‘I feel like we’ve hardly seen you,’ she said softly. ‘Come on, sit down, I’ll get you a beer.’
‘I can’t.’ Billy pulled his arm away. ‘I have to go out.’
Charlie sighed.
‘I have to meet a copper in the pub.’
Zoe looked at him. ‘Why?’
‘It’s Rose’s fuckbuddy, DI Price. He wants to talk to me.’
‘What about?’
‘Adele.’
Zoe’s eyes narrowed. ‘Why does he want to talk to you about Adele Whitehouse?’
Billy shrugged. ‘Because I got in and interviewed her, I guess. The police questioned her about Jamie Mackie. She’s Dean’s alibi. She didn’t give anything away.’
Charlie rubbed at his forehead. ‘You shouldn’t be involved in this mess. Stay out of it.’
‘I can’t.’
‘You have to, or it’ll kill you.’
Billy leaned down and ruffled Jeanie’s fur. ‘There’s one other thing you should know. The police have worked out it was a hit and run on Queen’s Drive, and they’re looking for a red car in connection with it.’
He left the room, Jeanie trotting after him, tail swishing. He heard Charlie over the sound of the television. ‘Fuck.’
18
He’d never been in The Montague before, despite living round the corner. In a neighbourhood awash with students on happy hour, it was a dull grey old man’s pub, populated by halfway jakeys and off-duty coppers from St Leonard’s across the road.
There were a handful of burly law-enforcement types bursting out of their shirts and guzzling pints of Best as Billy walked in, trailing Jeanie behind. The woman behind the bar had faded tattoos and a kind face.
Billy wangled a bowl of water and bought some crisps for Jeanie, opening the packet and placing it on the floor by his feet. She gobbled at them and lapped at the water, nudging the bowl across the floor with her snout so that water spilled on Billy’s trainers. He knelt down and stroked her back.
‘I’ll get you something proper to eat once we’re finished here.’
‘I didn’t know you had a dog.’ It was Rose standing over him. She was in a floral print dress. He’d never seen her in a dress before. Her breasts were spilling out the front. Beside her, DI Price couldn’t take his eyes off them.
Billy straightened up. ‘Just got her today.’
‘At the Dog and Cat Home?’
Billy nodded and Rose laughed.
‘You are really something. Sure you’re up to the responsibility of a pet?’
Billy shrugged.
Rose put a hand on Price’s chest. ‘Stuart, what can I get you?’
‘I’ll get these,’ Price said. ‘The lady never buys the first round.’
Billy followed Rose to a table, bringing Jeanie’s water bowl with him.
‘Now,’ Rose said. ‘Just play it straight with Stuart, OK? He’s one of the good guys.’
‘I like your dress.’ Billy raised his eyebrows at the low-cut front.
‘Shut it.’
Price arrived with drinks.
‘I take it Rose told you what this is about,’ he said to Billy.
‘Kind of.’
‘Well, as I’m sure you’re aware, I’ve been reasonably helpful to Rose in releasing information about the case to her early.’
‘Yeah, I noticed.’
Billy looked round. They were getting more attention now from the regulars and off-duty police. A detective inspector sharing a drink with two reporters, one of them with Double Ds on display.
‘Anyway, being helpful is a two-way street. So I want to talk to you about Adele Whitehouse.’
‘I believe you had her in for questioning.’ Billy tried to think about what he was supposed to know and what he wasn’t. He couldn’t get it clear in his head. Outside the window, shafts of evening sun lit up Salisbury Crags. Everywhere he went, the Crags were glaring down at him. He rattled the Tegretol in his pocket and took a swig of lager. Jeanie’s ears pricked up at the noise from his pocket, then she lost interest when he pulled an empty hand out.
‘Indeed,’ Price said. ‘She is providing an alibi for Dean Whitehouse for the time of Jamie Mackie’s shooting.’
‘Makes sense, the two seem almost inseparable.’
‘And yet you’ve managed to get Adele on her own, haven’t you?’
Billy paused.
‘Your interview in the Evening Standard?’
