Free Candles and Roses by Alex Walters Page A

Scott.’
    For a moment, Reynolds looked baffled. ‘Jeez. Katy. Haven’t seen her for years.’
    ‘But you did know her?’
    ‘Oh, aye. A long time ago. Is she in trouble?’
    ‘In a manner of speaking. I’d appreciate if you’d keep this confidential at present, Mr Reynolds, as we haven’t had formal confirmation of identity from the next of kin.’
    Reynolds jolted upright. ‘Next of kin?’
    ‘You’ll have seen the news reports about the discovery of a body in the woods up near Munlochy?’
    ‘Up on the Isle, aye. Christ, you mean that’s Katy?’
    ‘We’ve reason to believe so, yes.’
    ‘My God. You never expect—’ He shook his head, as if trying to deny what he’d just heard. ‘Not someone you know.’
    ‘Can I ask how you knew Ms Scott?’
    ‘She was—well, just one of the crowd, you know? We’re talking ten years ago.’
    ‘You weren’t particularly close to her?’
    Reynolds looked up in surprise. ‘You mean were we an item? Christ, no.’ He sounded unexpectedly vehement. ‘Is that what you thought?’ He looked nervously towards the door, as if concerned his wife might be eavesdropping.
    ‘Her parents seemed to have that impression.’
    ‘Is that why you’re here? Because her dad fingered me. It wouldn’t surprise me. But, no, we weren’t an item. She was just a friend. Hardly even that.’
    ‘Did your wife know her too?’ Horton asked.
    ‘Zoe?’ For a second, Reynolds looked uneasy. ‘Yes, a bit. Like I say, we were all part of one crowd. You know what it’s like at that age.’
    McKay could barely remember. ‘How did you meet her?’
    ‘I’ve no idea, really. Probably with some others in a pub. She was just there , you know? I’m not sure there’s much I can tell you. It’s been a long time.’
    ‘At this stage, we’re just after background. Trying to find out what sort of a woman she was.’
    ‘Well, she was—difficult, let’s say. She was always a handful. I mean, sometimes in a good way. She could be fun. But then she’d go too far. She’d go a bit off the rails.’
    McKay decided to take a punt. ‘You’ve a police record for possession?’
    Reynolds sat back heavily on the sofa. ‘Oh, Christ, I suppose it’s still on the record, isn’t it? It was only a bloody caution. Possession of a bit of grass. But, yes, that was her.’
    ‘In what way?’
    ‘We were coming back from the pub one night. Quite late. All a bit pissed. We got stopped by a couple of your colleagues in the city centre. It should have been nothing. We’d done nothing wrong, except had a few too many drinks. They’d probably just have given us a ticking off for being rowdy. But Katy starts making a big play about what I’ve got in my pocket, like I’m trying to hide something. I’ve no idea what she’s on about, but eventually the cops start taking it seriously. They ask me to empty my pockets, and when I do there’s this little packet I’ve never seen before. Turns out to be grass.’
    ‘She planted it on you?’
    ‘Her idea of a joke. I think she was a bit pissed off with me for some reason. Something I’d said or done earlier in the evening. Can’t remember what. But obviously the cops have to take it seriously then, so they haul me off to the station. And I end up with a caution and a record on your bloody system.’ He glanced nervously towards the door. It was evident this was a story he’d never shared with his wife. ‘Which, fortunately, hasn’t affected my career so far.’
    ‘I don’t think you need to worry about that now, Mr Reynolds.’
    ‘You never know. I work for a US company. They’re a bit puritanical.’
    ‘That was typical, was it? Of the way she behaved?’
    ‘That was one of the more extreme examples. Let’s just say that it didn’t pay to get on the wrong side of her. And she was a daredevil. Did things for the hell of it. I remember her sitting on the fencing at Kessock Bridge, drunk as a lord. We thought she was going to topple off. Scared