Prim shook her head. ‘No, I was totally wrapped up in Paul. I never had time to make other friendships.’
‘I can handle that,’ I said. ‘What does he have to do?’
‘He needs to go to the Family Records Centre in London. It’s in Myddelton Street, near King’s Cross, and by happy chance it’s open on Saturdays, for the convenience of amateur genealogical researchers. They will issue an official duplicate certificate.’
I called Mark Kravitz there and then; I didn’t ask what he was doing, only where he was. He understood the problem at once; better than that, he knew the FRC well, and had a contact there. Where does he not have a contact? I asked myself. He undertook to get the replacement certificate that afternoon, and courier it to Greg McPhillips overnight. ‘That’s done,’ I told Harvey. ‘What’s the other front?’
‘At the first opportunity, Miss Phillips must make a formal complaint to the police, alleging theft of her funds by Mr Wallinger.’
‘Where?’ asked Prim. ‘Will I need to go back to London?’
‘No, you don’t have to do that. If we’re asserting your Scottish residence, you can complain to your local force. It’s better in some ways; frankly, a two-and-a-half-million-pound fraud is small potatoes for the Metropolitan Police, but it will get attention in Scotland.’ He glanced back at me. ‘Oz, I don’t suppose you have a tame policeman as well?’
‘No, but I know someone who has plenty.’ I took out the trusty mobile again and called Ricky Ross. He and I were the best of enemies once, but we’ve turned into pretty good friends. He was a detective superintendent in Edinburgh until he made an arse of himself in an investigation in which I was more than peripherally involved, but he recovered from that debacle to form a successful security business. He’s also kept many of his old CID pals, and that can come in very handy.
In his business, he’s always contactable. His phone was on auto-answer, but when I left a message, he called me back inside a minute.
‘What’s up?’ he asked. ‘It’s not my birthday, so I guess something must be.’
‘I need to talk to a copper, Rick, someone who’s good at chasing embezzled funds.’
I’ll swear he started to laugh, then choked it off. ‘Who’s been daft enough to steal your money?’ he exclaimed.
‘Not mine, Primavera’s.’
‘The ex? Where is she?’
‘Right now? Auchterarder.’
‘That’s Tayside. There’s a guy in Strathclyde she should speak to; it would be better if she was in their area.’
‘That’s okay. She’s coming back to my place later on today, and that’s covered by Strathclyde Police.’
‘Fine. I’ll speak to him and make an appointment. What evidence does she have, bank statements and the like?’
I asked her. ‘Nothing with me,’ she replied. ‘It’s all in my safe at the flat.’
‘No worries; you can fly down tomorrow and get it.’ I put the phone back to my ear, but Ricky had heard it all.
‘I’ll fix something up for Monday, then,’ he promised, ‘assuming the guy’s available and not on holiday or anything. His name is Detective Inspector Ian McLaren, and he’s a specialist fraud investigator. I’ll ask him to go to Loch Lomond; I’ll get back to you with a time. By the way,’ Ricky paused, ‘just so as you know, he was a friend of Mike Dylan.’
‘Noted, but he’s ancient history. Thanks.’ I killed the call. ‘Copper taken care of, Harvey,’ I said, then glanced at my watch. ‘That’s enough for now. You go and join the family for a sherry, or whatever you top lawyers drink pre-lunch these days. I’ll join you after I’ve run an errand.’
‘What’s that?’ Prim asked.
‘You,’ I told her. ‘This has been the easy part of your day; in case you’ve forgotten, I’m now going to take you home, where you will tell your mother and father the whole truth and nothing but the truth.’
She stood and gave me a pale smile. ‘Okay, but you may not make it to Semple House. Remember, you’ve told the world my middle name.’
Chapter 11
I did, though. Incidentally, on the subject of Phillips forenames: Primavera was christened such because she was conceived in the springtime, in Spain; the Eagle part, you know about. I’ll leave you to work out why her sister is called Dawn, but their father once confided to me that she narrowly missed having Kellogg as a middle name, and I don’t think old Super-Dave was joking.
I dropped her at Semple House, then watched her walk up the driveway to the front porch and ring the belclass="underline" that’s how much I trusted her not to do a runner as soon as my back was turned and just spend a couple of hours walking around town or, worse, in the pub. I even waited until I saw the door open before I drove off.
Ellen didn’t press me too hard when I got back to the hotel, although we were seated together at the lunch table. ‘She’s in trouble, is she?’ was all she asked.
‘Yes. Harvey will tell you all about it later on, I’m sure.’
‘Not if he’s acting for her, he won’t: he’s hot on client confidentiality.’
‘Tell him I’ve given you special dispensation.’
‘You sound like the Pope. You really do think a lot of yourself these days, wee brother, don’t you?’
I crossed myself, surreptitiously. ‘Does it show?’
She smiled. ‘It’s not your public image, don’t worry. But you’ve changed: there’s an authority about you that wasn’t there before. It used to be that all our lives revolved around Dad, but not any more.’ She glanced sideways at me. ‘Incidentally, I’m glad you two have made it up, whatever it was that was wrong between you. He mentioned that you’d been to see him.’
‘What makes you think there was anything wrong?’
‘Credit me with sense, and powers of observation, please. Just because I never asked doesn’t mean I never knew or didn’t care.’
‘Okay, I admit it. We had a disagreement, but it’s sorted.’
‘Well, now that it is, how about you putting in a word with him for Harvey?’
‘Hey,’ I whispered, ‘I’m only just recognising the guy’s existence myself.’
‘Because it suits you?’
‘Of course.’ I grinned at her. ‘But don’t worry, I’m being won over. In fact, if you ask him, I’ve already advised him that the way to Dad’s heart is through a golf swing that’s slightly less efficient than his.’
Ellie laughed at that. ‘I know; he told me. He’s even going to give it a try this afternoon.’
‘That’s good; I brought a spare set just in case. He can buy himself a pair of golf shoes in the pro shop.’
‘You underestimate your future brother-in-law.’
‘My what?’
She went a very un-Ellie-like pink at her slip. ‘You heard. But shut up about it until he’s spoken to Dad and to you, and I’ve spoken to the boys.’
‘That’s why Susie set us up to have lunch on Tuesday?’
‘Exactly. You see, bro, your women have still got your number. . even the one who’s not here right now. Anyway, as I was saying, you’re selling Harvey short. He and Jonny went out this morning, early, and came back with a pair of Footjoy shoes, and a Gore-Tex rain-suit, and last but not least a set of Taylor-made clubs, and a big bag.’
‘Balls,’ I said.
‘It is not! It’s true.’
‘Did he buy himself any golf balls, Ellen?’ I asked her patiently. ‘The rest is useless without them.’
I glanced across at my nephew; I had raised my voice so he could hear me. ‘Titleist Pro V1, Uncle Oz,’ he said, with a grin. ‘Two dozen.’
‘Let’s hope that’s enough.’ Jonny had done the pro a favour in his advice. The gear Ellie had described must have cost Harvey a right few hundred quid; I found myself hoping for the kid’s sake that he didn’t turn out to be a no-hoper.
As it turned out, I needn’t have worried. I’d booked a four-ball on the Queen’s Course, the shortest of the three eighteen-holers, for two thirty. That allowed half an hour after lunch for me to take Harvey into the practice net and show him how to swing, not the full John Daly grip-it-and-rip-it style, but something nice and simple with a short backswing. He seemed to have a natural eye for the ball, for after a few awkward swipes, he was soon able to clip it pretty straight with the four clubs that I advised him to use out of his very expensive full set.