'I understand. Of course. But I was wondering if you could come over later?'
Come on... I don't need this. I'm supposed to go charging down to Helensburgh at three o'clock in the morning? I can't. Not tonight. Can't stand up Peggy again.
She is aware of my hesitation. Sounds anxious.
'Not Helensburgh. I've got a flat. Kelvinside.' Of course. 'You could just come over there when you've finished.'
She sounds like a normal human being. Alone. Vulnerable. Breathe deeply. You promised your ex-wife, your possibly soon to be next wife.
'Things are just getting a little out of hand,' she says. 'I need to talk, that's all.'
Why now? Why tonight? Why can't she want to talk tomorrow night? Where's the idiot Frank when you need him?
'All right,' I say. Fingers rubbing at my forehead. Thomas Hutton – the fucking idiot who can't say no.
'Thanks,' she says. Immediately sounds more assured. 'I'll be here late as well. I'll speak to you before I go.'
'Aye.'
She hangs up. Put the phone down. Stare at it. Wait for it to ring again with some other demand on my time for the middle of the coming night. When it doesn't, I lift the top paper off the pile and start to adjust myself to searching through the life and work of Ian Healy; see what I can come up with.
Haven't got two lines when the door to Bloonsbury's office opens and the broken man walks out. There are six or seven people in the room as he walks through and every one of us stops what we're doing to stare at the guy. Bloody eyes, face streaked and ugly. A mess. Appears to be walking in a bit more of a straight line than usual but his shoulders are hunched, shuffling gait. He stops halfway across the room. Has become aware that everyone is looking at him. Knows what we're all thinking. He catches a few eyes but no one looks away. There's no one left in this station who couldn't look him straight in the eye now and tell him what they think.
Finally he looks at me and those eyes are bloody death; then he straightens up and walks from the room.
And if the man has any sense left whatsoever, he won't return.
*
'I've just been thinking about Crow,' says Taylor.
He looks tired. I'm not surprised. His wife has just left; he's been put in charge of a huge murder inquiry; instant results expected; under pressure. And besides, it's one thirty in the morning. And here's me, joined CID 'cause I thought it'd be nine to five.
'What about him?' I say.
End of the day. Looked through all of the papers that I'm going to. Morrow and I found a few things we'll have to check up on, but that'll be for the morning. Taylor spent a good three hours with the secretary, then sent her packing. She'd had the holidays off, then turned up for work as usual this morning. Healy was nowhere to be seen, no idea where he might have gone. And that was about it.
So. End of the day, last cigarette, last cup of coffee.
Then? Jesus. Charlotte left just after midnight, slipping me the address as she went. So I've got a choice. Charlotte or Peggy, and I've promised them both.
Mind on the job. Crow.
'Why did he just vanish like that?' says Taylor. 'We'd started to think about him. Possible suspect, possible link between the two. Who knows? We shouldn't lose sight of things. Saturday night we charged down there, kicking the door in. The fact that the bastard had buggered off seemed to implicate him. Now, we've got Healy stamped over everything. So, do we just forget about Crow? Mark his disappearance down as coincidence?'
'There's no such thing as coincidence.'
'Exactamundo,' he says.
'So we need a connection between Crow and Healy.'
'Aye. You didn't see anything when you looked through Healy's files did you? A mention of Crow having dealt with any of Healy's clients?'
'No, nothing. But then, Morrow checked half of them and he wouldn't have been looking.'
He looks at me. I know what he's thinking. See that mountain of paper that Morrow looked through. Fuck.
'Not tonight,' he says. That's big of him. 'Tomorrow morning. Have Morrow follow up whatever you dug up this evening. Don't need to tell anyone else what we're thinking. Might be a load of pish.' Champion.
Taylor rubs his eyes. Half one in the morning isn't the best time for clear and logical insight.
'I don't know, Sergeant. We're missing something here. Something obvious.'
'Come on,' I say, 'we all say that. All the time. You can't know it until you know it.'
Rests his elbows on the desk and yawns.
'Very deep, Hutton. Get that out of a Chinese fortune cookie?'
