“Wullie,” they said, turning to a delighted Wullie, “you’re a genius!”
35. Star Suspects
And, as it turned out, Wullie was a genius. From his original reproductions of the Loch Ness monster he swiftly progressed to bigger and better things. His spectacularly tall, fantastic castles are now collectors’ pieces and his work is well-known throughout the length and breadth of Scotland.
Tammy and Murdo, it should be said, have settled to being respectable members of the community and although the shop’s profits are split evenly three ways, they nevertheless make a good living out of it for it’s always full of tourists who are enchanted at the wonderful selection of Scottish mementoes that fill the shelves.
If they are ever at the top of the High Street, Neil and Clara pop in to chat with Wullie who remembers them from the time they got lost in the Underground City. Being a good sort, he has never said a word to them about the ghosts because he thinks it might frighten them. It was on one of those occasions, when Neil and Clara were in his shop browsing for a present for their parents’ anniversary, that they heard a familiar voice.
“Mr Lafferty,” Clara said, looking up in delight. “How are you?”
“I hear that you’ve been a massive success in America,” Neil said, shaking his hand. “A star!”
Matt Lafferty nodded. “It was really because of the pantomime,” he said, “just one of those amazing things. Someone in the audience liked my style and I havena looked back since. Contracts just keep pouring in!” Neil and Clara looked at one another and smiled; the MacArthur, or more likely, the Sultan, had probably had a hand in it.
Lafferty’s eyes sharpened and he lifted his eyebrows enquiringly as he caught sight of the ornament Clara had chosen for her parents — for there, on the counter, sat a beautifully crafted Loch Ness Monster.
“Oh, aye,” he said, “what have we here, then?”
There was a silence as they looked at one another.
“It’s a present for our parents,” Neil explained uncomfortably.
“It’s their anniversary,” Clara added.
“It brings back memories, doesn’t it? I’ll maybe buy one for myself,” Lafferty mused, picking it up and turning it over in his hand. “Mind you,” he said, looking at them blandly, “it’s missing something, isn’t it?”
“Is it?” Clara asked nervously, her cheeks red.
“Well, it doesn’t have a wee bit scarf hanging from its mouth, does it?”
Clara’s face was a dead giveaway. She blushed again.
“You know, I’d fine like to meet that chap again — the … er, you know, the fellow who played the … other Sultan,” Lafferty said, looking at them shrewdly. “He and I got on real well thegither. You’ll be seeing him from time to time, will you?”
“Not that often, Mr Lafferty,” Neil said, “but we’ll … we’ll mention it to him when we do.”
Wullie’s face beamed as he wrapped Clara’s parcel. Fancy Matt Lafferty being in his shop!! Just wait till he told Murdo and Tammy. They’d be gutted at missing him!
As Lafferty glanced speculatively round the shop, he found himself relaxing. It had a pleasant, comforting feel to it and idly scanning the multitude of souvenirs that crammed the shelves, his discerning eye quickly told him that it wasn’t all tat. There were some quite artistic pieces among the tartan bits and bobs. He stiffened abruptly as he saw a dragon on one of the shelves, wings spread, horned head rearing fearsomely and just knew that he had to have it.
“I’ll have this dragon as well,” he said.
He placed it carefully on the counter as Clara took her parcel from Wullie. “It’s a nice dragon,” she said as Wullie lifted it and placed it carefully on another sheet of wrapping paper, “not at all fearsome really.”
“And it’s called Arthur,” Neil added mischievously.
“Funny you should say that,” Wullie said, staring at them in blank surprise. “I’ve always thought of it as Arthur. In my mind, it lives in Arthur’s Seat and guards a heap of treasure.”
Neil and Clara looked at one another.
“Perhaps it does,” Neil said, his eyes sparkling as Matt Lafferty’s eyebrows snapped together suspiciously.
“And we won’t forget to mention your name to the Sultan when we next see him,” Clara added seriously as they shook hands with him and waved goodbye.
“That was close,” Neil muttered as the shop door closed behind them. “He suspects an awful lot!”
“What he said was true, though,” Clara observed. “He and the Sultan did hit it off.”