Dumfries Read online

  Dumfries

  By Ian Todd

  Dumfries is a work of fiction. The names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  Chapter One

  “Hello, Robert. Jist finished yer work, hiv ye?” fourteen-year-auld Margaret Dunn tittered fae behind the coonter ae McLeod and Michael’s newsagent shoap oan St Ninian’s Road, ignoring the elbow that hid jist been jabbed intae her side by her best pal.

  “Hello, Margaret. And how ur ye daeing yersel, Ann?” the customer asked, staring at the blond-haired lassie, who wis staunin beside her pal, in front ae the fag shelves, biting her bottom lip nervously, no saying a word.

  “So, whit kin Ah get ye then, Robert?” Ann Broon finally asked tersely, ignoring his greeting and averting her eyes fae the eighteen-year-auld customer who wis covered fae heid tae toe in grey plaster dust.

  “Ten Number 6 and a wee fly feel ae they tits ae yers while ye’re at it,” the plasterer replied, sniggering.

  Fur whit seemed like an eternity, bit wis in fact only a few seconds, Ann hesitated, then turned and lifted the slim packet ae fags aff the shelf behind her and placed them oan the coonter in front ae the plasterer. Ann wis cursing under her breath, annoyed wae Margaret fur no taking the initiative and serving him. Margaret knew fine well that Robert Connor gied her the creeps. Ann wis constantly filling her pal in oan aw the times that he’d popped up, oot ae nowhere, during the day and at night, trying tae get aff wae her. Margaret jist thought it wis funny.

  “Ach, he’s jist a big harmless lump, Ann. Everywan knows that,” her pal hid teased her the night before, tapping the side ae her heid wae her finger.

  “Maybe tae you, Margaret, bit tae me, he’s creepy and gies me the willies. Hiv ye seen the caked dirt under they fingernails ae his? Yuk,” Ann hid replied, shuddering.

  “Ach, well, daft or no, that’s wan thing aw men hiv in common.”

  “Whit?”

  “Willies,” Margaret hid said, laughing.

  Even though Ann and Margaret hid never hid a boyfriend…at least, no a real wan…unless ye coonted hivving an occasional wee winch wae a few ae the local boys in the village while playing ‘Truth or Dare’ at the church youth club. Aw they ever spoke aboot wis boys and the freedom they wur gonnae hiv wance they goat their Highers and left Cambusbarron behind them fur good tae go tae Stirling University. Even though Stirling, in the shadow ae the castle, wis jist alang the road, it could’ve been a million miles away, as far as Ann and Margaret wur concerned. They’d even chosen the colour scheme ae their living room fur when they eventually escaped and goat a cool flat thegither. Their tastes in boys wur different though. Ann hid been in love wae David Cassidy since ‘Could it be furever’ hid hit the charts a few months earlier. Her da hid promised tae take her in tae Stirling tae buy his new single ‘How Could Ah Be Sure’ oan Saturday, wance Mrs McLeod paid her and Margaret their wages, at the end ae their shift at lunchtime. The wait wis killing her. O’er the previous three months, the wallpaper in her bedroom hid gradually disappeared under her posters ae David, while Margaret’s ideal hunk wis Noddy Holder, the lead singer wae Slade. Ann jist couldnae see whit the attraction wis.

  Margaret and Ann hid been the best ae pals since being born, two minutes apart, in Stirling Maternity Hospital in June 1958. Baith ae their parents hid been brought up in the village and hid been in the same class at primary and secondary school in the early fifties. Ann and Margaret wur mair like sisters than best pals and while their tastes in boys wur different, they usually dressed the same, so that visitors fae ootside the village could be furgiven fur thinking that they wur twins. It hid crossed Ann’s mind tae tell her ma aboot her unease wae Robert Connor, bit Margaret hid put her aff.

  “And say whit? Creepy Robert fancies ye? Christ, Ann, he might be the village idiot, bit he’s still a man, efter aw. He’s supposed tae fancy ye, ya silly moo. We’d be in some state if we couldnae even get somewan like Robert Connor tae take a fancy tae us.”

  “This is different. Remember Mr Smart and how he used tae freak ye oot during gym wae they eyes ae his? Well, this is ten times worse. Robert obviously disnae stare at ye the way he dis wae me or ye’d know exactly whit Ah’m oan aboot,” Ann hid snapped at her, feeling hersel getting irritated.

  “Hoi, don’t flatter yersel, Lulu. Ah get the same attention fae Robert Connor as aw the other lassies oan the school bus dae. The only difference between you and me is that Ah haundle it differently.”

  “Fur example?”

