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Death of a Dreamer Page 21
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“How’s that?” asked Phil.
“You see, Blair is a verra modest man. Let me tell you about him.” Hamish outlined several famous murder cases which he himself had solved but had let Blair take the credit for. He ended up by saying, “I’m just a local bobby. There’s no colour for you there. But Blair! Man, he'll take you to the worst parts of Strathbane. You'll be witnesses to drug raids and violence.”
Their eyes gleamed with the excitement of the naive who have never really been exposed to anything nasty.
When Blair was told later that he was to be the subject of the documentary, rage warred with vanity in his fat breast, but vanity won.
Hamish whistled cheerfully as he drove back to Lochdubh. Mrs. Gillespie could wait until the next morning.
Elspeth Grant was having lunch with Luke Teviot, another reporter. She found Luke attractive. Although a good reporter, he cultivated an easygoing manner. He had thick fair hair and a rather dissipated face. He was very tall.
“So you're off on your holidays,” said Luke. “Where?”
“Back to Lochdubh.”
“You got a good story out of there last time.”
“It’s normally the sleepiest, most laid-back place in the world,” said Elspeth. “Just what I need.”
“I’ve never been to the Highlands,” said Luke.
“What! You're a Scot, a Glaswegian.”
“You know how it is, Elspeth. I mean the real Highlands. The furthest I ever get is covering people stranded in Glencoe in the winter. I’ve never been further north than Perth. When the holidays come along, I head abroad for the sun. I’ve got holidays owing. Mind if I come with you?”
“You're joking.”
“Not a bit of it.”
“But why? It’s not as if we're an item.”
“Don’t have to be. I hate taking holidays on my own.”
“Never been married?”
“Twice. Didn’t work out. Mind you, I was lucky. Both women were rich and were so glad to get rid of me, they didn’t want any money.”
“Why were they glad to get rid of you?”
“You know what reporting’s like, Elspeth. I was hardly ever home. Come on. Let’s go together. It would be fun. I could do with some clean air to fumigate my lungs.”
“How many do you smoke?”
“Sixty a day.”
“You could stop, stay in Glasgow, and get clean lungs that way.”
“Think about it. You could at least have company on that long drive.”
Elspeth thought about Hamish. It would be rather pleasant to turn up accompanied by Luke and show him she really didn’t care.
“All right,” she said. “You're on.”
Hamish set out for Braikie the following morning. Braikie was not Hamish’s favourite town, although it was miles better than Strathbane, and much smaller. The posher locals referred to it as “the village.” It had some fine Victorian villas at the north end, a depressing housing estate of grey houses all looking the same at the south end, and a main street of small dark shops with flats above them stretching out on either side of the town hall and library. A few brave souls lived in bungalows on the shore road facing the Atlantic. They often had to be rescued when November gales sent giant waves crashing into their homes. The main town, however, was huddled several damp fields away, out of the sight and sound of the sea.
Mrs. Gillespie lived in the housing estate. When Hamish called at her home, he noticed to his surprise that she had bought her house. He could see this because she had had picture windows installed, and householders who rented their homes from the council were not allowed to change the buildings. House prices, even this far north, were rising steeply, and he wondered how she could have afforded the purchase price.
Now that he was actually on her doorstep, he could feel his courage waning. He reminded himself sharply that it was high time someone put Mrs. Gillespie in her place.
He rang the bell. The door was answered by a little gnome of a man wearing a cardigan. He had a bald, freckled scalp. “Mr. Gillespie?” ventured Hamish. He had always assumed Mrs. Gillespie to be a widow.
“Aye, that’s me.”
“Is your wife at home?”
“No, she up at the professor’s. What’s up?”
“Nothing important. I just want a wee word with her. I’ll be off to the professor’s.”
Professor Sander was retired. He lived in a large Victorian villa in the better part of town. It was isolated from its neighbours at the end of a cul-de-sac. Hamish could see Mrs. Gillespie’s car parked on the road outside. He parked as well and walked to the garden entrance, which was flanked on one side by a magnificent rowan tree, weighed down with red berries, and on the other by an old-fashioned pump.
He was about to walk up the short drive when he stopped. There had been something he had seen out of the corner of his eye.
He turned and looked.
Mavis Gillespie lay huddled at the foot of the pump. He went up to her and bent down and felt for a pulse. There was none. Her bucket and mop lay beside her. Blood flowed from a wound on her head, and he noticed a stain of blood on the bucket.
He stood up and took out his telephone and called police headquarters. Then he went to his Land Rover and found a pair of latex gloves and put them on. Mrs. Gillespie’s handbag was lying beside her on the ground. It looked as if she had been struck down just as she was leaving.
