Thursday legends

68

'So, what did you find out about the Lewis girl?' Dan Pringle asked.

'She's been working at the zoo full-time since she finished her Highers a few weeks back,' said McGurk. 'She was a pupil at Watson's. I did a quiet check-up there; she and Heard's daughter, Sophie, are best pals apparently.'

'Where's the Heard girl just now?'

'She's crewing a schooner around the Western Isles for her Duke of Edinburgh's Gold award.'

The Superintendent raised an eyebrow. 'She's doing what?'

'Crewing, sir.'

'Ahh. For a minute I thought you said something else. So do you reckon her pal's crewing her old man while she's away?'

'It's a thought, but it's barely relevant, is it?'

'Naw. Not a bit. But you know what I think? I think that Heard's been giving her one and now she's threatening to tell the girl Sophie and Mrs Heard. The way you described it, that could have been hush money he was handing her.'

'Still,' McGurk ventured. 'Do you think we should interview her, just to confirm it?'

'We've interviewed her already, son. A week last Saturday, after she spotted Shearer floating under the Belford Bridge. You were there, remember. She was still shaking like a leaf, terrified; poor lass got a hell of a fright. Andy Martin told me that after we were done he had to get the MO to give her a sedative.

'If Heard's been banging her, she's of age, so it's no crime. If she's been blackmailing him, that is, but there's been no complaint. If there is, we'll investigate; until then, we leave her alone.'

'Fair enough, Boss. So we keep up the tail on Heard, then?' 'Until further notice.'

'Do you think we could get a tap on his phone?' 'Not a fucking chance. You do it the hard way.' McGurk scowled. 'Great.'

The Superintendent chuckled. 'It's a hard old life, son. I'll give you some more bad news. The technical boys reported back on Shearer's electronic organiser. It's useless; it's been in the water too long. They can't get a bloody thing off it.

'Right. You get off and team up with Wilding again, so you can both follow Heard after he leaves work. And just in case you think I'm doing fuck-all on this investigation, I'm off up to Harry's Bar, in Randolph Place.

'I had another chat with the Bryant girl; she told me that Mr Shearer used to look in there sometimes, if he'd been working late.'