‘Of course.’
‘How was she?’
Billy slugged more lager. ‘I’m sorry, how do you mean?’
‘Just that, how did she seem when you spoke to her? She had just returned from identifying her husband’s body. She came across as measured and calm in the interview.’
‘That’s how she was.’
‘Do you think she was in shock?’
Billy considered this. The hash pipe. The sly glances. The bare feet next to his hand. ‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘Did she say anything about Frank? Or Dean?’
‘Nothing that didn’t go into the piece.’
Price sipped his Best. ‘It strikes me that she doesn’t seem too upset by Frank’s death.’
Billy didn’t speak.
‘What do you think of that?’
Billy took a long drink. ‘Are you suggesting she had something to do with it?’
Price shook his head. ‘I’m not suggesting anything. I’m just trying to get a feel for her.’
‘She didn’t seem that upset. I got the impression she was more sorry for Ryan’s sake than her own.’
‘That’s what I thought. But if that’s the case, why would she cover for Dean? She surely has no allegiances to him? Unless she’s been seeing him on the side. They do seem almost glued together at times.’
Billy tried to remember everything Adele had said. He imagined her fucking Dean, or Frank. Or both. He shivered. What was wrong with him?
‘I think she might be scared of Dean,’ he said.
‘He is quite a piece of work. But you would think she’d be used to it by now, married to Frank for years. Then again Frank was the brains, Dean has always been the one willing and eager to do the dirty work.’
‘What was Frank like?’
‘Quiet, but dominating. A hard man, but relatively old-school.’
Billy looked at Price. ‘You almost sound like you admire him.’
‘Far from it. I’ve seen a lot of misery in people’s lives brought about by that heartless bastard. But if I had to choose between having to deal with Frank Whitehouse or the Mackie boys, I’d take Frank every time.’
‘Really?’
Price nodded. ‘The Mackies are a whole new level of scum. There’s stuff they wouldn’t hesitate to get involved in that the Whitehouses wouldn’t even have considered.’
‘Like what?’
Price looked at Rose. ‘It doesn’t matter. Let’s just say that as the old guard of crooks die off and the new lot come in, I’m glad I’m retiring soon. If I can nail the Mackies for Frank’s death, and Dean Whitehouse for the Mackie shooting before I go, then I’ll have done a pretty decent job of cleaning up the mess in this city.’
Billy thought about that. All this from a car accident. His car accident. Maybe he’d performed a public service, starting a chain of events that would end with the criminal world destroying itself. Happy ever after. Yeah, right.
‘Anyway,’ Price said. ‘I was hoping you might be able to do me a favour.’
‘Oh?’
‘Nothing drastic. I was just wondering if you’d mind going to see Adele Whitehouse again, see if you can get something more out of her.’
Billy pictured her. She said she’d phone. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and sneaked a look. Nothing.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Rose tells me you had a fairly unorthodox way of getting to her.’
‘Maybe.’
‘I don’t need to know the details, just the results, if you manage to speak to he
r.’
‘I don’t see what you’re expecting me to achieve. You interviewed her at the station, what else can I do?’
‘Judging by your piece, quite a lot. She opened up to you. Rose has a theory that it’s down to animal magnetism.’ He smiled at her across the table, and Billy felt like he was playing gooseberry. ‘I wouldn’t know anything about that. But whatever the reason, I think it’s worth a go. Are you up for it?’
‘I suppose.’
He wanted to see her, couldn’t stop thinking about her. Something had almost happened between them. He’d killed her husband. He knew about her covering for Dean. His head ached, the lump on his temple throbbing with its own life force. He lifted his hand to it and rubbed.
‘That looks nasty,’ Price said. ‘Have you had it looked at?’
‘His brother’s a doctor,’ Rose said. Billy had forgotten she was there. She’d let them knock the conversation back and forth, never speaking. Sign of a good reporter. ‘He took a look at it, didn’t he?’
‘Yeah, said it was nothing to worry about.’
‘How did you do it?’ Price asked.
