Chapter 14
Erling listened with interest to Jo’s account of her meeting with Rachael, thinking that some of his own questions had now been answered.
‘She was happy to confide in you regarding the possibility of having a termination?’ he asked.
Jo nodded, her eyes not leaving her view of the windscreen.
Erling had registered that his DS seemed a little rattled by her time with Kris’s girlfriend, and he wasn’t certain why.
However, he had no intention of interrogating her about it.
If Jo thought he should know the reason, she would tell him.
Based on his reading of DS Green’s character, he was certain of that.
‘The question is do we declare Kris Mowat to be a missing person?’ he said. ‘Or wait to see if he turns up in Kirkwall tomorrow morning to hear the will being read?’
Now Jo did turn to face him. ‘We do it now,’ she said. ‘If he does appear tomorrow, I’ll be very relieved.’
Erling noted her expression. ‘You have a bad feeling about all of this?’ he said.
‘I do. When questioned further, Rachael told me that Kris thinks the Mowats got rid of Ivor, before he and his great-grandfather could meet. The way things have played out here could give credence to that,’ she added. ‘Especially now that Kris has disappeared.’
‘He was seen alive yesterday, crossing to Hoy,’ Erling said, playing devil’s advocate.
‘But if he doesn’t return?’ Jo said, meeting his eye.
‘Okay,’ Erling conceded. ‘We indicate our concern about Kris on social media with his photo and ask for folk to look out for him. That should hopefully get a result. If he doesn’t show up at the reading of the will, we’ll start a full-scale manhunt.’
His sergeant, he noted, looked satisfied by that. Then she said, ‘What about Kris’s belief that Ivor didn’t die of natural causes?’
‘Ivor Mowat was ninety-six years of age,’ he reminded her.
‘He was also in good health, until he told his eldest son that he’d sold the family croft in secret, and also invited his long-lost great-grandson back to Orkney, to maybe take over the family business,’ Jo said.
It was something to be considered, Erling admitted. And hurrying an elderly relative into the grave was not unheard of in Orkney, or anywhere else for that matter.
‘I suspect what happens tomorrow at the will reading will make our next steps clear,’ he said as the outskirts of Kirkwall came into view.
‘But we’ll start the ball rolling by getting Kris’s image out there.
If you deal with that, Sergeant, I intend to have a word with the solicitor regarding tomorrow’s event. ’
‘Will do,’ Jo said, looking relieved that their plan was now in action.
Back in his office, Erling’s first call was to Willie Halcro, keen as he was to be certain that no human had been caught up in last night’s fire.
‘We haven’t covered the entire area yet, as we made the decision to deal first with the few places where the underlying peat was still smouldering,’ Willie told him.
‘We’ve come across a lot of dead wildlife, plus two sheep that got trapped when the fire moved so fast in the wind.
I take it you’re still concerned about the whereabouts of Kris Mowat? ’ he added.
‘We are. We now know that he took the passenger ferry to Hoy yesterday morning, but was not noted on any of the return ferries. Also, he may have been seen by walkers heading along the road towards Lyrawa Bay from Moaness. We’re about to put out an alert with his photo requesting the public to report any possible sightings of him. ’
‘Right. I’ll make sure to pass that on, and also to let you know if we find anything else that might point to the fire-raiser.’
Hanging up, Erling sat for a moment, composing what he might or could say in a call to the solicitor.
Eddie Balfour was his father’s friend as well as the family lawyer.
So he could approach Eddie in either capacity.
On the other hand, he could also do so as a detective, which would hold even more weight. And also probably cause some alarm.
But now, having decided to put out an alert about the whereabouts of the youngest member of the Mowat family, he felt he was on firm ground in asking questions regarding the reading of the will.
He reached for the phone and dialled.
Three rings later, Eddie answered in his rich Orcadian voice. ‘Erling, now this is a nice surprise,’ he said, before swiftly following with, ‘Tommy’s well, I hope?’
‘He is,’ Erling assured him. ‘I’m calling in my official capacity with regard to the reading of the Mowat will tomorrow morning.’
‘Ah,’ Eddie said, his tone now serious. ‘And how may I help, Detective Inspector?’
‘We have concerns regarding Kris Mowat, Ivor’s great-grandson, who has been reported missing by his partner.’
‘Kris is missing?’ The voice was full of concern.
Erling gave a brief résumé of Rachael’s fears, and now his own, regarding Kris’s last known whereabouts. ‘I understand he should be at your office tomorrow morning?’ he said.
‘I certainly hope so,’ Eddie said worriedly.
‘And if he doesn’t appear?’ Erling asked.
There was an audible groan from the other end of the phone. ‘In the parlance of my teenage grandson, we’re fucked.’
‘How exactly?’ Erling prodded.
Silence followed as Eddie strove to decide what he might be permitted to say, then, ‘The will, Ivor informed me, stipulates that it may only be read out in the presence of his great-grandson Kris Mowat.’
