Arcane Rising: The Darkland Druids - Book One, R Nicole [suggested reading TXT] 📗

a psychological evaluation, and I’d be deported back to Australia.

I looked at the mirror and studied the reflection of the interview room, avoiding myself. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I shivered. Shoving my hands into my coat pockets, I began to wonder if coming to Scotland was a mistake. After all, Dad had left for a reason.

When Detective Murray returned, he held a disposable cup in one hand and a notepad and pen in the other. Suddenly, I felt extremely foolish.

“The longer I sit here, the sillier this all seems,” I told him. “I don’t want to waste your time.”

I went to stand but he shook his head. “Don’t worry about that,” he said, setting the cup down in front of me. “If it puts your mind at ease, then I’ll listen. It’s my job.”

I sighed. Well, if it was his job.

He sat on opposite side of the table and clicked the button on the pen in his hand. “Are you a tourist or do you live in Edinburgh?”

I blinked, the night’s events and my exhausted state started to catch up with me.

“Your accent,” he prodded.

“I, uh… I’m a tourist, I suppose. I have a UK passport, but I live in Australia. My dad was Scottish.”

“Was?”

I hesitated. “He died recently.”

“Oh, I see.” He frowned and leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

I looked down at the paper cup, watching a stray tea leaf float in the milky drink. He didn’t press for more information and I was thankful. I didn’t want to talk about my dad’s death. Ever.

“How long have you been in the UK?”

“I got here this afternoon.”

The detective paused for a moment then said, “Only a few hours? What a welcome. I personally apologise on behalf of the Scottish people.”

I managed a tiny smile and looked up at him. His eyes sparkled and an eerie calmness flowed through me.

“What happened tonight, Miss Quarrie?” he asked, his tone gentle. “Take your time. We’re in no rush.”

I reached for the tea, but my hands began to shake so I pulled back and glanced at the two-way mirror. The image was distorted—a fault in the glass most likely—and the detective’s reflection wavered as he leaned forwards.

“We’re alone,” he said, following my gaze. “No one’s watching. Everything you tell me is confidential, for the report.”

“Well, I… I was excited to see the city, even though I was tired,” I began. “Am tired, I mean. I heard it’s better to stay awake until your regular bedtime in a new time zone to stop jet lag. So, I went to Greyfriars Kirk. I heard it was beautiful there, and it didn’t seem far on the map… But the light faded faster than I realised, and it was hilly…”

“It gets dark quite early here during the winter,” Detective Murray explained. “Most visitors don’t realise.”

“It’s the country’s location in correlation with the North Pole,” I said. “The closer to a pole, the shorter days become in wintertime. They’re longer in the summer.”

The detective chuckled. “That’s right. Are you a scientist?”

“Uh, my dad was. He taught me a lot of things growing up.”

“I see.” He gestured for me to continue with my report.

“There weren’t any other people around, but lights were on in the church, so I thought nothing of it.” I went on to tell him how the man came out of the shadows and grabbed me, carefully omitting the part about the eyes and teeth. Then I added everything that came next with the second man and the dog.

Detective Murray was thoughtful for a moment. “Did it seem to you that they knew one another?”

“I don’t think so…”

“And the dog. A black German Shepard?”

“This all sounds so silly,” I said lamely. “I don’t know why I—” I swallowed hard, fighting back tears.

“It’s not,” Detective Murray said. “If a woman is threatened by two men on the street, we want to know about it. Don’t be afraid of sounding silly. The police take these matters extremely seriously, Miss Quarrie. We want more women to speak up about violence against them. It’s how progress is made.”

I began to worry the hem of my jumper. “Well, uh, when you put it that way…”

“I’ll have the constable file your report and the descriptions of the two men. We’ll do what we can to track them down.”

“Are you sure you want to give it to him?” I wondered out loud.

“Aye, an astute remark.” Detective Murray laughed. “Serves him right for speaking to you the way he did.” He looked at his watch and clicked his pen. “It’s the end of my shift. How about I give you a ride back to your hotel? It wouldn’t be very policeman-like of me to send you out there on your own in the dark. Not after the night you’ve had.”

“Oh, I can get a taxi. It’s fine.”

“It’s no bother, Miss Quarrie,” he told me. “It would be my pleasure to end your first day in Scotland on a brighter note.”

I paused a moment. It wasn’t likely he was going to be the third predator I’d meet today. Besides, he was a cop.

There are crooked cops, Elspeth, I thought. Oh, shut up.

“That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble,” I said. “I don’t really know the way back.”

He grinned and gestured to the door. “Not a problem at all, lass. It would be my pleasure.”

* * *

Detective Murray was true to his word and saw me to the front door of Mrs. Campbell’s serviced apartments on the Royal Mile.

When he pulled his unmarked police car into the end of the bus stop, I was surprised when he got out the car with me. Parking illegally and a little presumptuous… I’d have to remember that.

“Well, here we are, Miss Quarrie,” he said, looking up at the building. “Safe and sound.”

“Elspeth,” I said. “Miss Quarrie makes me sound like a schoolteacher.”

“Elspeth then.” The detective chuckled, his breath vaporising in the chilled air. “Then