“Aww sweet,” said Black sarcastically. “If I were you I’d be more concerned about myself than McLaren. This is another bloody mess you’ve got yourselves into. What I want to know is what are you proposing to do about it?”
“Nothing at the moment seeing how we’re stuck in a polis station under arrest.”
“Have you recovered after your…ordeal?”
Brodie cast his eyes to the floor. “Aye. I’m fine.”
“Glad to hear it.” Black sighed, leaned back in his chair and tapped his foot. “I’ve heard the rumours about Higher Light and it looks like they’re true.”
“You believe us then?” said Cass.
“I know Brodie of old,” he replied. “He doesn’t make up stories and he was spot on about Lucas Thorne when everyone else was wrong.”
“Even me,” she mumbled.
“So I’m willing to bet he’s right this time too. The only problem is Malachi has a lot of influential friends, more than Thorne and they’re making their displeasure felt. What we need is something concrete against him.”
“If we could get evidence of fraud and embezzlement,” said Brodie. “It might be enough to shut him down.”
“You are not to break into that compound and steal any evidence. Do you hear me? If you do then his solicitor will be all over it and anything you do find will be useless. You have to put in a formal complaint about his abduction of you.”
Brodie shook his head. “No.”
“It’s the only way. He has proof you were in his compound and that is the only explanation that will mean you don’t get charged with assault, trespass and criminal damage.”
Cass could see Brodie was seriously considering it because they were backed into a corner. “Brodie’s trying to protect me,” she said. “I was the one Malachi abducted and injected. Brodie was only in the compound to rescue me.”
“Cass, you don’t need to do this,” Brodie told her.
“You can type up my statement and I’ll happily sign it,” she told Black, ignoring Brodie’s comment. “Will that give you enough reason for us to be in the compound?”
“It would certainly be a start,” said Black. “Alright Cass, let’s play it your way. I’ll take your statement.”
Cass told Brodie’s story, replacing him with herself. Brodie sat beside her in silence, hating it that she was doing this just to protect him.
“I’ll get your statement typed up and you can sign it,” said Black once she’d finished.
“And then?” said Brodie.
“Then we’ll talk more,” he said before leaving.
“Cass,” began Brodie when he’d gone. “I don’t want you to do this.”
“Too late. It’s already done.”
“Word will get around the city that Malachi abducted you and did all that shit to you that he did to me.”
“If it means you don’t have to go through all that then it’s worth it.”
He took her hand and sighed. “I’m really letting you down and we’re no’ even married yet.”
“How are you letting me down?”
“Making you take the blame for head-butting Malachi, then making you take the rap for something that happened to me and, to top it all off, you’re getting married in a loony bin.”
“You’re not making me do any of those things. I’m doing them because I want to and because I love you, end of story.”
“It’s no’ right. You deserve better.”
“I’ve got what I want Brodie and that’s you. Nothing else matters.”
He pulled her to him, pressing his forehead to hers, cupping the back of her head with one hand. “Every day you become more and more goddess-like hen.”
“I’m not a goddess. I’m just a mortal woman doing her best for her man. You can say thank you properly when we’re back home, in our own bedroom.”
“By Christ I’m gonnae gie’ you the treat of a lifetime,” he said eagerly.
“While he’s gone, let’s talk about something happier, like where are we going on our honeymoon?”
“Where do you want to go? You name it, we can go anywhere.”
“Well, I’ve always fancied seeing the Great Wall.”
“Carlisle? It’s a nice place but no’ very exotic hen.”
“The Great Wall of China, not Hadrian’s Wall,” she smiled.
“China? All pandas and pagodas. Sounds good.”
“Excellent.”
They spoke more about the wedding, preferring to think about their future together rather than the messy present, their very pleasant discussion interrupted by Black stomping back into the room, his expression matching his name.
“Sign that,” he said, dumping Cass’s statement on the table before her.
After reading it through she neatly signed her name at the bottom of the page.
“That it then?” she said.
“This statement certainly gives us some breathing space. You’ve explained your presence at the compound and alleged a crime’s been committed against you, meaning I can release you while we investigate, which we will do. There’s no evidence of your confrontations with Brett Martins and Frederick Dyke, just their word against yours. Rather than risk the bad publicity they’re both dropping their complaints.”
“That’s something at least,” said Brodie. “And it might be enough to get you into the compound because it’s true what they say about the wee weans in there. I could hear them crying.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Any judge will think very carefully about giving me a search warrant after all the claims of persecution Malachi’s made in the past and I need to do everything I can before the Chief Super comes back. He had a rough time at the dentist. Thank God for wisdom teeth. He’s gone home for the rest of the day, so I need to move fast.”
“Is he in on it with Malachi?”
“Doubtful but the Chief Constable has lit a fire up his arse to stay on the right side of the church.”
“Won’t you get into trouble?” said Cass.
“Me? I’m just a plodding DCI with no head for politics simply following up on an inquiry. I’ll be fine, don’t you worry.”
“Will Pete be helping you?”
“No,” he said, po-faced. “DI McLaren has been encouraged to take a few days off to consider his attitude towards his work.”
