The sergeant left. I was, I admit, a bit tired after my two visitors and looked forward to a quiet afternoon’s rest. The nurse gave me some more painkillers with my lunch and I was able to settle down for a relaxed snooze. I had a visit from the doctor who examined my wounds and assured me that, if I wanted to, I could probably leave the next day. There was no infection which was the thing he had been most concerned about.

I was woken up an hour or two later by a knock on the door and my friendly nurse popped her head round as she opened it.

“Got another visitor for you, Mr Bruce.” I wondered who this might be and tried to struggle up into a sitting position.

My first reaction was complete surprise but it was followed instantly by the realisation that this was just the visitor I wanted. She came a little tentatively into the room, her mouth shaped in a nervous smile and her eyes wide open with concern.

She made the few short steps across to my bed and took the outstretched hand that I raised to greet her.

“Lie still, Bob. You don’t need to move.” She sat down on the chair beside my bed, still holding my hand. “I came as soon as I heard. What’s happened to you? Are you going to be alright?”

Her eyes took in my strapped up arm and the cage across my thighs.

I was still so surprised that I hardly heard and didn’t answer her questions straight away.

“How did you get here? Who told you where I was?” Maggie relaxed when she heard my voice. “Don’t worry about that just now. I’m here – if that’s alright with you.”

“More than alright,” I answered with genuine feeling. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see. But how did you find out?”

“Your sister, Heather, phoned me as soon as she heard. She told me that you had been hurt and, if I wanted to see you, I should speak to a Pierre Collard at Fernie Castle Hotel and he would explain everything. So I just closed up the hotel and came as soon as I could.”

“But why did Heather . . .?” “I met Heather, if you remember, when she came to pick you up the last time you got yourself in a mess. She guessed that I would want to know and she guessed also that you would probably be fairly happy to see me. Was she right?”

I smiled at her. “She’s too bloody smart, that woman.” “The doctor told me that you can get out tomorrow so, if you like, I’ll come and take you home.”

“And look after me like you did the last time?” “Maybe,” she replied mischievously. “Depends on how these wounds of yours are.”

“They’ll heal,” I said.

“Yes, they’ll heal.”

Epilogue

Inspector Davis came round to see me the next morning rather than me having to travel into Cupar.

He had read about the resignation of Purdy from AIM but the real reason behind it had never been made public. Relying on his discretion I told him the whole story. I also explained that I had been to see the new management and made them aware of what had been going on. He considered that not to be any of his business and I promised I would let him know what they decided to do about the redistribution of the trust fund. He didn’t ask me for any details about the “meeting” with Purdy which had led to his resignation.

I also explained how Keith McDowell had confirmed my suspicions about his use of AIM as a conduit for paying off Dewar for his work in helping to push planning permission through on the various supermarket projects he had stacked up.

I told him only what was relevant to his enquiries. He had evidence and proof of what he had found at McDowell’s house although he admitted that he had no idea who had called him to warn him to get round there as fast as possible.

“I suppose I’ll just have to put that one down to ‘an anonymous tip off ’,” he said. “But how can I nail McDowell for Dewar’s murder if you’re sure that’s what it was?”

“He admitted it to me – and in front of the three others who actually carried it out. My guess is they took him and dumped him using McDowell’s helicopter. If you announce to the other three that you know maybe you can get them to turn Queen’s evidence and be a witness for you.”

He thought that was a tactic worth trying and thanked me for my help. I promised to be available for him if he needed anything else.

“I suppose you won’t tell me who your three rescuers were?” he asked, on leaving.

“Sorry, I can’t. I couldn’t recognize them – perhaps they were buddies of the anonymous telephone caller. Anyway, they did do you a service, didn’t they?” I said.

He looked at me closely “I’m bloody sure you do know, but I don’t suppose I’ll ever get it out of you – and, as you say, they did do me a service. I don’t suppose they are a danger to the general public.”

Ian McLeish called me to inform me that the Board of AIM had decided to be open about all of Purdy’s misdeeds and that they would announce a wrapping up of the company and a distribution of an exceptional dividend to all the investors in addition to the net value that they realised.

He agreed to give an exclusive interview to Steven who, when I told him, was delighted.

The arrest of McDowell and the others was made public a few days later. A liquidator was appointed to manage his Group’s business when it became clear that it was in a perilous financial position.

Firkin turned prosecution witness in exchange for a slightly reduced sentence. Keith McDowell was found guilty on two accounts of attempted murder and was locked away for a considerable time and Gavin Reid pleaded insanity and was committed to a mental institution for an indeterminate period.

As for APA Consulting – it still exists. We had a board meeting a couple of weeks later at the farm with Heather, Oliver and the rest of the family which now included Sophie and Maggie, as well as our new half-brother Pierre.