Page 21 of Fixing a Broken Heart at the Highland Repair Shop

Ally slept for a long time and woke up desperate to tell someone what had happened the night before.

Murray was in Mali, possibly. Would he even be reachable? No one in the family had heard a peep from him since he notified Ally about her interview appointment. Worth trying a text at least, she thought.

Murray. I don’t know if you’re overseas and not getting messages. I haven’t had any from you either, by the way, in case you’ve been trying to reach me. I just wanted to tell you about things here. Nothing big, just stuff. So don’t worry or anything. Travel safe, A x

Still under her covers, she read her message over, thinking how juvenile it sounded. Her brother was off working on some huge charity project and she wanted to squeal at him about a kiss?

She deleted it. Not something she’d have done even a couple of years ago when she’d have sent it and waited for him to ring and demand every last torrid detail before imparting some of his dating wisdom upon her.

She didn’t like to think what not telling him about Jamie meant for her and her twin these days, but the sneaking worry they too had grown apart while she’d stayed still in Cairn Dhu played at the back of her mind as she typed a new message.

I know you won’t get this for a while, but I’m thinking about you. We’re all fine. Have fun in Mali! Miss you. A x

She let the message fly from her phone, and turned to wondering what Jamie was doing.

They should have made plans for dinner or something when they were at her door this morning as he’d seen her safely inside the sleeping mill house.

They hadn’t kissed again on the step, which she wasn’t going to read anything into.

He’d been upset about things at work. It was understandable.

So she’d wait, and listen for the doorbell.

There was no way he’d stay away now. Not now it was clear they had this special connection.

* * *

The weather changes quickly in the Cairngorms. One minute you can be buying an ice lolly in your shorts and sandals, the next you can be ankle deep in a flash deluge with rainwater running in a river down the main road.

Some days, you can start a hike sweating in seventy degree heat and come back down the mountain to frost on the foothills.

Locals are used to these drastic shifts, having lived with them all their lives, but outsiders can be caught unawares in these extremes.

Last night had been mild and balmy; today a storm was brewing.

Jamie Beaton, however, was about to be taken by surprise by more than fluctuations in the temperature this morning.

Chief Inspector Edwyn’s office at the back of the station was austere and unpleasantly lit with garish strip lights.

His certificates and awards hung framed on the white emulsioned walls alongside a picture of him surrounded by his wife and kids from long ago.

He was the very image of the upstanding copper Jamie wanted to become.

Edwyn was on his feet, pacing, while Jamie sat in front of the desk. Not a good start, whatever way you look at it.

‘You pursued a suspect alone, having spent the evening drinking in the Ptarmigan?’ he asked in a serious tone.

This was a side of Edwyn Jamie hadn’t had directed towards him before. The angry side.

‘Well, yes, sir, but I’d sobered up by then.’

Had he really? The way he remembered it was pretty hazy, but that had less to do with the alcohol still in his system and more to do with what it had felt like kissing Ally McIntyre.

It came back to him now. The faintest memory of the soft scratches of her short fingernails as she caressed his neck, both her hands at his throat, her fingertips moving over the shorn areas of his short back and sides like she’d loved the feel of him there.

She’d done it a few times, each time letting her fingers tangle in the longer hair at his crown, her touch setting off dizzy sensations.

He’d ran his hands along her arms until he could hold her hands in place back there, their fingers lacing in his hair…

‘You were with young Allyson McIntyre, am I right?’

‘Yes, sir.’ He snapped out of the memory. Was he really in trouble over this?

‘A key witness in a robbery investigation.’

Yep, he was in trouble.

‘That’s correct, sir. It was her who made the ID, positively linking the woman…’

‘Special Constable Beaton. An off duty, voluntary officer cannot and should not follow any suspect on foot, especially while under the influence of alcohol.’

Jamie lowered his head. ‘Is it only the drinking that’s the problem, sir?’

Edwyn’s jaw jutted. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Was I wrong to be out with one of the McIntyres, sir?’

Edwyn searched for an answer, grumbling as he thought. ‘Well, there’s no especial rule against socialising with members of your own community, of course.’

‘But dating someone?’

‘Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem.’ Edwyn must have seen it on his face, the hope. ‘Except in this case, Allyson is, as you yourself acknowledge, an identifying witness.’

‘Right.’ Jamie’s shoulders dropped. He tried to sit straight again but couldn’t quite draw himself up.

‘ Discretion has always been an important quality in a trainee officer,’ Edwyn began, a touch of sympathy and condescension in his voice.

‘Yes, sir.’ Where was this going? Was he saying it was OK to see Ally if he was discreet about it? How exactly would that work? Sneaking about? Keeping it secret?

‘That’s all,’ said Edwyn.

‘Oh.’ How could that be all? Where was the advice? The dating line drawn to help Jamie maintain the Thin Blue Line of authority and respectability?

‘Dismissed.’

He was on his feet. ‘Yes, sir.’ With more questions than answers, Jamie made for the door. ‘Sir?’ He turned. ‘We’ll search for that woman with the black eye?’

‘You won’t,’ Edwyn answered. ‘The Mason brothers are abreast of the latest intel. Let’s leave it in their capable hands.’ Edwyn’s mouth drew into a thin smile before he sat down at his computer to get on with his important work.

Crestfallen, Jamie left the room and made his way into the office area where Andrew was busy working on a screen.

They didn’t acknowledge his arrival so he sat at the empty desk and waited to be assigned a job to do, thinking long and hard how, with one kiss, a few drinks and an ill-considered foot chase, he may well have blown the good opinion of Edwyn and the entire application process to become a regular officer.