'Aye, I did as a matter of fact. And there's more. Always take your clothes off before you get in the shower.'
'Very funny. Piss off and we'll talk in the morning.'
He stands up. Lucky bastard is going home to an empty bed. Haven't decided where I'm going yet. Although, of course, I know exactly where I'm going.
'Any chance you spoke to Eileen Harrison today?'
I give him a quizzical look in reply.
'Don't look at me like that,' he says. 'You're always talking to women, or they're talking to you, or whatever the hell you have going on. Don't look so fucking, whatever could you mean, Chief Inspector?'
I shake my head, and start to head out.
'No,' I say over my shoulder, 'I didn't speak to Eileen Harrison.'
'Very well,' he says. 'Perhaps if she calls in sick again tomorrow, or we don't hear from her, you could go round there and see if she's all right.'
I stop, look at him.
'What? Seriously?'
'Yes. Look at my face. It's a serious face. There's enough weird shit going on around here for us not to at least make sure she's all right. Pretty fucking weird her not coming at all, particularly at a time like this.'
Now there he has a point.
I don't reply and turn and walk back out into the main office. The quiet of the middle of the night; CID at rest. Look at the watch. A little over five hours and the shite'll be flying once more.
Pick up the car keys and start tossing the mental coin; knowing that if it comes down on the side of Peggy I'll keep doing best of three 'til I get the right result.
34
Post sex cigarette; the best there is. It might be a cliché, but it's right up there with sex itself and watching old film of Partick Thistle beat Celtic 4-1. Cool, bitter, biting at the inside of your throat. Like a smoky single malt by a warm fire on a cold day. Lie back, breathe it in, stare at the ceiling. Forget everything. Savour the smoke and savour the remains of the delicious sensations still lingering in your loins and stomach. You feel the tiredness, begin to give in to it, let it sweep over you. Like waves crashing on the ocean.
'What are you thinking?'
You swallow a gallon of sea water. Just as well. I was about to nod off and drop the smoking butt end onto my chest.
'Just enjoying the moment.'
She places her hand on my chest, starts drawing circles. God, she's not about to get romantic on me? She kisses my shoulder, snuggles her head next to my arm. Bloody Jesus. You'd think…. oh, crap, I don't know what to think. I've spent the two years since my last marriage sleeping with all kinds of life's detritus. Charlotte Miller is the other end of the scale in so many different ways.
'I'm glad you've been around the past few days, Sergeant. I've needed you.'
For all the bitterness and tough guy act, it still sounds good to hear it. Charlotte Miller needs Sergeant Hutton. Sort of thing you'd scrawl on your desk at school. If you were a wanker.
Quarter past four. Just had ball-breaking sex and feel relaxed for the first time in a couple of days. Had intended going round to see Peggy when I was finished, but now that I'm here, post-sex, woman glued to my arm and absolutely exhausted, I've got a feeling I won't be going anywhere until it's time for work. Big Guilt means Big Denial. Try not to think about Peggy. There's someone else's wife to sleep with. Keep waiting for the guillotine to fall. Each time is more intimate than the last, however. Deeper into
the mire. Falling in love. Me with her. Wrong person, wrong time, wrong planet.
Have stopped worrying about her and Bathurst. Accepted why they slept together, although I haven't asked her about it.
A thought comes into my head as I'm drifting off; something I should ask her. And hope she's set an alarm, cause there's no way I'm waking up at seven o'clock.
Roll over on my side, away from her, and she curls her arms around me and presses against my skin, her breasts beautiful and soft against my back.
'How come you haven't got rid of Bloonsbury? The guy's a mess.' Wrong question, wrong time.
Feel it immediately. Body tensed, then relaxed. Places a slight distance between our bodies, her skin detached. I'm almost asleep. Her body relaxes into mine once more, her breasts flush against me. I'm tired, giving into it.
'We can talk about it later,' she says. Dreamy voice. Don't care. She says something else, but I'm hardly aware of it, and finally I give in to the wall of sleep.
