Death of a Liar Read Online Free PDF

in darkness when Hamish and Dick arrived, the sun having gone down at three in the afternoon. “Where do we start?” complained Hamish. “The police must already have questioned everyone in the village.” He let his dog and cat out of the Land Rover.
    â€œWe could try the village shop,” suggested Dick, “and maybe get something to eat.”
    â€œI’m not really hungry,” protested Hamish.
    â€œBut your beasties could do wi’ a bite,” said Dick. “Folk might be mair willing to talk if we were buying stuff.”
    â€œMeaning, it’s you that’s hungry again,” said Hamish. “All right. Let’s go.”
    While Dick searched the shelves, Hamish approached the counter. Behind it stood a stocky grey-haired woman wearing a flowered overall. “No’ the polis again,” she complained.
    â€œThat’s us,” said Hamish cheerfully. “You must all have been talking about the murder, and I wondered if any of you had any ideas.”
    â€œWell, it wouldnae be any of us,” she said. “We’re a’ decent God-fearing folk here. That poor woman told that many lies. But no one saw any stranger around.”
    Dick approached the counter with a laden basket. “I see you’ve got a grand bit o’ ham there,” he said. “I’ll take half a pound. And would you have a bit o’ fresh fish for the cat?”
    A smile lit up her face. “You’re an odd pair o’ polis. I can let you have a mackerel.”
    â€œThat’ll do fine,” said Dick. “Any incomers we might not have met?”
    â€œThere’s only Anka. A Pole. She works for me. Anka’s a right fine baker, and her baps are the talk o’ the Highlands.”
    â€œWhat’s she doing up in a remote place like this?” asked Hamish.
    She wiped her hand on her apron and held it out. “I’m Sadie Mackay.”
    â€œHamish Macbeth, and this here is Dick Fraser.”
    â€œAye, well, Anka was on a hiking holiday and she ended up here. There’s no’ that much money to be made in a wee shop like this, although we do have the post office as well. Anka said she was a baker in her father’s shop in Warsaw. She said she would bake some stuff for me and sure enough, folk started to come in from all over. She said she was tired o’ hiking and took a cottage here, rented it from Joe the fisherman.”
    â€œWait a bit,” said Hamish, his hazel eyes sharpening. “You say folk come from all over and yet you say there have been no strangers in the village.”
    â€œThey come during the day. Liz was killed in the night.”
    â€œAny baps left?” asked Dick, who was addicted to those Scottish breakfast rolls.
    â€œSold out.”
    â€œI would like to talk to this Anka,” said Hamish. “Is she in the shop?”
    â€œNo. She comes in every morning at six o’clock to start baking. But if you turn left, three houses along, you’ll find Anka.”
    Dick paid for the groceries and took them out to the Land Rover. “I’ll just get the stove out and brew up some tea,” he said.
    â€œNo, I want to see this Polish woman. Don’t make a face like that. Feed Sonsie and Lugs and I’ll go myself.”
    Hamish found Anka’s cottage, but there was no answer to his knock. He pushed a note through the door saying he was parked on the waterfront and would like to speak to her.

Chapter Three
    Fair tresses man’s imperial race insnare,
    And beauty draws us with a single hair.
    â€”Alexander Pope
    Hamish returned to find that Dick had forgotten the stove and had lit a fire of driftwood. “Kettle will boil soon,” he said. “I’ve made some ham sandwiches.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do with all the other stuff?” asked Hamish.
    â€œI like to keep emergency rations in the car,” said Dick. “We might be stuck up here for