Death of an Outsider by M.C. Beaton

‘What do I do about Towser? Does he like a knife and fork?’
    ‘I spoil him,’ said Hamish awkwardly. ‘Put his steak beside me and I’ll cut it up for him.’
    ‘I haven’t any wine,’ said Jenny apologetically.
    ‘I hae a bottle in the station,’ said Hamish. ‘I’ll be back in a minute if I can get it without Blair seeing me.’
    He ran out and across the road, keeping to the grass at the side of the short driveway so that his boots would not crunch on the gravel. He peered into the lounge. Blair, MacNab, and Anderson were sitting there, talking earnestly, their feet up on the glass table.
    Hamish crept into the kitchen and opened the cupboard where he had put the bottle of wine. He was just about to escape when he heard Blair’s voice approaching. He jumped into the broom cupboard and closed the door behind him.
    He could hear the noise of the fridge door being opened and then a hiss as Blair opened a can of beer. My beer, thought Hamish furiously.
    ‘While we sort this thing out and wait for instructions from Inverness,’ Blair shouted through to his sidekicks, ‘we’ll send Macbeth down to Mrs Mainwaring with thae teeth.’
    ‘Where is he?’ Anderson’s voice came faintly.
    ‘Bonking that artist over the road.’
    Blair’s voice faded as he went back into the lounge and closed the door.
    Hamish got out of the cupboard and out of the kitchen as fast as he could. He was determined his evening with Jenny Lovelace was not going to be spoiled. He ran into Jenny’s living-room and seized the phone and dialled the police-station number. After a few moments, Detective Jimmy Anderson answered it.
    ‘Murder!’ screamed Hamish in a high falsetto voice. ‘Sandy Carmichael is attacking me with the meat cleaver. Murder! Oh, help. This is Jeannie at the Angler’s Rest.’
    He put down the phone and went to the window. Blair, Anderson, and MacNab rushed out and climbed into the Land Rover and shot off with the siren blaring.
    Hamish grinned. If they thought they had got their man, they would not want Hamish Macbeth there to share in any part of the glory.
    ‘What’s all the commotion?’ asked Jenny when he entered the kitchen. ‘Your steak’s getting cold.’
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Hamish innocently. ‘Here’s the wine.’
    They had a companionable meal. Hamish washed the dishes and then politely took Jenny’s hand to thank her for the meal and say good night. He didn’t know quite how it happened, but the next moment she was pressed against him and a moment after that he was kissing her passionately.
    Towser watched in amazement as the trail of clothes up the stairs to Jenny’s bedroom lengthened. A pair of regulation police trousers sailed down from the top and landed on Towser’s nose. He snuffled at them dismally and then curled up on the trousers and went to sleep.
    At midnight, Blair knocked furiously on the door. Towser raised his head and sniffed the air, and then lowered it on to Hamish’s trousers and went back to sleep. He knew Blair as well as his master did.

Chapter Six
    Jenny kissed me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in:
Say I’m weary, say I’m sad,
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Say I’m growing old, but add,
Jenny kissed me.
    – James Henry Leigh Hunt
    Hamish awoke at dawn the next morning, dazed, bewildered, and happy. He would have liked to cuddle up to Jenny and spend the lazy morning in bed, but he did not want her to become the butt of Blair’s coarse remarks, and so he dressed quickly, picking up items of clothing from the stairs, and finally rescuing his trousers from under Towser.
    He made his way quietly over to the police station and was just emerging innocent from his own bedroom when Blair came looking for him.
    ‘Where was ye last night?’ howled Blair. ‘Getting your leg over that artist bint?’
    ‘I wass out looking for clues,’ said Hamish. ‘Miss Lovelace