‘OK, but why did Kai ask for a job there? What was the point?’
‘So he’d make a plausible bar manager at the Mackinnon Arms,’ Hanlon said. ‘I think that the cocaine shipments centre around the hotel and I think Big Jim is up to his miserable, pissed neck in it, probably backed up by Harriet. He’s desperate to save his hotel. He’s got a boat. I would imagine he meets someone out at sea, takes the coke off them so they don’t need to worry about customs searches or any shit from Border Force or HMRC. The boat would then be clean. It could use any UK harbour with impunity.’
She paused. ‘Now, whether Big Jim knows that Kai works with Murdo Campbell or if Murdo just wants an insider keeping track of things, I don’t know. I’m hoping to find that out on Thursday.’
‘And Eva? Where does her death fit into this? And Franca, come to that?’
‘I’ve heard that Eva was a nuisance, a pain in the arse,’ Hanlon said. ‘She was the kind of girl who always had an eye on the main chance. Donald, the head chef, told me she was going to sue Big Jim for sexual harassment, one reason to get rid of her, but she was sly, she could have got wind of the drug smuggling. It would be hard to keep secrets in a place as small as the Mackinnon Arms. I think she was blackmailing someone. I also think once we have Kai and Big Jim in custody, we will find out who did kill her. Someone will talk. Neither of those two looks like the strong, silent type to me. They’ll almost certainly want to finger the other one.’
McCleod glanced down at her laptop. Wemyss was the screensaver photo. Inevitably.
‘Hang on, Alasdair’s messaged me.’ She looked up at Hanlon. ‘Murdo Campbell was the arresting officer on Kai McPherson’s last drug bust… yeah, McPherson was R.U.I’d, not charged.’
‘There you go,’ Hanlon said triumphantly. Officially, McPherson was still being investigated, with Campbell in charge.
‘I’ll get you that voice-activated recorder,’ McCleod said. ‘I’m working out of Campbeltown tomorrow. I’ll get one there.’
‘Thank you,’ Hanlon said.
‘Do you want to go back to the hotel or stay somewhere else?’ McCleod asked. ‘Do you think that place is too dangerous? Big Jim has obviously got it in for you. There’s already two dead women, I don’t want a third.’
‘I don’t want to alarm anyone,’ Hanlon said. ‘They already know I’m a police officer. I’d better go back.’
She sat up and faced McCleod, wrapped her legs around her waist; she leaned forward and their mouths met.
‘But not just yet,’ whispered Hanlon.
18
The following morning, as arranged, Hanlon was round at Donald’s house at nine thirty. It took a while of banging on the door to raise any signs of life. Donald, wearing a blue dressing gown, unshaven, smelling strongly of stale alcohol, looked bleary and hungover, but he brightened up when he saw Hanlon.
‘Hi, how are you today?’ she asked.
Donald grinned. ‘A wee bit hungover. I gave my notice in to Big Jim last night. He did not take it very well.’ He laughed heartily. The thought of Big Jim miserable obviously cheered him up considerably.
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Hanlon. Donald’s departure would be ruinous for the hotel, even a really drunk Big Jim would be able to work that one out. She wondered how long Harriet would stay on. The writing was well and truly on the wall now.
‘I gave him a month’s notice, which is very generous of me. I could just walk. So I’m here in this place until then, then I’ll probably stay at my brother’s – he’s got a place near the ferry. I’ll just wait for the Mackinnon Arms to come on the market and then buy it. I’ve got the money lined up both from the bank and from the Harts. They’re certainly good for it. I’ll be in by Christmas.’
‘What did Big Jim say?’
Donald laughed. ‘It’s unrepeatable. He went raj. He’ll be spending today getting absolutely pished, weeping into his drink. I’d avoid him if I were you. Probably blame you.’ He paused, looked at her. ‘You know, he really hates you. I’d be careful. He’s gone really fucking weird these days.’
‘I always avoid him,’ Hanlon said.
‘Aye well… look, if he gets too much, you can always stay here. There’s a spare room.’ Hanlon looked at him with open suspicion. Donald put his hands up in mock surrender. ‘I won’t hassle you, promise, but, just for the record, if you’re feeling horny… my door’s always open.’
‘Just for the record, Donald,’ Hanlon said judiciously, ‘you’re not my type. Now you can get some clothes on and give me a hand with that kayak.’
It had been a while since she had been in a kayak but she was relieved to find she hadn’t forgotten how they worked. The knowledge and the motor skills quickly returned.
An hour and a half later, Hanlon was nearing a line of small orange buoys that marked the position of some lobster pots. She suddenly remembered Kai’s remark to Harriet that she had overheard when she’d been hiding in the dry store.
‘It’s not just the sex parties. I know what you and Jim are up to with those boys.’
It suddenly came to her with the force of a revelation. It was obvious now. It hadn’t been ‘boys’ he’d meant, but ‘buoys’.
Was she looking at where the coke would be dropped off the following week? You could package the drugs in watertight containers and just attach them
