A Small Death in the Great Glen (59 page)

McAllister hurried to the policeman's car, dropped the envelope of photographs onto the front seat, and ran to catch up with the trio making for the middle of the swaying bridge.

“No need for you here.” Jimmy had to shout above the roar from the weir not far downstream.

“Yes, there is.”

E
PILOGUE
 
 

Press & Journal

Wednesday, December 17

Dogs Find Body

A man's body was found yesterday in a snowdrift near Carrbridge in Inverness-shire. A local shepherd said his dogs located the body about a mile from the railway line.

No identification has yet been made. Detective Inspector Tompson of Inverness-shire Police said that it was still too early to speculate.

“The post mortem has yet to be performed and the body to be formally identified,” he said.

Highland Gazette

December 23

Police Identify Body in Snow

By Robert McLean

A body found in the snow near Carrbridge on December 17 has been identified as that of Father John Morrison-Bain, a well-known figure in the community. Discovered by a local shepherd who had been involved in the initial search for Father Morrison, the body had been buried in a deep drift. Identification was confirmed by a crucifix found on the body and by personal identifying features provided by the Army Chaplains unit, with whom Father Morrison had served during the war.

The man who found the body, John Blair, 56, of Auchterarder Cottages, Nethy Bridge, told the
Gazette
of the gruesome discovery.

“It was the dogs that found him,” said Mr Blair. “What was left of him, anyway. Unfortunately some wild creatures had got to him and his eyes had been pecked out, probably by hoodie crows.”

Hoodie crows are common in the area and are a notorious hazard at lambing time.

Highland Gazette

December 23

Obituary

Father John Morrison-Bain, 1904–1956

The interment service for Father Morrison was sparsely attended, with many friends and family unable to attend. A number of former students from the boys' boxing clubs that Father Morrison ran for many years followed the cortege to its final resting place; most noticeably, the former Scottish bantamweight champion, Jimmy McPhee.

The career of John Morrison-Bain, or Father Morrison or Father Bain as he was also known, failed to fulfill its early promise. A foundling, he was raised in a church orphanage and began training for the priesthood straight after leaving school at the age of fourteen. At one time he was a highly regarded young sportsman and won prizes for his boxing.

His first appointment was as administrator of a boys' club in the Gorbals, where he also acted as boxing coach for eight years. At the same time, he taught sports part-time at St. Joseph's, where he had himself been educated. The school provides places for boys from families suffering financial difficulties, and its pupils often go on to join the church.

Soon after the outbreak of war he volunteered to serve as an army chaplain. He settled in the Highlands a few years after the war. Unfortunately no information is available as to his whereabouts in the intervening years. A church spokesman explained
that many records were lost in the destruction of much of wartime Glasgow, as well as in the confusion that followed it.

A representative of the Highlands and Islands Constabulary refused to comment on an enquiry in which Father Morrison had been involved as an important witness at the time of his death. The
Gazette
has learnt that the case is now officially closed. Jimmy McPhee and other former students held a wake for Father Morrison at a local hotel.

Highland Gazette

January 27

Drowning Tragedy

The crew of a local fishing boat found the body of Detective Inspector Michael James Tompson in the harbour in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Inspector Tompson had been missing for two days. A fatal accident enquiry will be held, but a police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances.

A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
 

Thanks to my early readers for their generosity and support: Jock Watt, Kate de Ruty, Deborah Aronson, Don McIntyre, Taliesin Porter, Sal Nolan, Trish Waddington, Kate Dagher. Thanks to Barry Oakley for his wisdom and faith in a struggling writer. A special thanks to Trinh Huu Tuan for believing in me as an author from the very beginning; to Robert Alan Jamieson, poet, writer, teacher and dear friend.

Thanks to my agent Sheila Drummond, whose tenacity is legendary; to my U.S. agent Peter McGuigan (aka the Boy) at Foundry Media for his amazing matchmaking skills; to Anne Cherry for a superb job—copyediting Scottish is not easy. And to my editor Sarah Durand for her wisdom and insight.

And of course, Hugh.

