Gently North-West by Alan Hunter

impossible. They wouldn’t have shot at you!’
    ‘Take a look at the back of the Land Rover,’ Gently said.
    McGuigan flung away from them and inspected the vehicle. There could be no doubt of what he found there. He stalked back again, hands gripped behind him, and stood glowering towards the Cortina.
    ‘Well?’ Gently said.
    ‘Did you say who you were?’
    ‘We did.’
    ‘Did you back it then – show them evidence?’
    ‘I showed them my warrant-card, of course, but I was told it was probably forged.’
    ‘Och, the damned lunatics!’ McGuigan exclaimed. ‘As though there’s not enough trouble without this – by gar, I’ll make some of them smart for it – go down on their knees – beg for your pardon! Did they say who they took you for?’
    ‘They were kind enough,’ Brenda said, ‘to suppose we were spies for a gang of deer-poachers.’
    ‘The daft gowks! You can’t leave them two minutes – they’re just children – you can delegate nothing. Ay, it’s true,’ he said, turning towards them. ‘We’re on the look-out for poaching bodies. I’ve just brought back some information that Knockie is due for a visit soon. So we keep our eyes open – our guns oiled. You cannot just rely on the polis. But to go misusin’ tourists in this fashion – och, there’s no excuse for it at all.’
    ‘And that’s your explanation,’ Gently said. ‘That you’re merely preparing to repel deer-poachers?’
    McGuigan looked aslant. ‘It’s no excuse,’ he said. ‘But that’s the reason for how they handled you.’
    ‘These men wore battledress.’
    ‘It’s a kind o’ battle, man.’
    ‘Military insignia.’
    ‘Ay – they’re children.’
    ‘Badges.’
    ‘What’s the harm in badges?’
    ‘Particular badges.’
    McGuigan hesitated.
    ‘Man,’ he said at last. ‘I can see your drift – and I’m a wee bit surprised at your information. If you were dropping hints like this to Hamish I can understand him acting rashly. But whatever you think you’ve seen up the glen – and this is an honest bit of guidance – just remember it’ll stand up fine in any court of law in Scotland. Now you’ve been mistreated – that’s sure, and you have a case there if you want to press it. But if satisfaction will answer your turn – come back with me, man, and you shall have it. What do you say?’
    ‘A lot,’ Brenda said. ‘I want the guts of that man Hamish and his son Dugald.’
    ‘You’ll have it – they’ll kneel and beg your pardon.’
    ‘And I want the stripes off them.’
    ‘Well . . . those too.’
    ‘How about the badges?’
    McGuigan wagged his head. ‘Just any honest satisfaction you’re wanting, Miss Merryn. But if that’s all, let’s settle this matter after the manner of Highland gentlefolk – each man his own mare, and the devil take the lawyers.’ He looked anxiously at Gently. ‘It’ll save a deal of time and trouble.’
    ‘It’s a point, O Highness,’ Brenda said. ‘Besides, I’d like to see MacAdolf eating dirt.’
    Gently shrugged. ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘We’ll settle
this
matter Highland fashion. Provided you salvage my car and fetch it down for me.’
    ‘Och, it’s as good as done, man,’ McGuigan said.
    He climbed into the Land Rover and shunted it expertly on to the verge, then hurried to open the doors of the Cortina and stood by to close them when Gently and Brenda had got in. The Cortina launched off eagerly. McGuigan spared no subtleties on it. He drove stiff-armed, head back, beard jutting at the road ahead.
    They had gone no more than a mile when they met Dugald running towards them. He had his rifle slung across his back and was obviously in pursuit of the Land Rover. McGuigan screeched to a halt and whisked down his window. He thundered Gaelic at the sweating Dugald. Dugald’s eyes widened, his mouth gaped and he seemed to grow smaller in his damp battledress. After a final growl McGuigan reached through the window, snatched Dugald’s