6. BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
Grant called Logan at home early the next
morning. ‘I´ve found someone who knows Ian
Ross,' he said. 'He's called Major James Innes. He
said he'll meet you at the Royal Scots Club at
eleven o' clock this morning. Ask for him at the
main office and they will tell you where to find
him.' .
'Thanks, Grant.'
At a quarter to eleven Logan was walking down
Queen Street in the New Town. The weather had
become very cold. Logan was wearing a thick
coat, a scarf and a hat. Her nose was red with
the cold. She kept her hands in her pockets and
her head down against the wind.
The Royal Scots Club was on the other side of the
Queen Street Gardens in Abercromby Place. The
club was a meeting place for a lot of people, not
just old soldiers.
There was a restaurant and a bar, meeting rooms
and also a number of bedrooms where people
could stay. It was a sort of hotel as well as a club.
Major Innes was waiting for Logan in a quiet
room near the main office. He was sitting in an
armchair in front of a warm fire. He was about
sixty years old with short white hair and a white
moustache. He was wearing a dark blue jacket
and an army tie.
9
'Good morning, Inspector,' he said. 'Your sergeant
told me you wanted some information about Ian
Ross.'
'Yes, Major. How well did you know Ross?'
'Very well. He was one of my men for a number
of years.'
'Well, I'd like to know anything you can tell me
about him,' said Logan.
'He was a good soldier, a very good soldier,' said
Majar Innes. 'He always did what I asked. He was
intelligent and he was strong.'
'Were you together for a long time?' asked Logan.
'About four or five years.'
‘Where?…'
‘I´m sorry, Inspector,' said Major Innes. 'I can't
give you that sort of information. You see, we
were in the SAS. We are not allowed to talk
about where we have been and what we were
doing.' .
Logan sat back in her armchair and looked at the
major. The SAS were some of the best soldiers in
the British Army. They often worked in very
dangerous places, sometimes inside countries that
were not at all friendly to Britain. The SAS knew
the meaning of danger. They were hard men.
'I didn't know Ross was in the SAS,' said Logan
quietly.
The fire was very warm but Logan felt cold. She
thought for a moment. Then she spoke: 'Major, I
must tell you why I'm here. I'm looking for the
person who killed Alex Maclennan. You've
probably read about his murder in the papers.'
'Yes, Inspector,' said the Major.
'Well, Ian Ross and Alex Maclennan were good
friends at one time. They had a restaurant
business together.'
'I see. And do you think Ross murdered
Maclennan?' asked the major.
'Major, did Ian Ross kill anyone when he was in
the army?' asked Logan, not answering the
major's question.
'Yes, Inspector, he did. A number of people. But
you must remember that he was a soldier. It was
his job. Soldiers only kill when they have to. They
do not kill their friends.'
'No,' thought Logan. 'Soldiers don't kill their
friends.' But were Ian Ross and Alex Maclennan
friends or not?'
'Thank you very much, Major. I'm sorry I've taken
so much of your time.' She stood up to go.
'That's all right, Inspector. I hope you find the
right person. Ian Ross was a very good soldier
and he killed people when he had to; but that
doesn't mean he is a murderer.'
Logan left the Royal Scots Club. She walked back
to Queen Street where she stopped a taxi. It took
her back to London Road. She got a cup of coffee
and sat in her office. She looked out of the
window. In the garden on the other side of the
street some children were playing in the snow.
They were laughing and shouting and building a
snowman.
Logan's phone rang. She answered it.
'Logan,' she said.
'This is your favourite newspaper journalist
speaking.' It was Tam's voice.
Logan smiled to herself. 'Hi, Tam!' she said. 'If
you're phoning about the Maclennan murder, I'm
afraid I haven't got anything for you.'
'That's OK, Jenny,' said Tam, 'because I could
have something for you.'
Logan pulled her notebook out of her bag. 'What
is it, Tam?'
‘How much do you know about Donald
Johnstone?'
'Well, we know all about his business and his
prablems with the bank,' said Logan.
'Ah!' said Tam. 'Then you don't know that he
nearly killed a man three years ago.'
'What!' Logan almost shouted into the phone.
'How do you know that?'
'Interesting, isn't it?' said Tam. 'Another journalist
here at the News is working on the Maclennan
murder. He was talking to someone who knows
Johnstone and this story came out.'
'Go on,' said Logan.
'Well, I don't know if this is true, but anyway…
you know Johnstone buys and sells used cars.'
'Yes,' said Logan.
'Well, three years ago a man called Neil Erskine
came to Johnstone. Erskine said he had three
BMWs to sell. He told Johnstone that he had an
expensive taxi company for rich business people.
He was buying some new cars for the company
and h