by Ed James
Cullen pulled on the handbrake. "Well, I asked every single question in both houses."
"Almost. You didn't ask about his girlfriend. If it'd been up to you, we'd never have known about her."
Cullen flared his nostrils. "What is it?"
"Nothing."
"No, that's the second time today you've gone off on one at me. I'm not aware of doing anything to deserve it."
"That's part of the problem." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm being a bitch and you don't deserve it. Well, not all of it. I'm just tired from the commute. I suppose I was expecting to get a bit more of a lead role in this. So far, I've helped Jobsworth put the case into HOLMES then helped you speak to some people in a bank. That's hardly exciting, is it?"
"And you call me a princess?"
She laughed. "Well, we're here. Do you want me to lead?"
"Aye, go on."
Cullen got out and led them across the car park, half empty in the October late afternoon sunshine. They walked through the main entrance, past Wetherspoon's, the curry house and Pizza Express. M&S was just ahead on the right.
Caldwell asked for Demi at the customer service desk.
They only had to wait thirty seconds before a pretty, if surly, girl approached them, Demi on her badge. "Is it DC Caldwell?"
Caldwell showed her warrant card. "It is, yes. Is there somewhere private we could go to discuss matters?"
Demi turned up her lip. "What 'matters'?"
"Your boyfriend's death?"
Demi's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"
Nobody had told the girl Xander had died.
Caldwell put a hand to Demi's shoulder. "Where can we go?"
"My parents' house."
CHAPTER 12
Demi's parents' house was a modest sixties bungalow on a quiet street on the outskirts of the town.
The Family Liaison Officer got out of a car and headed over.
Cullen wound down the window. "PC Rowley?"
"Aye." She nodded in the back and spoke in a low voice. "How is she?"
"She's been silent all the way, just staring out of the window."
Rowley shook her head. "This sounds like a total fuck up."
"I think you're right." Cullen looked in the rear view at Demi, hand clasped to her face. "The boy's parents were told but nobody's seen fit to tell her. She's pretty shell-shocked."
"How do you think you'd feel if you'd just been given that news?"
"We need to ask her a few questions."
Rowley tutted. "As ever. Her parents are on their way home. They both work in Edinburgh. Give me five minutes to get her inside and settled, then we'll see if you can speak to her. I'll stop the interview if she is reacting adversely. Okay?"
"Fine."
Rowley's face changed, a different mask being applied.
Cullen waited, watching her gently cajole Demi into leaving the car and heading inside. "Why didn't I think it weird that Demi was at work?"
"It's not just you, Scott. Bit of a fuck up indeed."
"Wonder whose balls will get toasted for this?"
"Yours, no doubt."
Cullen spent requested five minutes trying to figure out what the hell he should ask. This was becoming a clusterfuck. "Let's go."
Caldwell led him inside. "What are we looking for here?"
"Just need to get some background, nothing too aggressive."
"Sure you can manage that?"
"You lead then."
"I might just do that."
The front door was unlocked, so they walked through to the living room.
Rowley sat with Demi, hands clasped around a red can of Coke.
Cullen sat on the sofa opposite next to Caldwell.
Rowley put her hand on Demi's shoulder. "Demi these detectives want to speak to you about your boyfriend, okay?"
Demi shrugged Rowley's hand away. "I know who they are. They told me about Xander."
Rowley sat back. "Are you happy for them to ask questions?"
Demi nodded. "Shoot."
Caldwell sat forward on the settee. "So you're engaged?"
Demi held up her left hand, her ring finger raised up to show the golden ring with a small diamond. "We are." She eased the ring off. "Were."
"But you didn't live together?"
Demi shook her head, her ponytail dancing around. "No, we didn't. We'd been talking about it, but we didn't get round to it. Xander was actually quite funny about it. Didn't want to jinx anything. His parents' marriage was a mess and he didn't want to repeat that. He wanted things kept pure, not to move in together until we were married."
"Was Xander religious?"
Demi shrugged. "In a way, yes. The only church he went to was Ibrox stadium but he had certain ideas, that's for sure."
Cullen frowned at his notebook. Where did the boy develop this religious purity? It certainly wasn't from his parents. Then again, he was the product of a severely broken home. Most football fans were superstitious - sitting in the same seat on the coach on match day, wearing the same shoes - and it wasn't much of a stretch to believe that luck was a factor in marriage. Rangers fans weren't fanatical about their Protestantism, unlike their Celtic counterparts and the Catholic faith, the sectarian divide being more of a tribal thing than a point of ecclesiastical principle. Gangs. Us versus them.