“You’d better no’ have suspended him,” exclaimed Brodie. “This isn’t his fault.”
“Don’t you go getting on your bloody high horse, you’re on a tight rope here Brodie. And he hasn’t been suspended. He’s owed some holiday so he’s taking that. He’s a good DI and I would like to keep him on my unit. If he goes I’ll be lumbered with some fud with a permanently runny nose. It’s disgusting.”
“Well, that’s alright then,” he said indignantly. “So can we go?”
“Yes and for God’s sake stay out of trouble. You’ve given us cause to investigate the church, so don’t make matters any worse. You hear me Brodie?”
“Aye, alright.”
“I’m trusting you Cass to keep him in line. Both of you have been bloody lucky to stay out of prison so far but if you push it that will change and there won’t be a thing I can do about it.”
“Understood,” she replied. “Thank you.”
She kissed Black on the cheek, whose icy exterior melted.
“You’re very welcome,” he blushed. “Right, I won’t delay you any longer. Off you go then.”
“You worked your magic on him there hen,” said Brodie as they left the station.
“He has a good heart, he just likes to hide it.”
“I suppose he’s not so bad.”
“He let us go, so right now he’s our fairy godfather.”
Brodie chuckled. “I just had an image of him in a tutu, waving a wand about.”
“Suits him,” replied Cass, making him grin.
“I need to speak to Pete,” said Brodie, taking out his phone. “Alright pal? Where…Oh right, aye but…” He frowne
d at his phone when his friend hung up on him. “He’s waiting at the office and he’s pissed off.”
“Can’t say I blame him.”
“It should cheer him up to hear that Black’s investigating our complaint.”
Brodie stood before Pete, in awe of the tidal wave of swearing and abuse that spewed forth from his lips, some of it aimed at himself, some at Malachi, some at every senior police officer in the country and some at the entire British Government.
“Bunch of pricks, the lot of them,” bellowed Pete.
Finally he came to a halt, having exhausted his colourful lexicon of foul language and insults.
“Better?” said Brodie.
“Aye,” he nodded, breathing hard. “Better.”
“Feeling a bit sensitive today, are we?”
“Sensitive?” exclaimed Pete. “I’ve just been suspended.”
“Don’t be dramatic. Old Black said you’re on leave, you’ve no’ been suspended.”
“Same thing. It’s all just semantics. And why do you call him Old Black? He’s only a few years older than you.”
“You really haven’t been suspended Pete,” said Cass. “Black said he couldn’t do without you otherwise he’d be stuck with some bloke with a runny nose as DI.”
“Did he really?” said Pete, cheering slightly. “He must mean Sneezy Simpson. The cleaners refuse to touch his computer on the grounds that it’s a biohazard.”
“Your office sounds delightful,” she smiled.
“Aye,” he sighed. “We’ve been short-handed since King got the sack for incompetence, even though he was more of a hindrance than a help. Actually it’ll be good to have a few days away from the place.”
“There you go. How about a coffee and a doughnut?”
“How no’?” he smiled, clapping his hands together. “Have you got those gourmet ones?”
“No,” said Elliott. “But we do have apple and custard.”
“Smashing. They’ll do.”
Brodie winked a thank you at Cass as a now calm Pete tucked into a doughnut.
Gardner appeared in the office, looking pale and tired. He smiled when he saw them. “Oh good, you’re back.”
“Jeezo,” said Brodie. “What did Steven do to you?”
“He went into a lot of detail about what he endured in Higher Light. It was a little…disturbing.”
They watched him march over to his briefcase, flip it open, take out a pill bottle and throw a handful of little white tablets down his throat.
“Why do you do this work if you find it so traumatic?” said Cass.
“If I don’t then who will? I suspect it’s why you lot press on with your own work, despite the dangers.”
They all nodded.
“Anyway,” said Brodie, breaking the silence. “Did you spread word among our contacts?”
“Yes Bossman,” said Christian. “They’re currently telling everyone in the city that Higher Light is full of dodgy brainwashed bastards. They’ve got bloody big gobs have some of that lot.”
“Good, we need big gobs right now. Where’s Mason?”
“Having a lie down,” said Ross. “All that at the church took it out of him.”
“Girl,” muttered Brodie. “So Professor, did you manage to convince Steven to give evidence yet?”
Gardner swallowed one more tablet before shoving the bottle back into his briefcase. “Not yet. He’s in a very fragile place right now. You need to give him time.”
“We don’t have time. Soon Malachi will find out that me and Cass aren’t in the jail and he’ll throw something else at us. We have to be prepared.”
Gardner looked to Pete, who was on his second doughnut. “Not more doughnuts? You really need help with your addiction.”
“Anyone who tries to take my doughnuts off me is gonnae get something long, sharp and very pointed right up their bell end.”
“Well, everyone should have their little pleasures,” said Gardner.
“Exactly.”
Cass thought about the syringe Jules had sent her and wondered if she should use it to end all this shit once and for all, then they could get on with their lives and plan their wedding. But Black was investigating. Bringing Malachi down the legal way would be preferable to murder.
