Page 7 of Only One Tour Bus

But an apology is still not forthcoming. “Is there something you wanted to say, maybe? About my offense?”

“No. I’m good.”

“Grand.” I mimic his lilting accent, not knowing how else to respond to that blatant disregard for my feelings.

“We’re here,” Laura yells over the sounds of traffic, the coach itself, and the group’s chatter.

“Cheers, Laura,” I say as I gently shove at Callum until he gets up, too. “Okay, everyone. We’re at our first walking tour, and I hope you’re as excited as I am. As this is Scotland and the weather can turn in a second, I would suggest bringing a jacket and/or umbrella with you.”

“I doubt anyone is as excited about anything as you are,” Callum mumbles under his breath. But not so under his breath that he didn’t want me to hear.

I ignore him, smile firmly in place. He can’t take away from Edinburgh’s magic. Well, he probably could if he tried, but he would have to commit some seriously grisly crimes in front of me before I would ever take it out on the city.

Immediately after the bus leaves around the corner, and most importantly, with half of the jackets that are left behind, the weather does indeed take a turn. From cool and sunny with a few fluffy clouds to a gentle rain that is outright cold. And the grumbles start.

“It’s very cold for the summer,” Jennifer says.

“Did I just feel a raindrop?” Maria asks.

“Yes. Yes to both of you. Edinburgh wants to give you the full United Kingdom experience, which is rain.”

“She did say to bring a jacket. This is why,” Callum says.

I stomp out the bit of endorphins that pop up at Callum’s defense. I did tell everyone to bring a jacket, and just like mothers across the world and for all time, I was ignored by the eager children. But it is nice to have someone on my side for once, even if he is scolding our paying customers.

But ultimately, the group’s concerns have to be addressed, even if their problem is of their own making.

“Let’s get walking, and that should warm people up some. And I will point out some shops we can stop at that have reasonably priced jackets and rain gear. Fun fact, every piece of cold and rain appropriate clothing I have is because I was caught outside in more weather than I was prepared for. It’s the Southern Californian in me; we don’t understand climate as it almost never applies to us. Now, let’s head to St. Giles first, just down the Royal Mile.” I smile as I start the slow walk.

“Already pointing out the shops, are we? And on our first tour?” Callum mumbles.

“If they’re tired, cold, and miserable, or heaven forbid they get sick, it’ll be terrible reviews for us. So, they need some jackets,” I whisper in response.

“Fair play. But they should have brought them like you told them to.”

I shrug. “The sky was blue and they didn’t want to carry more than they had to. They just got to Scotland; they’ll figure it out.”

“I don’t know how you can smile when they cause problems for us.”

“Because it’s our job.”

“That’s where we disagree. I’m here to teach them something.”

“We’re here to teach them and take care of them for the next twenty days.”

He scowls and I laugh at him.

Grumpy sod. He should really find another line of work.

CHAPTER 4

CALLUM

“And when the demand for corpses that could be used for scientific study increased, some turned to other means. Some dug up bodies from graves, which led to adding metal bars above graves. Like in that grave there.” Asha points to her right. “William Burke and William Hare took it further and killed people to sell their bodies for anatomical study, perhaps with up to sixteen victims. Hare testified against Burke, who was hung, and then his body was used for medical study. Because irony.” Asha’s voice is low in the Greyfriars Kirkyard, as she stands in front of a mausoleum in the old graveyard.

“And that’s the end of your tour!” she says with great enthusiasm, doing an entire change of personality in the span of a second. How does the woman go from talking about grisly murders to being that perky? She might be a sociopath. That would explain how she has so much patience with group nonsense.

Speaking of group nonsense, they’re in usual form right now.