Demi fiddled with the ring. "We were going to have a white wedding in a castle. I'd been planning it for months. It was going to be perfect."
Cullen made another note. Where was the money coming from? A call centre worker and an M&S till girl weren't going to have those resources. Aitken's parents wouldn't even be able to afford the bus ticket to the registry office. From the decor in the house, it didn't look like Demi's parents were loaded. Besides, the girl was seventeen if a day - surely she'd have been coerced into some form of further education if they had money.
Caldwell smiled at her. "Mr Aitken's flatmate, Kenneth Souness, was also found dead. Do you have any idea who would've wanted to harm them both?"
"Was Kenny in the car as well?"
"No, he was found at their flat. He died from a knife wound."
"Jesus Christ." Demi pinged the ring pull on the can of Coke for a few seconds. "Can't think of anyone. They were well thought of in Ravencraig. They had a load of pals they used to go to the football with. Ravencraig's pretty much all Rangers, so there was none of the fighting like in Bathgate."
"Is there anybody you can think of at all?"
"No."
Caldwell looked at Rowley. "I think that's us." She tossed her card on the table. "If you think of anything, please give me a call, okay?"
Demi swallowed. "I will."
They got up and left her with Rowley.
Cullen shut the front door behind him. "Unbelievable."
"What, her or the fact she hadn't been told?"
"Both. She's living in a fantasy world. How the hell were they going to pay for a wedding like that?"
"A girl's got to have a dream. Ours was just a registry office job, but a lot of my pals did the whole castle thing. Always ends up the same way. Why waste the money?"
"Catch the romantic cynic."
"Scott, I'm just realistic now, that's all. These days, I want to be with someone who doesn't piss me off and who wants to spend some time with me."
"I can understand that."
"Back to the Incident Room, then?"
Cullen looked at the darkening sky - it was going to rain soon. "Seeing as how we're out this way, there are a few things I want to check out."
Caldwell scowled. "Remember this is your decision. If Methven gives anyone a bollocking, it's you."
"My, my, Angela. You've changed."
"If I have, it's working with cowboys like you that did it."
***
The police Range Rover dropped them off at the scene of the wreckage, the bing looming over them. The cordons were still in force, guarded by two PCs - Cullen wasn't sure how much longer they'd get away wit
h the expense.
Cullen walked up to the constable managing the outer cordon, a young Asian officer, vaguely recognising his face from somewhere out west. He flashed his warrant card and signed into the crime scene.
"You DC Cullen?"
Cullen nodded. "Aye."
The officer held out a hand. "Kamal Johal. Used to be based in Bathgate with you."
Cullen pointed at him. "Thought I knew you from somewhere." He nodded towards the tent. "Is the car still here?"
Johal looked across the field. "Supposed to have been picked up this morning but it's still not been shifted. Wish they'd bloody hurry up. It's starting to get bloody cold."
"Thought the SOCOs had been over it?"
"They did a search on it here but not a full one. Still got a couple of people here."
"Anyone else been out?"
"A DS Methven paid us a visit. Asked pretty much the same things as you."
Cullen looked over to the bing - a rough path ran up the mound. "Has anyone been up to the top?"
"No, it's as it was when the accident happened." He pointed up at the sky. "It's going to piss down soon, so it won't stay like that."
"It's not rained since, has it?"
"Don't think so, besides, the SOCOs did some tyre track analysis yesterday."
Cullen nodded at Caldwell. "Come on."
She scowled at him. "If you think I'm walking up there."
"Only a wee bit of the way."
Cullen left Johal to his clipboard and walked over to the path, hopping over a small ford to cross a stream running down the edge of two fields. He led them up the path about twenty metres before stopping to check the tracks - there were three distinct sets of prints. "That's funny."
Caldwell rolled her eyes at him. "What is?"
"I need to get Anderson to look into it, but there's three sets of prints. I'd expect one if it's a car going up and rolling off the side."
"Maybe someone else went up before?"
"Maybe." Cullen looked around for a few minutes but found nothing of interest.
"Can we get back to the Incident Room?"
"I want to check something else out first."
