Chapter 26

 

   It was the following morning the Thompson's got the call asking them to come to the police station to answer a few questions and give their statements. Thankfully, there hadn't been much wrong with their car and the mechanics had managed to fix it while they waited. When they arrived, John and Dugal were already sitting in the reception area. You wouldn't have known it was a pleasant summer's day from the icy chill pervading the station.
   John sat back in a plastic upright chair and squirmed his buttocks to try to find a more comfortable position.
   'You would think,' he said tartly, 'that they could afford proper soft seats.'
   'I heard Old Graham has been arrested,' said Dugal at length.
   'Well,' said Jock, 'he shouldn't go around murdering people in the middle of the night, should he?'
   'Yes, and don't forget breaking into our workshop and stealing a coffin,' added Jimmy.
   'An expensive coffin at that,' snorted Jock.
   'Which we will never see again,' moaned Jimmy, 'and for which we won't be paid, so he's not exactly innocent in all this, good man or not.'
   'Is that all you can say?' said Dugal, looking at them with narrowed eyes. 'If it wasn't for him, Dundas the water bailie would probably be dead instead of Roddy.'
   'Do you think we will go to jail?' asked Jimmy miserably.
   'Not if they never find thon other chap,' snapped John with a hint of sarcasm, throwing the Thompson's a hard stare.
   Jock and Jimmy looked at each other mysteriously, but said nothing.
   At that moment the door to the station clattered open and Old Graham was ushered inside, handcuffed to a detective and flanked by Sergeant Holmes. John, Dugal and the Thompsons watched in astonishment as Old Graham was led past them to the cells and locked up. When the cell door cell clanged shut, the detective returned and nodded to Holmes.
   'What's going on Bob?' asked John.
   Holmes sighed deeply and took his hands from his pockets.
   'Please, it's sergeant when I'm on duty.'
   'I'm afraid Old Graham is to be charged with the murder of Roddy Morrison,' said the detective.
   The silence was complete.
   Bewildered faces glanced at each other in astonishment.
   'Unfortunately, yes,' sighed Holmes, 'and I must thank you all for being so helpful in coming down to the station to give statements.

   It didn't take long for the Thompson's, John and Dugal to give their statements of the events of the last few days. Of course, none of them mentioned anything about the mix up of bodies at the mortuary. When they were done, Holmes escorted them to the door of the station.
   'Thank you,' he said, 'for giving us such, er . . . interesting statements. If we need you for anything else, we'll be in touch.'
   'So you're not going to lock us up?' asked Dugal, wringing his hands behind his back.
   Holmes actually smiled.
   'No, I shan't be locking any of you up. You are all free to go, despite a few questions I still have.'
   'Questions?' asked the Thompsons in unison.
   'Yes, questions.'
   'Such as?'
   'John and Dugal's side of the story makes sense, but what were you two doing out there?'
   'Well,' said Dugal quickly, 'this is all very macabre and sad.' He turned to Holmes. 'Are you sure you're not making some terrible mistake here? I mean, Old Graham saved the water bailie's life.'
   'That will be for the courts to determine.'
   'I could do with a drink,' said Jock, digging his wallet out of his back pocket and checking how much money he had on him. 'What about you Jimmy?'
   His brother was too dazed to offer anything more than a grunt and a nod in agreement.
   'And will you two join us?' asked Jock, turning to John and Dugal. 'The hotel will be opening in a few minutes. Fancy a bar lunch? I'm paying.'
   John scratched his chin thoughtfully.
   'Why not, I've not been to the pub for quite a few years. I think it's time I visited the place again. Are you coming Dugal?'
   Dugal looked up, glanced at John, then the Thompsons, and then Holmes. He seemed decidedly agitated about something, but the thought of a good whisky seemed to calm him a little.
   'Yes, that would be grand,' he nodded after a while, 'the pub it is then.'
   And with that, they all left the police station and piled into the Thompson's estate car.

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