They walked along the harbour seawall, looking at the boats. They both saw the fishing boat, two men mending the creels and the nets. The registration the one they saw before.
"Ahoy there." Lachie roared, "Nice boat, yours?"
"Sveiki, ne ji priklauso žuvų ūkį." One of the men replied.
"Sorry my friend understands a little English, but cannot speak it well. We are Lithuanian, We work over the headland at the fish farm." The younger man answered, "he says the boat belongs to them."
"So anyone can use?" Ducky now enquired.
"But of course, we have another three, so if someone is out tending the creels or the farm from seals, then there are always others."
"Did you use the boat yesterday?" Lachie questioned.
"Ne, Sergio pasiskolino vakar, ir kodėl visi šie klausimai. Mes ne nelegalius imigrantus. Mes turime leidimus." The older man shouted.
"My friend says we have permits and why all these questions?"
"Do you know a Lithuanian by the name of Aleksandras Plytnykas?" Dr Mallard now asked.
"Aleks, yes, but he never showed up for the job." The younger now replied.
"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and all that," Lachie shouted, "But he met with a fatal accident in Edinburgh."
"Aleks is dead. How could something like this happen? How? No wait we will come ashore and talk. Aleks yra miręs, jie tai žino apie jį. Ar jums eiti su manimi?" he said to the older man. The tears began to swell in the old mans eyes, he nodded.
-oOo-
The four men sat in the harbour bar. Sipping whisky.
"What did Aleks die from? And my name is Stefan, this is my uncle, Gregori. Aleks was from our village, but he moved to the capital. There was not much work in Vilnius. We asked him to come here. "
"I'm sorry, but Aleks seems to have been murdered." Dr Mallard replied. "He had a nut allergy, and seems to have been force fed nuts."
"That is terrible." Gregori replied, looking down at his drink.
"I must ask, are you all migrant workers on the fish farm? Who actually owns?" Lachie now ventured.
"It is owned by Russians. They came over during the 80's on the fishing factory ships that were in Ullapool. Some stayed, and moved to the Islands, getting grants from your governments and money from the mafia." Stefan replied.
"Has anyone gone missing recently?" Ducky quietly asked.
"Yes, Sergi, left about 3 days ago. It was if he was there one day and gone the next. The bosses said he had taken the night boat and train to London." Stefan replied, "I have my suspicions."
"Suspicions?" Ducky asked, looking the young man in the eye.
"He had a girlfriend, they were close. They didn't have any problems. She didn't know why he would leave in such a hurry." Stefan replied.
"Varbūt jums vajadzētu pastāstīt viņiem par kontrabandu?" Gregori said. (Maybe you should tell them about the smuggling?)
"Nē, mums neuzticas nevienam." (No. We don't trust anyone.) Stefen answered.
"I think you lads are not telling us something?" Lachie now replied looking at the two men, "What if we say we say the boat you were in yesterday, dropping something into the abyss. The Corryvreckan."
Stefan looked shocked. Gregori , looked into his drink. Ducky and Lachie stared at the men.
"In your own time, gentlemen." Dr Mallard said.
"We cannot stay and talk here, the walls have eyes and ears. We will be docked time for leaving our post. But I will tell them you had word of Aleks…maybe they will not be too hard on us." Stefan replied, now standing.
"Maybe we could accompany you back to the farm and tell them in person?" Lachie now ventured.
Gregori, looked towards Stefan and nodded.
"Settled." Duks answered now standing and offering the Latvians to show the way.
-oOo-
The four men walked back to the pier. They saw in the distance two burly looking around.
"Vīrieši, kur tu esi bijis, mums nepieciešams, lai jūs atpakaļ pie saimniecības Jūs esat šeit strādāt. neņem atvaļinājumu. Kas ir jūsu draugi?"
("Men where have you been, we need you back at the farm. You are here to work, not take a holiday. Who are your friends?")
"These people have word of Aleks, he died. They have business on the island..." Stefan replied.
"Business...What kind of business would these people have with you?"
"Sirs….my friend and I come from a business in Edinburgh. We like to export whiskies to the United States. My friend Donnie is a Dr….director,"Lachie quickly changed, "In the drinks trade. He has a nose for the amber liquid. Myself, I like to keep the books, and account for any discrepancies. But we are always interested in new ventures. You could say we like to import and export, on the cheap." As Lachie winked and laid his finger against his nose.
The two men eyed the strangers suspiciously, but Stefan said something in Latvian. The two men smiled and then laughed, and made to go for Ducky and Lachie who backed way.
"Nyet, Stefan says you were friends of Aleks. Come we have time to drink to our departed comrade. And you will not be missed tonight,da?"
Lachie looked at Duks who shrugged his shoulders.
"We would be delighted to join you in a celebration of his life, but we have to return to Bowmore tonight or our friends will be worried."Ducky replied realising he was now talking broken English as well.
"Nyet, we have plenty of beds in the bunk house…..it will be a long night, or should I say short night so far north." One of the Russians replied, "My name is Yurri, and this is Igor." Pointing, to the stouter of the two.
"Now why did I know that?" Lachie replied smiling.
"When you are ready, Igor will see our workers back in the boat, while you my friends will travel in style." pointing over to a beaten up land rover, "Please." He indicated. The two Scots duly walked towards the vehicle, while they heard the boat start up and move out the harbour. They wondered just what the night would bring.