‘He wouldn’t tell me,’ Rose said.
Billy imagined what it would be like if he confessed, finally told the truth.
‘Just a stupid drinking injury,’ he said.
19
‘There you go, girl.’
Jeanie stuck her nose in the new basket and thumped her tail. She stepped in and circled three times, checking everything, then she nestled down and placed her chin on her paws with a look of satisfaction.
Billy had jumped in the car and headed to the big supermarket at Cameron Toll. He took a wander down the pet aisle, Jeanie sitting in the trolley. He picked up dog food and biscuits, chewy things and squeaky toys, stainless-steel bowls, a collar and lead, the basket and blanket. A handful of treats, to put some meat on her bones.
Back home, he’d arranged all the stuff in his bedroom. Zoe didn’t mind. She’d always had dogs growing up, black Labs, something Billy was jealous of. Her place in Trinity had a big garden for them to run around in, and Zoe’s mum didn’t have to work so was always there for walks while Zoe’s dad was out cutting deals or whatever, all the while Zoe traipsing across town to George Heriot’s at a cost of umpteen thousand quid a year.
Now he had his own dog. It felt good. He sat on the floor and rubbed his hand up and down her flank. He wondered where she’d come from, what had happened for her to be found wandering the streets alone. Might’ve been abused, or maybe she was simply lost. She was undernourished, he could see that. She was friendly and obedient, though. Maybe she recognised a fellow lost soul when she saw one.
‘She’s beautiful,’ Zoe said.
‘She certainly is.’
Jeanie opened an eye. She knew they were talking about her. Her tail flickered into life briefly then dropped again.
Zoe was sitting on the bed behind Billy. ‘I’m sorry.’
He didn’t look up. ‘What do you have to be sorry about?’
She was stroking his neck now, mirroring his own hands on Jeanie. ‘We should’ve reported it.’
There was a long silence. Eventually Billy spoke. ‘Yes, we should’ve.’
‘But it’s too late now, you have to see that.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
‘But we have to, honey.’
‘No we don’t.’ Billy looked up finally. ‘Sitting here with Jeanie is the most peaceful I’ve felt since it happened. I don’t want it to end.’
‘Neither do I, but I’m worried.’
‘Of course you’re worried.’ Billy looked back at Jeanie, felt the soft ruffles of her fur through his fingers. ‘You should be worried. Your boyfriend is a murderer.’
Zoe stopped rubbing his neck. ‘Don’t say that.’
‘It’s true.’
‘Look at me, Billy Blackmore.’
He lifted his head a little.
‘In the eye.’
He held her gaze.
‘You are not a murderer, got it? What happened to you could’ve happened to any of us, to anyone. It was an accident. We should’ve reported it, maybe we could’ve saved his life, maybe not. But it would’ve ruined our lives, Charlie was right about that.’
‘It’s already ruined our lives.’
‘Not if we don’t let it.’ Her voice was pleading. All he seemed to hear these days were pleading, desperate voices.
‘It’s ruined my life.’
‘You have to snap out of it.’
Billy laughed. ‘That’s your answer? Get over killing someone by snapping out of it?’
‘Look, I know whatever I say is not going to be enough to make you feel any better. That’s why I think you should take the pills Charlie gave you. He says they’ll help with how you’re feeling.’
‘Charlie says, Charlie says.’ He sounded like a little kid in a huff.
‘He’s only looking out for you.’
‘Looking out for himself, more like.’
‘How can you say that?’
‘Because I know him better than anyone. He’s worried I’ll lose the plot and confess and put him in the shit, that’s all he’s concerned about.’
‘That’s not true. If I thought that was true I wouldn’t go along with him.’
Billy looked away. ‘You two seem awful friendly these days.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean, Billy? Come on, think about what you’re saying. You need to rest.’
‘And take my medicine, right?’
‘It’s not like that.’
‘We’re going round in circles here.’
He got up to leave but Zoe held his wrist.
‘Remember the tartan taxi,’ she said.
This was a game they played. Revisiting their first kiss. It used to cement their feelings, now it seemed like a reminder of what was lost.