  “Well, it depends oan the mood Ah’m in. If Ah cannae be bothered, Ah jist ignore him, bit at other times, Ah jist lead him oan and laugh at his silly, pathetic chat-up lines. It’s aw jist a laugh. He knows fine well that there’s nae chance ae anything gaun any further. The problem wae you is that ye jist freak oot in front ae him when he speaks tae ye, even when he’s being nice. He knows that he’s getting tae ye, so he makes a point ae speaking tae ye, knowing he’ll get a reaction,” Margaret hid laughed dismissively. “Ma granny telt me that if somewan who disnae like cats goes in tae a hoose and there’s a cat there, the cat will always heid fur them insteid ae tae anywan else in the room.”

  The maist recent episode wae Robert hid taken place the previous morning, when Ann hid been oan her way tae catch the school bus. By the time the bus stoap at The Bruce Memorial Church hid come intae view, the bus, taking Margaret and the other teens fae the village tae Stirling High School, hid disappeared oot ae sight, alang Birkhill Road. She’d been annoyed that Margaret hidnae convinced Peter, the bus driver, tae hing oan fur a minute longer. It hid been while she wis staunin, wondering how she wis gonnae get tae school, that Robert Connor hid appeared oot ae nowhere. Wan minute she’d been staunin oan her ain, shivering in the cauld and the next, he’d been staunin oan the pavement behind her, beside his wee white van, wae the passenger door held open. She hidnae heard or seen him pull up tae the kerb.

  “Lift?” he’d asked, making her jump, as she spun roond tae face whoever hid spoken.

  He’d been blocking the pavement wae the open van door and his body, while licking they lips ae his, undressing her wae his eyes.

  “Whit, oh, er, no, no thanks,” she’d stammered, making an attempt tae slip past him.

  “So, how ur ye gonnae manage tae get tae school the day then?” he’d challenged her, moving sideways tae the right swiftly and stoapping her in her tracks, by reaching oot and grabbing wan ae the railings ae the church tae block her escape.

  “My da…Ah’ll, er…get him tae gie me a lift,” she’d mumbled quickly, eyes averted, avoiding eye contact.

  “Bit Ah thought yer ma and da baith work in Stirling during the day?” he’d persisted, staunin his ground.

  “Ah’ll, er, phone him and get him tae come and pick me up,” she’d replied, brushing past him, the sleeve and shoulder ae her dark blue school blazer getting covered in grey plaster dust.

  “Bit Ah kin get ye tae school in a few minutes…we’ll catch up wae the bus before it gets tae the school gates,” he’d pleaded, as she hurried, heid still doon, alang the pavement, towards hame.

  When Ann hid reached the hoose, she’d locked the front door and hurriedly rushed aroond, making sure aw the latches wur oan the windaes. Fur the rest ae the day, she’d kept well away fae the windaes at the front. When she’d occasionally peeped oot fae behind the curtains, she’d caught sight ae Robert’s van, slowing doon, ootside the hoose and watched him
staring intently up at her bedroom windae. She’d been absolutely terrified and hid gone and taken a hammer fae her da’s toolbox. She’d kept it beside her oan her bed aw day while she did her schoolwork in her room until, at last, she’d heard the wheels ae her da’s car crunching oan the driveway when him and her ma hid arrived hame fae work, jist before she heided aff tae her part-time job at the newsagent’s.

  “That’ll be thirty four pence, please,” Ann said, keeping her eyes averted, as Robert pulled oot a bundle ae change fae his overalls and used they filthy fingers fae his other haun, tae separate the coins.

  “Here ye go then,” he replied, erm ootstretched.

  When Ann reached across the coonter, palm upright, Robert drapped the coins oan tae her haun. Before she could withdraw her erm and put the money in the till, he followed through and gied her haun a squeeze, causing her tae freeze and drap the coins oan tae the coonter, allowing them tae scatter and bounce oan tae the flair. Margaret sprang forward, her hauns flailing wildly in an attempt tae catch the scattering coins. It wis while Margaret wis crouching o’er, beneath the coonter, oot ae sight, that Ann’s eyes finally made contact wae Robert’s. He suddenly clutched the crotch ae his overalls wae his right haun and smiled. He then stuck oot his wet tongue and licked slowly upwards across his left palm tae the fingertip ae his middle finger, before mouthing the word ‘bitch’ at her, while menacingly staring intae her shocked and disgusted eyes.

  By the time Margaret’s heid reappeared wae the coins in her haun, Robert Connor hid silently slipped oot ae the shoap.

  An hour later, at seven o’clock, Margaret held the front door ae the shoap open. Ann flicked oan the alarm in the storeroom at the back and ran, remembering tae switch aff the light, jist before Margaret pulled o’er the door and turned the key in the lock.

  “Right, remember, eight-thirty sharp in the morning. Peter won’t hing aboot waiting. If ye’re no there, he’ll leave withoot ye,” Margaret warned her, as the snowflakes, floating doon under the streetlight, became heavier.