“Being put on compulsory leave means I’m free to help you out with this Malachi crap,” said Pete. “So what are we doing?”
“Nae idea pal,” said Brodie. “Fuck it, we all need some fun. A laugh will give us some inspiration.”
“The pub?” said Pete hopefully.
“I was thinking something more wholesome.”
“Wholesome?” frowned Pete. “You gone light on your feet or something pal?”
“I mean we need to get out of the city for a while. Let’s go into the country, get some fresh air and all that.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” said Cass.
“Me too,” said Christian. “I love the countryside.”
“Aye,” said Pete. “Let’s go to Loch Lomond. There’s a great chippy at Balloch.”
“Thinking of your stomach again?” said Gardner.
“No. I’m thinking about that long pointy thing up someone’s bell end,” he scowled.
“We’re all going,” said Brodie. “Steven, the wee princess Mason and you too Professor.”
“Actually that sounds very pleasant,” smiled Gardner. “It’ll be good for our mental health to take a break and I love Loch Lomond. I haven’t been there in years.”
“Alright. Let’s get going then. Gardner, you’re best telling Steven. Ross, go and wake Mason. Drag him out of bed if you have to.”
“On it,” smiled Ross. “Let’s just hope he resists.”
Brodie parked his SUV on the main car park in the tiny village of Luss. Cass hopped out with a smile, inhaling the fresh air.
“I love this place,” she said.
Pete got out and leaned against the car, looking green.
“You alright pal?” said Brodie.
“Fine. Just a bit of travel sickness.”
“More like too many chips. You ate that chippy out of their stock.”
“They’re so fecking good. I couldnae help myself.”
“Well walk them off. I’m no’ having you hurling in my motor on the way back.”
When Gardner got out of the car along with Steven, Pete glared at him. “If you start banging on about my chip addiction I’ll throw you in the loch.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Your judgemental frown did.”
Steven closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze on his face. “It’s ages since I was last in the countryside. I spent too long stuck in that horrible grey compound. This is heaven. I might move out here once all this Higher Light stuff is over.”
“It gets hoaching with the tourists around here,” said Brodie. “And the midgies.”
“I don’t mean this village necessarily, just somewhere peaceful, away from the city.”
Ross, Elliott, Mason and Christian got out of the latter’s Mercedes, all frowning.
“What’s up with your faces?” Brodie asked his colleagues as they joined them.
“Mason whinged the whole way,” said Elliott. “He thinks we’re wasting time here when we could be doing more to stop Malachi.”
“Hey you,” said Brodie, jabbing his finger at Mason. “We’re here for a nice wee break before the tops of our heads blow off with the pressure. You don’t like it feel free to go back to Glasgow. I wonder how long it will be before Malachi finds you?” He smiled when Mason just stood there, sulking. “Now you’ll enjoy yourself and you’ll like it.”
Mason muttered something inaudible under his breath and kicked a stone across the ground.
“You could come here for your honeymoon,” Pete told Brodie and Cass as they headed down the main street towards the water.
“We were thinking of going somewhere more than an hour away from where we live,” replied Brodie.
“We�
�re thinking of going to China,” said Cass happily, her arm linked through Brodie’s.
“You’re engaged?” spluttered Mason.
“Aye,” said Brodie. “What about it?”
“Nothing. You’re not going to start breeding, are you?”
“What the hell kind of question is that?”
“We don’t want kids,” said Cass. “Does that make you feel better?”
“That there’ll be no baby Brodies running about causing havoc? You bet it does. One Brodie is enough for any city.”
“You’re a cheeky bastard after everything we’ve done for you,” said Brodie. “If you’re no’ careful I’ll be piling another twenty percent onto your bill.”
Mason went quiet and slunk after them onto the beach. Christian, Elliott and Ross’s faces all lit up when they spotted the speedboat giving pleasure rides and they rushed to get on. Steven joined them, running after them with a big smile, eager to live after having all his freedom taken from him. Gardner followed at a more dignified pace clutching his briefcase.
“I’d join them but I’d probably end up with my head over the side,” said Pete. He sank onto a patch of grass in the trees lining the beach. “If you need me I’ll be over here…”
“Trying no’ to puke?” said Brodie.
“Aye.”
Mason perched on a rock, watching the speedboat as it set off, leaving Brodie and Cass to stroll along the small beach hand-in-hand watching the speedboat, the sound of Steven’s cheering drifting across the water.
The peace was soon disturbed by Brodie’s phone ringing.
“Brodie MacBride,” he said into the handset. “Oh hi Arthur. Really? That’s great. Thanks so much. We’ll be in touch.” He hung up and grinned at Cass. “We’ve got the green light for the wedding at Ricky’s hospital.” He held his breath, wondering whether she’d look downhearted but on the contrary, she beamed.
“That’s fantastic.”
“Are you still sure about this hen?”
“Course I am. It’ll be lovely. We can set up the marquee next to the rose bushes, they’ll look beautiful on the photos.”
“By Christ you’re a goddess,” he breathed, kissing her.
“Hey you two,” Pete called from the grass. “Stop that or you’ll bring my chips back up.”
The Devil Inside Page 33