He opened the handbag and looked inside.
The first thing he saw was that crumpled letter from Elspeth. He gingerly took it out and put it in his pocket.
Then he waited for reinforcements to arrive.
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A DREAM OF DYING
In the Highlands village of Lochdubh, every season has its special flavor. Lanky, red-haired constable Hamish Macbeth relishes them all, but spring is the grandest. Now the winter storms have blown out to sea, the loch is smooth as glass, and Macbeth is content with his dog, cat, and cup of tea…until his quiet life is shattered by a shocking death. High up in the mountains, the body of eccentric dreamer Effie Garrard has been found. The authorities are quick to close the case as a suicide—yet Macbeth thinks she was murdered. But after several of his ex-girlfriends come to town, the constable becomes very distracted in his investigation of Effie’s demise. And now in danger of dreaming too much himself, Macbeth may miss a very real killer who will give him the nightmare of his life…
“MASTERFUL…INTRICATE AND ABSORBING…A TREAT.” —Booklist (starred review)
“SUPERB ENTERTAINMENT, AS RICH AND WARMING AS A FINE MALT WHISKY, AND EVERY BIT AS ADDICTIVE.” —Houston Chronicle
M. C. BEATON is the author of the Hamish Macbeth mystery series, as well as the acclaimed Agatha Raisin series.

Agatha Raisin 31 - Hot to Trot
Beatrice Goes to Brighton
Deborah Goes to Dover
Down the Hatch
Hot to Trot
Beating About the Bush
Death of a Policeman
Edwardian Murder Mystery 04; Our Lady of Pain emm-4
The Waverly Women Series (3-Book Bundle)
The French Affair (Endearing Young Charms Book 2)
Death of a Witch hm-25
Summer of Discontent
Penelope Goes to Portsmouth
The Day the Floods Came ar-12
The Quiche of Death
Death of a Dentist hm-13
Edwardian Murder Mystery 03; Sick of Shadows emm-3
Agatha Raisin The Deadly Dance ar-15
Agatha Raisin & the Vicious Vet ar-2
Lessons in Love (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 3)
Those Endearing Young Charms
Agatha Raisin and The Wellspring of Death ar-7
Death of a Macho Man hm-12
Lady Fortescue Steps Out
The Wicked Godmother
Agatha Raisin 18 (2007) - Kissing Christmas Goodbye
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death ar-1
Agatha's First Case
Lady Fortescue Steps Out (The Poor Relation Series, Vol. 1)
There Goes The Bride
Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist
The Folly
The Chocolate Debutante
Hiss and Hers: An Agatha Raisin Mystery
The Education of Miss Paterson
Agatha Raisin Love, Lies and Liquor ar-17
Molly
Death of a Poison Pen hm-20
Hamish MacBeth 15 (1999) - Death of an Addict
Death of a Witch
Hamish Macbeth 24 (2008) - Death of a Gentle Lady
Death of Yesterday
Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace
The Daring Debutantes Bundle
Busy Body: An Agatha Raisin Mystery
Pretty Polly
The Case of the Curious Curate ar-13
Death of a Travelling Man hm-9
Death of a Bore hm-21
Rake's Progress: HFTS4
Miss Fiona's Fancy (The Royal Ambition Series Book 3)
Hamish Macbeth 19 (2003) - Death of a Village
Lady Lucy's Lover
Milady in Love (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 5)
Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue
(17/30 Love, Lies and Liquor
Hasty Death
Death of a Nurse
Death of a Scriptwriter hm-14
The Chocolate Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 5)
Sally
Tilly
Death of a Dreamer hm-22
Miss Davenport's Christmas (The Love and Temptation Series Book 6)
Death of a Dreamer
Duke's Diamonds (Endearing Young Charms Book 1)
Agatha Raisin and the Christmas Crumble (short story)
Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden ar-9
His Lordship's Pleasure (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 5)
The Homecoming
Hamish Macbeth 02; Death of a Cad hm-2
Agatha Raisin and The Potted Gardener ar-3
Death of a Glutton
Hamish Macbeth 02 (1987) - Death of a Cad
The Wicked Godmother: HFTS3
The Glitter and the Gold (Endearing Young Charms Book 7)
The Viscount's Revenge (The Royal Ambition Series Book 4)
Her Grace's Passion
Henrietta
At the Sign of the Golden Pineapple
The Blood of an Englishman
Something Borrowed, Someone Dead: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
Emily Goes to Exeter
Death of a Cad
Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death
