by Mary Birk
“Yes.” The sulk in the CID officer’s tone was unmistakable.
“I’ll make a visit.” Not that anything he said could make things better. Nothing could blunt the tragedy the young man’s family was living right now. Reid thought about all of the young people killed and injured in the Heidelberg bombing and their families. If he wasn’t able to stop the next attacks, the death toll would be unimaginable.
The mood at High Street was somber. No one complained about working late on Sunday, but then they never did.
Allison, back from the Ramsey office search and a quick visit to a pub to reward her team, was still shaken by the news about Parsons that had greeted her on her return. She was working with Frank to set up two crime boards—one for their eyes only, and one that could be used when DI Lawrence or his people were around. Reid was not going to let Lawrence damage this operation any more than he already had. If there were more screw-ups, they would be his own.
Implementing the plans they’d developed, Harry, earbuds tucked in, sat in front of the computer screen. His fingers flew along the keyboard and he bounced in his seat, presumably in accompaniment to the music being pumped into his head. Harry Ross haled from a lower middle class family in Dundee, but had as much confidence as if he’d been descended from the Royal Family. After serving in the British Army’s Special Forces, he’d joined the Glasgow police. When he’d heard about Reid’s task force, he’d shown up one day at Reid’s first makeshift office in the basement of SCEDA headquarters to sell himself as a prospective team member. Reid quickly ascertained that the young man’s cocksure attitude was justified, and Harry soon became Reid’s de facto second-in-command.
Harry pulled the earbuds out. “Guv, got a moment? I’d like to show you the extra security I’ve set up for our ESI.” More and more, electronically stored information had become the heart of any investigation, and it most especially was for this one.
Reid went over to Harry’s computer station to watch, taking a place next to Oscar.
“Enlighten me.”
Harry beckoned to Allison. “Come on over here, little bird, so I don’t have to repeat myself.”
Allison scowled at the appellation, but nonetheless joined them.
Reid inclined his head toward Frank. “You, too, Frank. We all need to know what’s what.”
When Frank maneuvered his wheelchair over to the computer, Harry began. “I’ve set up the site to look like whoever gets on with the password they’ve been given has full access. What DI Lawrence and his minions won’t know is that certain passwords open up a broader version of the site. He doesn’t get one of those passwords, of course, and won’t even be able to tell that more information is here, but hidden.”
Reid nodded. “I want you to make sure the firewalls are impenetrable from outside our team—no one, no matter how high up, gets access to our files. Von Zandt obviously knows we’re on to him, and if he was involved in what happened to Ramsey and Parsons, I’d guess that somehow he found out that Ramsey was talking to us and decided to stop him. Parsons was most likely collateral damage.”
Harry said, “I’m guessing either whoever killed Ramsey spotted Parsons, or Parsons spotted them.” Harry’s conjecture made sense, Reid thought, but there was another possibility. “They might have known about the surveillance and known to look for Parsons.”
“The leak?”
“Aye. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that the leak is somewhere higher up the chain. Maybe from the reports that we’ve been sending to the brass at CID. McMurty’s given the okay to stop the reports, and we’ll keep things closer to our vests.”
“If the leaks were coming from someone getting into our computers, that’s not going to happen anymore. No one will get in but us now, guv. I’ve sewn it up tight as a virgin’s . . .” Harry stopped, glancing at Allison. “Tight, anyway.”
Allison rolled her eyes.
Reid pretended not to notice Harry’s slip or Allison’s reaction. “I want you all to assume that he or someone on Von Zandt’s behalf may try to get to one of us, either by bribery or by threats, to get information or to dissuade us from what we’re doing. If anyone approaches any of you, I want to hear about it immediately.”
Harry narrowed his eyes at Allison. She glared back at Harry, giving a little warning shake of her head, and Reid wondered again if assigning her Harry as a mentor had been a good idea.
Reid watched the exchange. “Something you want to say, Harry?”
Harry feigned nonchalance. “I was thinking if they tried threats on anyone, they’d try the bird first.” He gestured toward Allison, who swatted his hand away.
“Sod you.” The coarse words coming from Allison only elicited a grin from Harry.
“Stop it, you two. This is extremely serious.” After quick apologies were mumbled from both transgressors, Reid went on. “It could be any one of us. I want you all to be especially mindful of your personal security. If they’re murdering witnesses and cops, they’re taking this investigation very seriously and very personally. Harry, I’d like you to help Allison get firearms qualified as soon as possible.”
The red haired man’s mouth went agape, and alarm flashed in his eyes. “She’s a baby, guv.”
“She’s police. Start tomorrow.” Unlike in some other countries such as the United States, not all police officers in Scotland were firearms qualified. That qualification was limited to those officers who were actually expected to have a need to carry or use a firearm. The regulations kept getting tighter and tighter, but because of the unique character of the High Street taskforce, Reid’s people were approved for firearm qualification eligibility. Allison was the only one on his core team not yet qualified.
Allison’s face could hardly conceal what seemed to be something between excitement and a smirk. Reid wanted to smile at her youthful enthusiasm, but didn’t let himself. Frank, however, smiled widely. Oscar, who was almost as good a shot as Harry, just watched.
