"What would happen, I wonder," mused Hamish, "if the stuff were legalised? I mean, there would be controls on the quality of the stuff and all the drug barons and drug cartels would be out of business."

"Whit! It's statements like that which explain why you're a copper and I'm a detective. That's a load of dangerous rubbish you're talking, Hamish."

"Just thought I would ask," said Hamish meekly.

He rang off and then changed into his civilian clothes and went out for a stroll along the waterfront. He didn't mind at all being a mere village copper. Hamish Macbeth had sidestepped promotion to Strathbane several times. The waters of Lochdubh lay placid under a pale sky, with only the ripples from a porpoise to disturb the calm surface. The violent world of cities such as Strathbane seemed pleasingly remote.

"Dreaming, Hamish?"

Hamish, who had been leaning against the harbour wall, turned and found Dr. Brodie's wife, Angela, surveying him with amusement.

"I was thinking of pretty much nothing," said Hamish. "Except maybe drugs."

"I don't think we've got any cases in Lochdubh."

"Good."

She leaned against the harbour wall beside him and he turned back and rested his arms against the rough stone, still warm from the day's sunshine.

"Why do people take drugs, Angela?"

"Because they like the effect. You should know a simple thing like that, Hamish. Then in the young, it's bad and exciting."

"But all those warnings," protested Hamish. "All those kids dying from ecstasy pills."

"Addicts never think it'll happen to them. And the young feel immortal anyway."

"What if it were legalised?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. The illegality itself is a deterrent. Can you imagine if young people, children maybe, had unlimited access to LSD?"

"You're right," said Hamish with a sigh. "What's the solution?"