Dancing on the Wind (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 8)
A Marriage of Inconvenience (Endearing Young Charms Book 5)
The Ghost and Lady Alice (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 6)
Hamish Macbeth 04; Death of a Perfect Wife hm-4
My Dear Duchess
Mrs. Budley Falls From Grace (The Poor Relation Series Book 3)
Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House
The Education of Miss Patterson (The Love and Temptation Series Book 3)
Agatha Raisin and The Walkers of Dembley ar-4
The Original Miss Honeyford
A Spoonful of Poison
Hamish Macbeth Omnibus
Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body ar-21
Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden
Hamish Macbeth 08 (1993) - Death of a Glutton
Death of a Gentle Lady hm-24
Ms. Davenport's Christmas
Agatha Raisin Kissing Christmas Goodbye ar-18
Lady Anne's Deception
Agatha Raisin The Perfect Paragon ar-16
Edwardian Murder Mystery 02; Hasty Death emm-2
The Constant Companion
Hamish Macbeth 14 (1999) - Death of a Scriptwriter
Ginny
Hamish Macbeth 10 (1994) - Death of a Charming Man
Hamish Macbeth 03; Death of an Outsider hm-3
The Love from Hell ar-11
The Scandalous Lady Wright (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 4)
Hamish Macbeth 17 (2001) - Death of a Dustman
Hamish Macbeth 13 (1997) - Death of a Dentist
The Paper Princess (The Royal Ambition Series Book 7)
Rainbird's Revenge: HFTS6
The Perfect Gentleman (The Love and Temptation Series Book 7)
Sir Philip's Folly (The Poor Relation Series Book 4)
The Witches' Tree--An Agatha Raisin Mystery
Death of an Outsider
Hamish MacBeth 03 (1988) - Death of an Outsider
Agatha Raisin and the Perfect Paragon
Death of a Chimney Sweep
The Dreadful Debutante (The Royal Ambition Series Book 1)
Something Borrowed, Someone Dead
Agatha Raisin and The Murderous Marriage ar-5
The Highland Countess
Death of a Chimney Sweep hm-1
The Skeleton in the Closet
Susie
Agatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye
Regency Gold (The Regency Intrigue Series Book 2)
The Marquis Takes a Bride
Hamish Macbeth 16 (1999) - A Highland Christmas
Death of a Liar
Hamish Macbeth 01; Death of a Gossip hm-1
Love and Lady Lovelace (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 8)
Death of an Honest Man
The Desirable Duchess
Deception (Daughters of Mannerling 3)
A Highland Christmas hm-16
Polly
The Savage Marquess
Agatha Raisin 03 (1994) - The Potted Gardener
Pushing Up Daisies
Death Of An Addict
Banishment (Daughters of Mannerling 1)
Amaryllis
Hamish MacBeth 06 (1991) - Death of a Snob
The Paper Princess
Hamish Macbeth 06; Death of a Snob hm-6
The Dreadful Debutante
Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam
Hamish Macbeth 22 (2006) - Death of a Dreamer
Dishing the Dirt
Minerva
Death of a Nag hm-11
Hamish Macbeth 18 (2002) - Death of a Celebrity
Quadrille (The Love and Temptation Series Book 5)
Death of a Glutton hm-8
The Westerby Sisters (Changing Fortunes Series)
The Scandalous Marriage (The Dukes and Desires Series Book 7)
The Adventuress: HFTS5
Death of a Valentine
Death of a Nag
Death of a Dustman hm-17
Hamish Macbeth 09 (1993) - Death of a Travelling Man
The Loves of Lord Granton (The Changing Fortunes Series, Vol. 2)
Agatha Raisin and a Spoonful of Poison ar-19
To Dream of Love
Agatha Raisin 04 (1995) - The Walkers of Dembley
Hamish MacBeth 01 (1985) - Death of a Gossip
Death of a Maid hm-23
Belinda Goes to Bath
Death of a Kingfisher
Death of a Charming Man hm-10
Death of a Prankster hm-7
The Miser of Mayfair: HFTS1
Hamish Macbeth 05; Death of a Hussy hm-5
A Governess of Distinction (Endearing Young Charms Book 6)
The Westerby Inheritance
Death of a Hussy
Hamish MacBeth 07 (1998) - Death of a Prankster
Hamish Macbeth 20 (2004) - Death of a Poison Pen
Miss Tonks Turns to Crime
Edwardian Murder Mystery 01; Snobbery with Violence emm-1
Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham
Hamish Macbeth 12 (1996) - Death of a Macho Man
Yvonne Goes to York
A Highland Christmas
Sweet Masquerade (The Love and Temptation Series Book 4)
Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wykhadden
The Dead Ringer
Agatha Raisin 05 (1996) - The Murderous Marriage
Agatha Raisin 07 (1998) - The Wellspring of Death
Agatha Raisin: As the Pig Turns ar-22