*
Shit! Tuesday morning wake up call. Don't know what drags me from sleep, but I sit straight up in bed. Already light outside, know I'm late without looking at the clock. Empty bed, bloody bitch already up and gone to work, leaving me lying here. Shit. Dare to look at the clock. Aw, shit. Shit. Half past fucking eight.
Look at my phone. Three missed calls, four texts, but the phone is on silent. I never did that. Holy suffering fuck, the bitch put my phone on silent…
The station; Taylor; Peggy. They were all calling. Jesus. Where were Craig Levein and the First Minister, didn't they need me as well?
Fly into a frantic rush of cold water, toothpaste and last night's clothes. Out onto the street. Snowed in the night – a light covering. Nearly slip on the stairs. Have trouble starting the car, lurch out onto the road and within five minutes I'm stuck in traffic.
Keep looking at the clock as it gets ever later. Switch the radio on and off. Good news, boring news, weather – I know it snowed! I can see the sodding stuff – shit music. The phone rings again and I ignore it. And again.
Finally arrive well after nine-thirty. Run into the station – raised eyebrow from Ramsey – up the stairs and into the office. The usual hum of activity. In the centre of the room Taylor stands talking to Miller. They stop, look at me as I approach. Taylor looks as if he wants to thump me, Miller plays the part. The disapproving superior. I shrug my shoulders. No idea what to say.
'I'll leave you to it,' says the woman who five hours previously had screamed with lust as I'd rammed my cock into her.
Taylor indicates his office and I follow him in. Realise there's a couple of DCs watching me go. Little bastards.
Taylor behind his desk. Gestures for me to close the door. Starts up. Low voice. Mad as fuck, not shouting.
'What the fuck are you doing?'
Raise the shoulders, let out a sigh. I can't explain.
'We've got a monumental case on here and you're lying in bed for fuck's sake. And by the look of you, someone else's bed. Can you not leave your dick be for two fucking days while we get some work done?'
Feel even more stupid now than I did a minute ago. Wish I had some defence.
'Bloody hell, Hutton, at least say something for yourself.'
I can't. He doesn't need to know about Charlotte.
He leans forward, elbows on the desk.
'Listen. Morrow's been in for the past two hours. Got some good ideas, doing some good work. Gone back out to check on some stuff. A good officer doing a good job. Any more of this shite and it'll be your job he's doing. Get out there and get on with it.'
Stupid, humiliated, feel like saluting. Think much the better of it. Nod the head, look embarrassed.
'We're done, Sergeant,' he says.
Right. Turn to go. Wait for the quieter words that all good man managers come out with to show they're not really mad at you. They don't come. Out the door, leave it open, and then back to my desk.
The papers that Morrow checked through yesterday are all still there, a pile on Herrod's desk. I lift them over, place them in front of me. Notice beside the phone a message. Peggy called – can you phone her.
Push it to one side, decide to think on it before I make the call. What do I say? Just ignored the uncomfortable thought while I was with Miller. Look up at her office, the closed door. Just like the closed door of her heart.
Fuck off Hutton, you stupid prick. Get on with it.
Lift the first paper and begin the trawl through for any mention of Detective Chief Inspector Gerry Crow.
35
Spend three hours on it. Looking through all those papers that Morrow wasted his time on yesterday. Looking for the name of Crow, thinking about two women. It would be nice to be able to divorce your thoughts from that kind of thing, but I suppose we're all the same.
Peggy or Charlotte. Safe option against the bomb waiting to go off. Keep making mental lists with the name Crow on them both, so I don't miss him if he crops up.
Points in favour:
Peggy. History; cracking sex; mother of my children; get my family back; I'm forty-four and it's about time I acted it; a warm, loving relationship, especially when the relationship with Charlotte is going nowhere – it'd be foolish to lose Peggy for something that might not last 'til the end of the week; Peggy makes good Jamaica ginger cake.
Charlotte. Sex.
Try to tell myself that sex with Peggy is as good, but there's something extra with Charlotte. It could just be novelty, though. Maybe after twelve years it wouldn't have the same bite. Nothing dulls the appetite like familiarity.
I don't know. Head says Peggy, heart's divided, dick says Charlotte. That's about it. Know what I should do, but like the rest of us under the weight of infatuation, I'm fighting against it with all I've got.