  “Don’t worry, Ah’ll be there oan time,” Ann said smiling, as she pulled up the collar ae her duffle coat.

  Ann set aff in the opposite direction tae Margaret, up St Ninian’s Road, underneath the orange glow ae the street lights, towards the church, tae slip the shoap keys through auld Mrs McLeod’s letterbox oan her way hame.

  Although it wis still only early evening, the main street through the village wis picture postcard deserted. Efter crossing the road, she let oot a wee yelp followed by a relieved chuckle, efter being startled by the sudden appearance ae a wee black cat, wailing in fright, being chased by a bigger, ginger wan, oot ae the Burns’ open gate. Jist as she quickened her step, efter crossing the junction ae Birkhill Road, where it joined St Ninian’s Road, Ann failed tae notice the dark shadow, sitting in the driver’s seat, as the occupant ae the wee white van lifted up his fingers and took a deep puff ae his fag, lighting up that face ae his in a red glow, underneath the branches ae the beech tree that overhung the wall ae the church.

  “Good evening. My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight.

  The manhunt is continuing for those responsible for the shooting of two police officers, during a bank robbery at the Maryhill branch of the Clydeside Bank on Maryhill Road yesterday morning. One of the officers, Sergeant Liam Thompson, is said to be in a stable condition in Glasgow Royal Infirmary. It’s believed the other, unnamed police constable, was allowed home later this afternoon after being treated for shock. Police later arrested an eighteen-year-old, James Baxter, who was recognised running from the bank during the robbery and arrested shortly after. Police issued a statement later, stating that a youth will be appearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court in the morning in connection with the incident. Police are hunting for 4 other assailants who are believed to have made off with a five-figure sum. Police are appealing for anyone in the vicinity of the bank at around 10.25 yesterday morning to contact them on…

  Shoppers had to run for their lives earlier today on Shettleston Road as two gunmen exchanged shots in broad daylight. Superintendent Daddy Jackson from Central Police HQ said it was a miracle that no pedestrians were hurt in the incident…

  The body of a man has been found in a house in Ardsheild Road, Drumoyne. Police suspect that the death could be as a result of a drug overdose. A post mortem is due to take place later and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal…

  Scottish trade union officials have warned of industrial action after the government announced that it is introducing price and pay freezes to counter inflation. Mick McGahey, the NUM’s Vice-President warned the government not to push the unions into taking industrial action and called for discussions before implementing what he called ‘unjustifiable provocative action against ordinary working people’…

  A man who escaped a custodial sentence earlier in the year after his wife pleaded with a Sheriff not to jail him, was sentenced to 4 years in prison today, after pleading guilty to manslaughter. William Gillespie assaulted his wife, a mother of four children, by striking her about the head and body, after he claimed that she had accused him of having an affair with a neighbour. Mrs Gillespie died from internal injuries after the assault at the family home in…

  There is still no sign tonight, of missing fourteen-year-old Stirlingshire schoolgirl, Ann Brown, despite a massive search by police, using tracker dogs and calls for local residents to check their outside buildings and barns. Police and volunteers have been searching the area in and around the village of Cambusbarron, Stirlingshire, after the teenager failed to return home around seven o’clock last night after she finished her part-time, after-school job in the local village newsagent’s. There will be more on this story just after the headlines…

  Two ten-year-olds, described as walking crime statistics, were remanded for fourteen days to Larchgrove Remand Centre at Central Police Court today for social background reports. The youngsters, both brothers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged with breaking into twenty seven shops, a tyre factory and eight houses in the Springburn area of the city over the past month…”