She pulled him on to the bed and he let himself be drawn in. Her smell was sharper than Adele’s, her skin softer and more familiar, her eyes, just different, so very different from Adele’s. He tried to remember the first time, in the back of a lurid cab after some student thing on campus. He kissed her now and she responded, pushing against him, her fingers running up his neck and through the back of his hair. But all he could think about was the body lying on the road, the tick of the car engine, the sudden pain flashing across his head and down his spine. He thought of Adele as he felt Zoe’s tongue in his mouth. This was an unholy mess. Pain bore down across his temples as he kissed Zoe, his hands stationary, his body stiff like rigor mortis.
Jeanie barked, an inquisitive, friendly noise. It was the first time he’d heard her bark. He pulled away from Zoe and looked round. Jeanie was standing by the bed, tail wagging, watching them.
‘I can’t,’ Billy said. ‘Not with Jeanie here.’
‘So put her out the room.’
‘I don’t want to do that.’
Zoe shuffled across the duvet. ‘Fine.’ She swung her legs off the bed and stood up, staring at Billy. ‘I’m going to get something to drink. I’ll leave you two alone.’
She stomped out as hard as she could in bare feet and slammed the door. Jeanie jumped at the noise, her head darting round and back, ears flat on her head.
‘It’s OK, girl,’ Billy said. ‘Everything’s fine.’
*
He was woken by a noise. He sat up. It was humid in the pre-dawn light. Whining and whimpering, the scratching of wood from inside the room.
He shook his head free of sleep and looked round. Jeanie was pacing in a tight circle by the bed, making a keening noise, a horrible plaintive cry.
‘What’s the matter, girl?’
She didn’t seem to hear, just kept walking round and round. She was in a daze, head down, following an untraceable scent.
‘Do you want out, is that it?’
He didn’t know anything about dogs. What was she doing?
He got up and opened the bedroom door. Jeanie didn’t respond, just k
ept walking. She bumped into the chair and headed in another direction, zombie movements, slow, deliberate. She was still making the same noise, an unsettling, primal cry of discomfort.
‘What is it, girl?’
He walked over and stroked her but she didn’t acknowledge him. Her tail was pointing rigidly downwards. She bumped into the bedside table and turned. Her front legs wobbled a little. That crying sound, like nothing Billy had ever heard.
‘What’s happening?’ Zoe said, sitting up.
‘It’s Jeanie, something’s wrong. She doesn’t seem right.’
The dog made a noise as if the air had just been hammered out of her lungs, then her legs collapsed and she crumpled on to the floor next to her basket. A tremor shot through her limbs and she began convulsing, her chest heaving in and out, all four legs jerking in jolting spasms. It was like a huge electric current was passing through her body. There was a sharp whip-crack noise, and Billy saw her jaw snapping in time with the convulsions through the rest of her body. Her tongue lolled out the side of her mouth and her teeth were digging at it. Her eyes had rolled back in her head, only the whites showing.
Billy scrambled towards her and grabbed hold of her snout. He tried to pull her teeth apart, get his hand in between to stop her biting her tongue off. There was a froth of saliva along the edge of her mouth as he prised her jaws away from each other, enough to get his hand inside. Blood oozed from a wound on her tongue. Her teeth dug into Billy’s hand, one set on the back, the other sinking into his palm. He held his breath at the pain. With his other hand he tried to calm her, stroked her side and head. He was talking to her, reassuring her, not sure even what he was saying, just trying to keep his voice low and calm, despite everything.
And then it was over. Jeanie’s jaws relaxed and her body slackened. Her eyes cleared. She jumped up looking confused and backed away from Billy.
‘It’s OK, girl.’ He extended his bleeding hand towards her.
She didn’t recognise him.
‘What’s happening?’
Zoe shook her head. ‘I don’t know. A seizure of some kind?’
‘Did your dogs ever do this?’
‘No.’
Jeanie was back to padding around, bumping into things, her head and tail lowered, sniffing at nothing.
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