Reid made sure his voice carried the seriousness that his message implied. “All of us need to be careful. These people are not to be taken lightly and they most definitely do not like what we are doing here. I do not want any of you to end up like DC Parsons.”
Chapter 11
IMMEDIATELY UPON entering his flat, Reid tensed. Something was off. He could not say exactly what alerted him, but he knew that he was not alone. He did not turn on any lights, but instead allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark. Artificial city light, coupled with moonlight, filtered in through the wall of windows spanning the entire length and breadth of the side of his flat facing the Cathedral, providing enough illumination for him to make out shapes and shadows.
He briefly considered leaving and calling for back up, but for reasons he couldn’t explain, instead closed the front door quietly behind him. He listened, his senses on hyper alert. A clock ticked in the background, the refrigerator hummed, a faint clicking signaled the radiators at work. Nothing else, but he knew. He was not alone.
Cautiously, he pulled his gun out of the pancake holster that nestled on his belt against the small of his back. He moved through the flat in the dark, his firearm at the ready, going through each room, starting with the kitchen. The kitchen, dining room, and lounge, all open to each other, made up the central part of his flat. A loft, tucked against the second story of his flat opposite the glass wall of windows, functioned as his home office. Down a short hallway at one end of the lounge was a guest bedroom and bath. On the other side of the main living area, down another short hallway, were his own bedroom and bath.
He saw no signs of an intruder as he passed through the main living area toward the hallway down which the guest bedroom was located. He opened the door slowly, looked around. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed. He approached the closet, and, standing to the side, opened the door. Nothing. He checked the bathroom. Again, nothing.
Silently, he returned down the hall to the main living area and quietly ascended the stairs to the lo
ft. Seeing nothing amiss, he checked the drawers of his desk. Still locked. He went slowly back down the stairs and crossed the lounge to the hallway toward his own bedroom. The door was shut. He frowned. He was positive that it had been open when he’d left that morning. He took a deep and silent breath, turned the door knob, and carefully pushed the door open.
Nothing happened.
Reid turned his body sideways to look inside the room without making himself too easy a target. He let his eyes adjust to the deeper darkness of this room, shrouded as it was with thick shades closing out any light from the windows. Now the sense of another person’s presence was overwhelming. He stopped breathing for a moment so he could hear better, but he couldn’t stop his heart from hammering furiously.
He drew in a breath, fingered the trigger of his gun, preparing himself to react instantaneously. Scanning the room quickly, he stopped at the sight of a large suitcase lying open in one corner. His tension evaporated immediately, and he smiled.
In his bed, fast asleep, lay the intruder—a beautiful blonde, her face softly hugging one of his pillows and one of her long, bare legs flung outside of the covers.
He replaced his gun in its holster. Going over to the bed, he bent down and kissed his wife, enjoying the sleepy arousal of her soft lips.
“Goldilocks, I presume?” He moved his lips back to hers, kissed her again.
“Terrence.” She put her arms around him, pulling him close.
He moved back just enough to see her face. “Lass, you should have told me you were coming. I’ve been half mad with worry.” He reached down past the lacy front of her nightgown to cup her breasts. “God, I missed you.” He kissed her again, long and deep. She smelled of sleepy clean woman. His woman. His fingers traveled through her silky hair, trying to convince himself that she was really here, that the waiting and worrying was over.
“I need to talk to you.” She was struggling to speak through his kisses, but he couldn’t wait.
“No talk just now,” he whispered as he slipped into bed with her. “Time enough for that in the morning. Right now it’s not talk I’m wanting.”
He felt her yield to him and his mouth and give up on conversation.
MONDAY, APRIL 6
Chapter 12
REID RETURNED to the bedroom with two steaming mugs of tea. This morning he’d reached for her, and once again she willingly and enthusiastically opened to him with that melting response he loved. The utter luxury of having his wife in his bed was something he didn’t think he would ever take for granted. Two years married, and it had not happened often enough.
Anne, her eyes still languid with sleep, patted the space next to her. “Come back to bed. I missed you.”
“I’m coming. Here’s tea. Regular for me, and herbal for you, as requested. Is this something new you like, girl?” He gestured to the mug that smelled to him disgustingly like wet, hot grass.
She made a face. “It’s supposed to be healthier.”
“Ah, well, then, drink up. I certainly want you to be healthy.” He put the mugs down and took her soft body into his arms. “God, Anne, those were the longest six weeks I’ve ever known.”
She ran her hand through his hair as she softly kissed his face all over.
He smoothed her hair down, then formed a ponytail with his hand. “You’ve let your hair get longer. I like it.” He twisted her hair gently into a rope and lifted it up so he could kiss the spot on the back of her neck that always made her breathless. He loved that spot.
She shut her eyes and he saw her go weak, loving her predictably sensual response. One of the loveliest qualities of this woman was her easy arousal. He ran his fingers down her back to where her body touched the bed. She arched to him, and he held her.
“I’ve got something I want to show you as soon as I can stand to let go of you for a moment.”
“I really need to talk to you, Terrence.”