  Chapter Two

  Flora Connor lay the steaming bowl ae homemade chicken broth in front ae her baby, before taking her seat opposite him at the table. She looked across at her only son. She could tell he’d been greeting, as his eyes wur red-rimmed and puffy. He’d hardly come oot ae his bedroom o’er the past week. She reached o’er and gied his haun a wee gentle squeeze. Robert looked up fae The Stirling Observer and gied her a wee appreciative smile. It wis the same smile as he’d first gied her a few days efter he wis born prematurely in the bedroom that he noo slept in. When his father hid suddenly died ae a heart attack in the middle ae the night when Robert wis thirteen-years-auld, she’d moved oot ae the bedroom and moved Robert in. She couldnae bring hersel tae sleep in the same room that her man hid passed away in. It hid been difficult bringing Robert up oan her ain efter that. He’d always been a sickly child and hid been aff school fur long periods. She’d always been terrified ae losing him, especially efter being telt by the Gynaecologist soon efter, that she widnae be able tae hiv any mair weans. That fear hid increased dramatically no long efter his da, God bless him, hid been taken fae her. When Robert’s bullying by aulder pupils and teachers hid goat worse, efter gaun up tae secondary school, she’d deliberately kept him at hame fur long periods, despite being threatened by the authorities. She’d goat in touch wae her local MP, Neville Graham-Worthington, aboot Robert’s situation at the time, bit he’d been jist as useless as the school authorities. Tae make matters worse, he’d taken their side against her. Fae his early days, Robert hid spent a lot ae time oot and aboot wae his da when he’d been aff school due tae his various ailments. His da hid run his ain wan-man plastering business and although Robert hidnae touched his da’s tools in the two years between God taking his faither away and Robert leaving school at fifteen, she’d encouraged and supported her son tae go through t
ae Glesga during the school holidays tae work wae wan ae his father’s friends, a part-time entertainer, who ran a wee plasterer’s business during the day in the city. When Robert hid finally managed tae escape his school persecutors at fifteen, he’d spent a full three months in Glesga, daeing a crash course in plastering, before returning hame in triumph. She knew a lot ae people…local gossipmongers…thought her son wis a wee bit touched in the heid, bit he’d proved them aw wrang. Within a year ae him leaving school, the Connor Slating and Plastering business hid been reborn. She’d goat her husband’s wee van put back oan the road. Because Robert hidnae been auld enough tae get his driving licence, he always made sure that any labourers he employed wur able tae drive. It hid been wan ae the proudest days ae her life, the day he arrived back fae his driving test, wae a big smile splashed across that face ae his and a pass certificate in his haun. That hid been ten months earlier. Since then, he hidnae needed tae be dependent oan employing any ae they useless wasters fae the village tae drive him oot and aboot.

  “It means aw the money earned will stay wae us, Ma, and anyway, Ah prefer tae work oan ma ain,” he’d said.

  She couldnae fathom oot why people wur noo trying tae harm him, take him away fae her, efter everything her and Robert hid been through. Noo they wur trying tae frame him fur being involved wae the disappearance ae some wee trollop fae the village who’d obviously run away wae somewan. She felt the fear clutch her chest, jist thinking aboot the past week. The polis hid commandeered the van before gaun oan tae ransack her hoose the day efter the Broon slut hid gone missing. They’d also taken away aw his clothes, including his work overalls, fae his bedroom and her laundry basket. Despite aw the harassment, Flora hid managed tae get the van back earlier that day, bit no before spending a fortune oan hiring a solicitor fae Stirling. Robert hid admitted that he’d spoken tae the wee tramp the day before she’d gone missing. He’d telt the polis, o’er and o’er again, that he’d spoken tae her in front ae The Bruce Memorial Church efter she’d missed the school bus in the morning. So fae trying tae dae her, and the school authorities, a favour, by offering tae gie her a lift tae school, they wur noo demanding tae know how plaster dust that matched the dust oan his overalls hid managed tae get oan tae the wee tramp’s school blazer. Tae make matters worse, some evil-minded busybody hid claimed that he’d seen Robert trying tae block the lassie’s path oan the pavement, when they’d obviously been jist fooling aroond ootside the church. Despite Robert telling the polis aw this, they hidnae believed him. When she’d found oot doon at the station that Robert hid admitted chatting tae the lassie, her worst fears hid been realised. She knew it wid come tae this someday, bit she thought it widnae be fur a number ae years in the future. She couldnae cope if some trollop took her wean away fae her. How wid she manage oan her ain? It wis obvious tae her that Robert and the Broon lassie hid been seeing each other behind her back. It made total sense noo when she thought aboot it. He’d be a good catch fur somewan. He wis young, handsome and wae a lot ae hard work, and her support, he’d be quite wealthy someday, if the business really took aff. She knew he’d been lying when he telt the polis that he’d been in the hoose fae aboot six o’clock oanwards oan the night the wee slut hid disappeared. It hid been nearer ten by the time he’d arrived hame. While waiting fur the lawyer tae arrive at the polis station, he’d telt her that he’d wanted tae finish aff a plastering job that he wis working oan, jist in case he couldnae get tae the job the next day, because ae the early snow that hid caught everywan oot across central Scotland. The fact wis, that it wis a cash-in-haun job, and he’d telt her he didnae want tae tell the polis the truth, because they’d investigate aw his other work, and he’d end up being put away fur tax fraud. She’d confirmed, withoot hesitation, that she’d hid her son’s tea oan the table by the time he’d arrived hame roond aboot six o’clock that evening and that he hidnae left again until seven o’clock the next morning, when he left fur work. They’d nae choice bit tae release him fae the polis station in Stirling. Oan the way oot ae the station wae their lawyer, Inspector Barron, the man in charge ae the investigation, hid warned her that they’d be back. Well, let them, Flora telt hersel. She’d be waiting fur them. Anywan wanting tae take her baby away fae her wid hiv a fight oan their hauns. She’d never let that happen.