Erling tried to absorb this, before saying, ‘Is Kris aware of this?’
‘Ivor said he would tell Kris when they met up here in person,’ Eddie said. ‘I understood he was expecting an imminent visit from Kris . . .’
‘But Ivor died before that could happen,’ Erling said, almost to himself. Then, ‘Does Hugh Mowat know about this?’
‘Not from me, although possibly from Ivor himself,’ Eddie said.
‘Are you aware of what is in the will?’ Erling asked what seemed to him to be the million-dollar question.
‘No. Ivor handwrote it and I understand it was witnessed and signed by two of the assistants at the care home. After which it was given, sealed, to me.’
‘The names of the witnesses?’ Erling requested.
There was the sound of papers being rustled, before Eddie came back with, ‘Cathy McCue and Elspeth Crawford, both of Kirkwall. I can email their contact details, although if you call in at St Magnus House . . .’
‘I plan to do that,’ Erling said and, thanking Eddie, rang off.
At that moment, the door opened and his DS looked in. ‘That’s the call gone out on social media for any sightings of Kris Mowat, together with his photograph,’ she told him.
‘Good.’ Erling rose from his desk. ‘I’m heading to the care home to speak to two assistants who are witnesses to Ivor Mowat’s will.’
‘D’you want me to come with you?’ Jo immediately said.
‘Is everything okay here?’ he checked.
‘It is,’ she assured him.
‘Then, yes. Come with me.’ Erling didn’t say why, because he didn’t have to. Jo chatting to two female staff at the care home seemed a no-brainer. Just as it had been with Rachael.
However, his plan was soon thwarted. As they attempted to make their exit, they were presented with the arrival of Maitland and his partner in the station car park.
Noting their expressions, Erling suggested Jo should head to the care home and find out what she could about Ivor’s time there.
‘I’ll join you after I’ve spoken to Maitland,’ he promised.
Erling registered the obvious relief on Maitland’s face when he realized the man he’d come to see wasn’t about to leave, but instead was waiting to speak to him.
Since he’d arrived in Orkney, Richard Webber Maitland had learned of Ivor Mowat’s sudden death, followed by the remains of a mother and child being discovered on what he believed to be the land he’d just bought from Ivor.
Then, not only had work on the foundations of his new eco-home been halted by the exhumation, the location had subsequently been the site of a wildfire the previous evening.
Erling couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the man’s predicament.
As for Bethany Barrett, even her carefully made-up face couldn’t hide her real feelings on the matter, which Erling read as fury.
Inviting them into his office, he offered them each a seat and then the possibility of coffee or tea. The seats were accepted. Not so the refreshments.
‘The fire last night on Hoy—’ Maitland began.
‘Was caused by an arson attack,’ Erling finished for him.
‘Fire Master Willie Halcro of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service believes the digger belonging to Ian MacDougal was set alight on purpose, and from there the blaze spread up the hill. I visited the scene this morning and spoke with Willie. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the digger is a write-off, and they’re still dealing with dead wildlife and areas of underlying smouldering peat. ’
Maitland was looking back at him, open-mouthed. ‘But why would someone set the digger on fire?’ he asked.
‘Because they don’t want you building there,’ the woman immediately intervened. ‘I told you this whole thing was a bad idea from the start.’
Maitland ignored her and, looking directly at Erling, said, ‘Is that true, Inspector? Do the locals not want me to build a house on that spot?’
Erling searched for the right words. ‘I don’t believe it’s about you in particular,’ he said. ‘But it is beginning to look like someone doesn’t want work to proceed at the old Mowat place.’
Maitland appeared to consider this, before saying, ‘Hugh Mowat has been in touch. I understand he is Ivor’s eldest child. He maintains that his father was not of sound mind when he approached me with regard to buying the property from him.’
So Hugh had done what he’d threatened to do.
Erling found himself unsurprised by this.
At the end of the day, this was a family feud, which would more than likely play out in court.
The legality of who sold what and when was a civil matter, and not a police one.
Which meant it wasn’t his mess to sort out.
However, he reminded himself, there was still the issue of the missing Kris Mowat and, of course, the crime of fire-raising, which were definitely his domain. Plus the identity of the woman and child buried at the old Mowat homestead above Lyrawa Bay, whose ownership was currently in dispute.
Again, he couldn’t help but wonder if the existence of the grave there lay at the heart of the current problem.
Coming to the end of that train of thought, he noted that both Maitland and Ms Barrett were waiting for what he might yet have to say. So he obliged.
‘Ivor Mowat’s will is being read tomorrow morning at eleven o’clock. Perhaps that can throw some light on the proceedings. Or his family will decide to dispute it, along with the sale of the land to you.’
Maitland’s face, Erling thought, could fall no further. As for Ms Barrett, he read her as determined to leave Orkney as soon as possible, with or without her partner.