry about that Tammy, I'm trying to set up a project but I've been told you're not available."

"Pardon?"

"What I mean was that you're not available for any more work than has already been allocated to you. If I want the project done, I'll have to find someone else."

"What is the project?"

"Sorry, need to know, and better that you don't."

Tammy shrugged, she had an oatmeal biccie in her mouth that wasn't going to melt quickly.

"Now, about your identity crisis? I've been told everything should be back to normal."

Tammy washed the biscuit down with a slug of coffee. "I hadn't noticed anything, what was the cause?"

"Someone misunderstanding instructions in the personnel unit at the Security Service,"

"I didn't realise they could rewrite my entire history?"

"They can't, but someone decided they could play with fire, that caused a problem in Glasgow that was picked up by the NHS Fraud lot, it became a mess."

"But all sorted?"

"Yes. Beccy is a different matter."

"Why?"

"Someone was careless and there was a reference to Beccy in your medical records, so that identity is burnt."

"Great, so I can't see Daniel again?"

"No."

"What about Heather, I'm known as Beccy to everyone outside the cottage?"

"You can't go back to the cottage, there's too much risk."

"Oh."

"That doesn't mean you can't talk to Heather, but purely at a professional level."

"I see. What's my new fake identity going to be?"

"No idea, but I'm destroying everything, do you have anything of Beccy's at home?"

"A phone, I used it in Cornwall but it's really just a spare phone and a spare SIM card."

"Change the number and lose any social media accounts in Beccy's name."

"Okay, but I was looking forward to going to Cornwall later in the year?"

"Sorry, now, can we talk about Martin Gore?"

Tammy listened as Hilary explained the background to her, which was odd as Tammy and Suzie had done most of the research during their stay in Redruth over the summer.

The upshot was that Martin didn't have much of a history, not a verifiable one, so was almost an enigma. The two birth certificates, one for a girl and one for a boy, were also confusing. His birth certificate showed he was registered as 'Petra Martina Gore', not a male name at all. Parents were Natalia Petrovska Sukovich and Martin Byron Gore, place of birth was now given as Koprivshtitsa in Bulgaria.

"So what about his father?"

"Deceased, Tammy, died twenty years ago in Bulgaria, the British Embassy in Sofia was notified."

"Mother?"

"Unknown."

"This doesn't help."

"Welcome to the world of half truths and unsubstantiated facts."

"How do we resolve this?"

"You meet him."

"Pardon?"

"You'll be a student there next week, arrange to meet him."

Tammy wasn't impressed!

"Oh, hello, I'm looking for a Bulgarian mafia money launderer? Is his office near here?"

"Calm down, we'll work on an appropriate approach."

"Like hell we will, why don't you go to the university?"

"I'd need an excuse, and clearance from London, whereas you are already there."

"What about my clearance?"

"Done a month ago, you're good to go."

"Great, I've been stitched up better than a haggis."

Tammy's phone rang, she was going to ignore it but it was Ellie. She answered the call, grabbed her bag and went for the door - before Hilary could object,

"Hi Tammy, no surgery today as I'm still on, thanks for the charger, by the way."

"I didn't send one, sorry."

"Well your mum brought it, so I guessed?"

"She probably had a spare one in the office, I've hardly seen her. What else is going on, I heard there were some press yesterday?"

"It seems Dad tipped off a local paper about a boy in the female surgical ward."

"I hope you're being looked after?"

"Oh yes, the nurses are lovely and Dr Wright is easy to talk to. I'm going to need some clothes, by the way?"

"Can you see visitors?"

"Not until after my surgery, we think Dad's on his way up here so only Mrs Smart is allowed in. Once I've had the surgery I should be able to get out of here."

"It's still major surgery, I wasn't supposed to do much for a few months."

"If I'm not allowed out after a week, I'll scream!"

"Nice try, but it won't work."

"I'll feel better. Can you fix me up for a couple of changes and some nighties? I'll square with you, although Mrs Smart has my money."

"Okay, skin out?"

"Yes."

"Bear in mind you might not like the style I get."

"So long as it says girl."

"Fine. What size feet are you?"

"Six."

"I'm in town now, I'll do some shopping and send it over."

"Can you see me on Friday?"

"Probably, assuming my mother lets me."

"Oh, I spoke with mum earlier, while Dad's heading North, she's gone to her sisters and will move out completely before he gets back."

"Good, maybe she'll accept you as her daughter now?"

"It wasn't easy, apparently you said she almost had to arrange my funeral?"

"It was that serious, Ellie."

"They've told me another hour and I would have had septicaemia for sure. I was in shock as it was, not helped by missing lunch."

Tammy ended the call as a nurse needed Ellie's attention. First stop was HP Bazaar for some knickers, simple bras, vests, t-shirts and more. She grabbed a bikini as well, it didn't matter whether Ellie could swim or not.

The shoe shop was next, Tammy kept it to flats, Ellie could buy heels for herself later.

Next stop was a case to put all this in, finally she arrived at Sarah's.

"What's the verdict?"

"They want me in a month's time, on the twenty third of October."

"That's quick."

"I can't delay it, the fibroids might be cancerous after all."

Tammy added the date to her phone's calendar. "That's a Friday, are you going in the night before?"

"Probably, I'll receive a letter in a few days."

"Okay, the following week is half term so I'm around."

"I'm hoping Emily can be here?"

"Is it your daughter's final year at Dundee?"

"Yes, so I don't want to drag her away from her studies."

The shop door opened and the woman from the previous day was stood there.

"Are you the manager?" She pointed at Sarah.

"I'm the owner."

"Well, your assistant yesterday was incredibly rude and refused to sell me a summer dress."

"One I can't believe that she would be rude to anyone, and, in any case, I know we sold the last one a week ago and I was pleased that I even sold one in September."

Tammy couldn't help, "I thought you were flying out today?"

"I went to the library as I wanted to check the hotel out, but they do everything online. Anyway this nice man helped me but he seemed to know a little and asked if I was into the rave scene, whatever that is! Apparently there's a large nightclub under the hotel I was going to stay at so I called to cancel, they refused to refund me a penny."

Tammy started smirking, but went to put the kettle on to mask this. Sarah was now being told about the wonders of the internet, whilst steering the woman towards the new woollen ranges, more suitable for a Highlands Autumn than a Mediterranean party island.