A Debt of Honour – Episode 15
A Debt Of Honour
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- 1. A Debt of Honour – Episode 15
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“You look down,” Calum remarked, glancing across as he drove Ellie back from her shift at the supermarket.
“A bit,” she admitted.
“Why?”
Ellie sighed deeply.
“I’ve been really looking forward to the music festival in Dumfries this weekend. I even borrowed Penny’s tent.
“Then Sophie cancelled last night. She was the one I was going with.”
“Bad luck,” Calum replied. “So what are you going to do? Are you going with one of the others?”
Ellie pulled a face.
“It’s not their kind of music,” she explained.
Calum frowned.
“On your own then?”
“I don’t fancy that,” Ellie admitted. “It would be too complicated.
“You have to get to Dumfries or Moffat, then catch a bus – and it’s one of those services that only runs two or three times a day.”
“So you’re cancelling your plan? Do they refund tickets?” Calum asked.
Ellie laughed.
“For this kind of gig you usually pay at the entry gate.”
Calum drew up outside her flat.
“How’s your mum?” he asked.
“Working harder than a detective on her case. She’s tracked her friend to Lauder. Where’s that?”
“It’s a village south of Edinburgh, on the road to the Borders. Diabolical parking along the main street. I’ve driven through it twice.”
Ellie began to get out.
“I’ll tell her,” she said. “Thanks for the lift.”
“A pleasure.” Calum smiled. “Ellie?”
She paused, her hand on the door handle.
“Yes?”
“If you really want to go to the concert, I could drive us there.”
Ellie turned.
“You?”
Calum flushed.
“Why not? I have a car. And my old tent.”
Ellie stared at him.
“But you like classical music. This is heavy metal.”
“I’m used to a din.” He smiled. “An orchestral tutte with everyone blowing until their eyes stand out can be pretty noisy.”
“Maybe. But heavy metal is a heavily amplified solid wall of sound. Plus the fans screaming,” Ellie pointed out.
“I’m not much good at screaming,” Calum admitted. “But I could always stick my fingers in my ears.”
Ellie giggled.
“The crowd wouldn’t like that!”
“Ear plugs?”
He was clearly determined to come with her if she would let him.
Why not? Some of her favourite bands were playing. It was tempting, and he was good company.
“It’s a deal,” she said. “Thanks, Calum.”
“Will I bring midge repellent?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.
Climbing out of the car, she looked back inside.
“Midges will be nothing compared to the din,” she warned.
Calum smiled out at her.
“Who knows? I might even enjoy it!”
“And midges might turn into vegetarians,” she replied, closing the car door.
Shauna sat in her hotel room, staring out of the window.
She had Neil’s last known address – but was he still living there?
With Ellie at her music festival, there was no-one to chat to about her next step in the search.
Should she write a letter and hope for the best? Or take her rental car through Edinburgh and find the house in Lauder?
If Neil had moved, maybe somebody would know where to. Action was quicker than writing a letter, which might never be answered.
After handing in her room key, Shauna climbed into the car.
She found herself enjoying the drive, not least when she broke clear of Edinburgh’s ring road and set out for the Borders, with blue skies bright over the rolling hills.
Shauna found Lauder more easily than she found a place to park in the little village.
She asked a group of ladies for directions.
Following their instructions as best she could, she arrived at a small stone cottage with a neat hedge and garden.
She took several deep breaths before turning through the garden gate.
Steeling herself, she reached up and pressed the doorbell.