He smiled and lay down next to her on top of the sheets. “And I, you. We have a lot to talk about, and years to talk about it now that you’ve come. But just now I’ve something to show you. Indulge me for a minute.”
She nodded and leaned over to pick up her nightgown from the floor beside the bed. When she started to put it back on, he caught her hands to stop her.
“Oh, no, you’ll not cover up that pretty body just yet. I’ve been a man alone on a deserted island too long. Stay naked for me.” He trailed his hand across her breasts and down her stomach as he watched her eyes slip back into that lovely unfocused look she got when she was aroused. She put her arms around him, and took his ear lobe into her mouth. Shivers went through him. Releasing her mouth from his ear, she pulled him to her.
“It’s chilly without you.” She lifted up the sheets invitingly. “Come under the covers with me. You don’t want me to freeze.”
His eyes went to those naked legs, momentarily focusing on the mound between her thighs. Oh, God, was she really his? He swallowed, “I’ll join you in a minute, I promise. Back under the covers, but stay naked, if you please.”
She smiled. “I please.”
“You please me, indeed.”
He took a folder from the table beside the bed and handed it to her. “There now, open it.” Reid studied her face as she took the folder from him, her mind still obviously on sex. Her eyes did not look at what she held in her hands, but instead stayed on him. She caught her bottom lip with her teeth.
“Don’t bite that lip, Anne. That’s my job.” He leaned down to her, took his finger to release her lip from her teeth, then moved his mouth to hers. Her lips parted and she met his with the intensity he adored. When the kiss finally ended, he pulled her bare body against his so her back curved into him. With more self-control than he’d known he possessed, once again he put the packet in her hand. He wanted to see her reaction, to please her with what he’d done. He could look over her shoulder as she read, and while he was at it, kiss her neck.
“Go on, open it.” His hands caressed her breasts and then roamed down her body. He felt her relax for him as he touched her softest parts.
“I can’t concentrate while you’re doing that, Terrence.” She closed her eyes and her lips parted slightly, and he sensed her breathing slow in receptive invitation of his kiss. “But don’t stop. Can’t we look at this later?” The papers fluttered to the floor and he gave up, with no real regret for her inability to disregard passion for practicality.
Later, much later, he watched her lovely bottom as she reached down to the floor and gathered up the papers that had fallen out of the folder. She hopped back into bed and leaned back against the pillow, propping the papers up against her naked legs so she could review them. He leaned toward her and caught her nipple lightly in his teeth.
“Terrence, if you start that again, I’ll never be able to look at these.” She laid back and closed her eyes, her hips arching up almost automatically.
He moved his mouth to her other breast. “Why can’t you do both?”
“It’s too distracting—but in a wonderful, lovely, achy way. I’ve missed you too much, and if you do that, I can’t think. So make your choice. It’s up to you.”
Reluctantly, he released her. “All right. No hands, no mouth. I want you to look at what I’ve brought you—for a few minutes, anyway.”
She smiled, and started examining the papers he had given her. When she spoke, he heard her confusion. “A house?”
“Aye, our house. I bought it for us directly after I got back from California. It’s a good location—perfect for us—and I knew if I didn’t snap it up, it would be gone. It’s on a little cul-de-sac called Aytoun Lane.” He took her hand, pressed it to his mouth. “I’d like to take you to see it today.”
He studied her face, and not seeing the happiness in it he had hoped for, worried about her silence. He’d wanted to do something concrete to show his faith that she would actually be coming back to him. Buying a house for them to live in together had been the only thing he could think of tha
t even came close to expressing how he felt. But now he realized that selecting it by himself might have been a mistake. “Are you upset I chose it without you?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s beautiful. Absolutely lovely.” Her eyes, huge and deeply blue, looked up at him, and his heart swelled with his love for her. But it worried him that she still did not smile.
“Not large like Dunbaryn. We have that, of course, to go to, but in town we don’t need anything so immense.”
“Terrence, this house is huge. Dunbaryn is a castle.” Still, she did not smile, and his heart fell. He definitely shouldn’t have chosen it without her. When would he ever learn? Bloody socially backward.
“Lass, if you don’t like it, we’ll sell it. You can choose something else you like. I’ll want anything you like.” He kissed her. “As long as you’re in it, it will suit me fine.”
“No, it’s perfect. I love it.” Now she smiled, and he was instantly relieved. He wanted her to be as happy about the house as he was. He could tell she meant it, and he went on to describe it to her.
“It has a large garden—I thought you’d like that. And rooms, lots of rooms for children.”
She suddenly looked stricken and the smile fell from her face. He cursed himself. He’d scared her before when he’d brought up the idea of having children too suddenly. He ran his finger around her mouth and kissed her. “When you’re ready, girl. I’m not rushing you. Not until you’re ready. I’ve learned my lesson. I’m thick, but I’m learning.”
She put his face in her hands and kissed him back, her eyes moist with emotion. “Oh, Terrence, I love you so much.”
“And me, you. It’s truly all right with you?”
“It’s perfect. I love it.”
“Wonderful. Let’s go see it. I can take some time this morning before I need to get back to work.” He patted her on the bottom, letting his fingers wander until she slapped at him playfully.