Pick up the phone to Peggy eventually.
'Hello?' she says. Voice wary. Knows it's me.
'Don't hang up,' I say. Immediately onto the defensive before she can speak. Good move, Hutton, you idiot.
She doesn't say anything. Doesn't hang up either.
'Look, I'm sorry. I just couldn't come over.'
'Where were you?'
Never was much of a liar, but I might as well give it a go. Easier over the phone.
'It was late. Middle of the night. And I know what you said, but there was no point. I needed the sleep, babe.' The old familiarity. I bet Brian called her darling. 'I'm sorry. It was half-four, I just went home, unplugged the phone, forgot to set the alarm and went out like a light. I know, I should at least have texted or something.'
No immediate reply. Not necessarily a bad thing. Don't say anything else. Wait and see.
'I just wish…' she starts off, stops herself. 'I don't know Thomas. Just be honest, for fuck's sake.' Peggy never used to swear. Must be Brian's influence.
'I'm being honest.' Missing the point as usual. 'Look, I'll come over tonight, I promise.' Close my eyes as I say it.
'Don't, Thomas. Don't...I don't know... I still want you to come. But come when you want. When you mean it.'
'I'll try and come tonight. Promise.' There I go again.
'Don't promise, Thomas.' Click.
Phone call over, just like that. No opportunity for more lies. Shit. Gun at my head right now, and I'd choose Peggy over Charlotte. But it won't last.
Back to work, try to think about Crow and neither of the women. Crow is just not as attractive a thought, however.
*
An hour later, and I've got it. Already early afternoon. Dying for some lunch. Morrow's been in and out, buzzing around like the good little detective. Good thing I like the guy.
Walk into the boss's office.
'Bingo.'
Taylor looks up. The man's actually going over some papers for once – not staring at the ceiling like he usually does. Must be taking his duties seriously. He's been out most of the morning, got in about twenty minutes ago.
'Close the door,' he says.
Do it, stand over his desk.
Still feel that tension in the air.
'Hope you've got something, 'cause Morrow came up empty.'
Good.
Getting as bad as Herrod. Have to stop thinking like that. It's not a competition. Hold up the file.
'Crow and Healy. Beginning of last year. Some two-bit rape charge. Crow was the arresting officer, Healy defended the accused. Somewhere along the line Crow fucked up and the guy walked on a technicality. Of course it doesn't say it, but it reeks of pay off. The rapist was some big shot banker. What's a guy like that doing going to a no-hoper like Healy? Put on to him because he knows Healy's a man to do business with, presumably. Payment to Crow, he does the necessary damage, the guy's out of jail.'
Taylor stares at his desk. Rubs his chin with one hand, indicates the chair with the other. I sit down. He's sorting it out. I've already been doing that, and although it's what we were looking for, does it actually get us anywhere?
'So what?' he says eventually. 'What do we have? Healy and Crow know each other. Know the other's bent. How does it apply here? We've got the first half of the connection, now we need the second.'
Think straight, Hutton.
'Right. Crow and Healy worked together on at least one case. There might have been more, we don't know. The murder case last year we know was Crow. But there's no noticeable involvement from Healy.'
'Couldn't find anything on that?'
Shake the head.
'And now, we know Healy murdered Ann Keller and Bathurst,' I continue. 'We don't know if Crow has any involvement. And both men have disappeared. I talked to Crow, didn't suggest there was anything there. He did mention that he'd spoken to Herrod and Bloonsbury earlier this month, however. Now Herrod's dead too. And Bloonsbury's a mess. Might as well be dead.'
'Aye, but that's self-inflicted. I don't think we can go blaming Crow for Bloonsbury's condition.'
Sit up. A cohesive thought. First for three days.
'Maybe Crow is blackmailing him. Maybe that's why Bloonsbury and Herrod went to see Crow, 'cause Crow was threatening to reveal their part in the murder case.'
Taylor shakes his head.
'How could he do that? He was guiltier than the rest of them put together. He was the murderer for God's sake.'
The Unburied Dead Page 18