A young boy has been found dead in the canal, and the members of a small community in the Highlands want answers. Suspicion quickly falls on a Polish sailor who has gone missing from a Russian ship. The year is 1956, and foreigners to this small Scottish town are guilty until proven innocent. Despite a lack of evidence, the police and townsmen are ready to convict.

The staff of the town's century-old local newspaper—including new editor in chief John McAllister—may be the only people intent on finding the real culprit. But as McAllister is about to find out, the ghosts of his past connect him with the murder more closely than he could have ever imagined. Obsessed with the case, he is determined to uncover the truth. But preserving the status quo reigns supreme in the community; corrupt town clerks quietly go about their business, battered wives tell no tales, and highly-respected figures hold dark secrets behind closed doors.

1. John McAllister joins the
Highland Gazette
staff looking to make a change, but veteran editor Don McLeod initially refuses to go against age-old tradition. By the end of the book, Don begins to come around to McAllister's ideas. How else does the theme of “change” triumphing over “tradition” play out in the novel?

2. Though the battles are over, the war continues to touch the lives of A. D. Scott's characters. Select a few of the main characters and discuss the lasting effects of the war on each. Have any of the characters been impacted by the war in similar ways?

3.
“I'm not his possession. I think what I like.”
While Chiara clearly rejects the notion of a woman belonging to a man, Joanne finds herself hard-pressed to escape Bill's grasp—and fist. What steps does Joanne take, physically and emotionally, toward reclaiming herself from her possessive husband?

4. Joanne repeatedly claims that she will not leave Bill for the sake of her daughters.
“I must stay. For their sakes.”
Discuss Joanne's thought process in this regard. How does her staying with Bill affect the children positively? Negatively?

5. Peter Kowalski, a Polish escapee himself, never hesitates to help a fellow countryman—even if it means putting himself and the Corelli family at risk. Is he right in doing so? Why do you think he keeps these encounters a secret from Chiara, his future wife?

6. When Karel “Karl” Cieszynski nearly fails in his self-proclaimed “mission” to bring the crucifix to Scotland, he is saddened beyond words. Why is it so important that the crucifix reaches Peter? What does this piece of jewelry represent?

7. The people of the town appear relieved when Karl is arrested for
Jamie's murder. However, few seem to question whether or not he actually committed the crime—including Joanne. Discuss why the townspeople are so eager to sweep the whole thing under the carpet. What are they trying to achieve?

8. Discuss Wee Jean's relationship with Grandad Ross. Why does Grandad Ross have such a soft spot in his heart for his youngest granddaughter?

9. Joanne and WPC Ann McPherson are examples of women who attempt to succeed in the workplace despite the many obstacles they encounter. If the two of them sat down in Gino's café for a cappuccino and a chat, what might their conversation sound like?

10. While blackmailing Councilor Grieg in his office, Joanne suddenly pushes for Grieg to acknowledge his daughter with Mhairi, even if only in private. Why do you think she does this?

11. Why does Annie ultimately decide to tell the truth? Do you think she fully realizes the implications of what she saw?

12. Is it a reporter's duty to print the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Consider the information the staff members withhold from the paper; are their reasons for doing so valid?

13. Does McAllister's personal agenda against Father Morrison hinder or help his ability to perform his duty as a reporter? In the end, which is more important to him: avenging his brother's death or getting the story straight?

14. Do Inspector Tompson or Father Morrison show any signs of remorse for their actions in the novel, or in their pasts?

15.
“We know evil exists. I try not to see it, but it is there, in big and small ways. And always balanced by good.”
Mrs. McLean's words demonstrate her eternal optimism, even after having lived through two wars and their aftermath. How do other characters in the book demonstrate optimism for the future? Have any characters completely lost all sense of hope?

   Chiara and Joanne enjoy some of their happiest moments while in Gino's café. Meet with your reading group at a local café to discuss the book over a hot cup of cappuccino or some sweet ice cream.

   “A newspaper was no place for a woman.” Joanne suffered for her decision to be a working woman—whether it be due to Bill's shaken ego, the community's glaring disapproval, or her own insecurities. Using the Internet or resources at your library, find out more about how women entering the workplace were viewed during the 1950s, both in Scotland and around the world.