Free The Legend of the Phantom Highwayman by Tom McCaughren

know. When I took up this job as a cover, my hands were soft and white. I knew people who worked with their hands would soon see that I wasn’t accustomed to working with mine. So I came up with the idea of wearing these gloves.’
    Tapser and Cowlick looked back to see the girls smiling, as if to say, ‘We told you so.’
    â€˜We also thought Pandora’s Box might contain a secret,’ said Rachel.
    â€˜You know, you should be the detectives, not me,’ smiled Peppi. ‘But I hope you haven’t told anybody.’
    They all shook their heads and assured him his secret was safe with them.
    Then Cowlick thought of something. ‘But Peppi … I mean … what do we call you now?’
    â€˜Just continue to call me Peppi. That suits me fine. If you didn’t, other people might become suspicious too.’ As they jogged on, he asked, ‘What made you suspect that Max van Weshal might be up to something?’
    â€˜I thought it was funny that anyone should be exporting water in the first place,’ said Tapser.
    â€˜Hmmm, I suppose it might look odd,’ said Peppi, ‘but it’s not so remarkable when you think about it. We take water for granted in this country. But in some countries the water isn’t as good as ours, and in some places they’ve none at all.’
    â€˜Do you think Whaler and Scamp could be doing something behind Max’s back?’ wondered Rachel.
    â€˜I don’t think so,’ said Peppi. ‘They don’t do a thing except on Max’s say-so.’
    â€˜I didn’t think it would be worth anyone’s while to smuggle poteen,’ said Róisín. ‘I mean, all I ever heard of was the odd bottle coming down from the mountains at Christmas.’
    â€˜That’s right,’ said Rachel. ‘I didn’t think the Customs and Excise would be interested in a small thing like that.’
    â€˜Ah, but that’s the point,’ Peppi told them. ‘It’s not a small thing – not any more. During the past year a lot of it has been finding its way into Europe. And my inquiries have led me to believe it’s coming from the general area of this glen. That’s why Pandora and Company was formed.’
    Cowlick looked puzzled. ‘How could our glen be responsible for sending poteen to Europe? I mean, that really would be big business.’
    Peppi nodded. ‘It is big business, and if it’s not stopped soon it could grow into an even bigger business. So you see, it’s not just a few bottles for Christmas any more. Judging by the volume of exports, my theory is that someone has set up a big still in the glen or up here in the mountains.’
    â€˜You mean their own private distillery?’ asked Róisín.
    â€˜Exactly.’
    â€˜But how could they hide it?’ asked Tapser.
    â€˜Good question,’ said Peppi. ‘Unless it’s being concealed in a farm or old building, or built underground.’
    â€˜Like the bottling plant at the Castle Spa,’ said Cowlick. ‘It’s in a big cavern.’
    â€˜I imagine it would have to be something like that,’ agreed Peppi. ‘But as I say, we’ve checked the Castle Spa, and that machine is just what Max says it is – a bottling machine.’
    â€˜So it must be made up here on the mountain and brought down by lorry,’ said Tapser. ‘But how does the phantom highwayman come into it?’
    â€˜Unless,’ suggested Peppi, ‘it’s some sort of decoy – you know, to draw attention to the High Road when the stuff has reached the Spa.’
    â€˜Do you think Max may be behind this phantom business too?’ asked Cowlick.
    â€˜Well, I think it’s more likely to be him and his men than Sam Stephenson or Blind Jack. For a foreigner, Max has taken a great interest in Hugh Rua. He was the one who suggested erecting the memorial to him on the High Road – and