***
Cullen led inside Souness and Aitken's block of flats, the yellow tape still flapping in the breeze outside.
An officer stood inside, having his ear bent by a middle-aged woman.
"I said, I shouldn't need to have to sign into my own house."
"I understand, madam. I'm afraid this is a murder case and we have to protect the integrity of the crime scene."
Cullen reached over and took the clipboard, signing him and Caldwell into the flat while he kept an eye on what was happening outside.
"Here, you." The woman clicked her fingers at him.
Cullen looked round. "What is it?"
"You look like you're in charge here. Can you get them to stop this?"
"I'm afraid I'm not in charge. I can put in a word with the Senior Investigating Officer." Cullen had no intention of mentioning it to Cargill, but he could at least buy the put-upon officer some time.
"That would be magic. Any idea when I'll hear?"
"I would expect some time tomorrow at the very earliest."
"Thank you." She scowled at the PC before heading into the flat next door.
The PC raised his eyes to the heavens. "Twenty minutes she's been like that."
Cullen grabbed a Scene of Crime suit from the stack by the door and tossed it to Caldwell, before putting one on himself. "Have you interviewed her in connection with the murder?"
"We have. That's probably what pissed her off."
Cullen smiled. "Well, I'll see what I can do." He entered the flat and headed straight for the living room.
Halfway down the hall, Caldwell tugged his arm. "Scott."
He stopped and spun round. "What?"
"Why are we here?"
"I want to have a proper look around. There was a body in the flat last time, so I was kind of distracted."
"You need to start planning this stuff out. We can't just keep on dotting around everywhere in case some of that Cullen magic dust settles in the right place."
"Will you give me a break? I'm trying to investigate what happened here."
"Well, I'll be a lot happier when you let me know what you're planning on doing. This John Wayne shite is pissing me off."
"Look who it is."
Cullen turned around to face the living room.
Charlie Kidd stood in the doorway, carrying a large cardboard box.
Cullen nodded recognition. "Long time no see, Charlie."
"Aye, well, that's a good thing for me. Keep me away from you and your cowboy antics."
Cullen screwed his eyes up. "Why does everyone think I'm a cowboy?"
"Cos you are one?"
Caldwell smiled. "That's what I said."
"Whatever."
"You're a wild boy." Kidd patted Cullen's shoulder with his free hand.
Cullen brushed it off. "Why are you here anyway?"
Kidd held up the box. "Picking up laptops for forensic analysis. Got their Xbox, too."
"Thought you were a PC gamer?"
"Aye, I am. It's not for playing games on, it's for all that Xbox Live shite. Never know what they've been up to on there, other than getting shot to bits by fourteen year olds on Call of Duty."
"Well, nice to see you," said Cullen.
Kidd grimaced. "Always a pleasure, but every time I bump into you I get the feeling I'm going to get involved in some utter nonsense."
"Well, I'll try and keep it to myself for once."
Kidd walked over to the front door. He opened it then turned around. "Oh, your boss is in there."
Cullen closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Bain?"
Kidd smirked. "I'll see you around, Scotty." He shut the door behind him.
Caldwell shook her head. "This is your idea, remember."
"Come on."
"Just as well you're not on a stakeout." Methven stood with his hands on his hips. "I can hear you down the sodding street."
"Sorry, Sarge."
Methven put his hands in his trouser pockets and started jangling his keys. "Other than shouting at Charlie Kidd, what are you actually here for?"
"We went to speak to Aitken's mother and father then his girlfriend. Turns out nobody had told her Xander was dead."
"You're joking?"
"I'm not in the habit of joking about that sort of thing."
Methven's bushy eyebrows arched up again. "Have you got any clear leads from all that petrol?"
"Not yet. Need to type up our notes and do some thinking. The only new thing is that he was engaged."
"Now that is interesting." Methven reached over for an evidence bag. "We found some extra strong condoms in Aitken's top drawer. If what you're saying is true, his girlfriend likes a bit of anal."
Cullen blushed. "Or they really didn't want her to get pregnant."
"That's a possibility, we should consider it."
"She's seventeen, I doubt she's into anal."
"Some girls are." Caldwell shrugged. "It's a different generation, we shouldn't make any assumptions."
"I wholeheartedly agree." Methven put the bag back. "It could be nothing, but it could be something."
"Hang on." Cullen looked at Caldwell. "Didn't she say they were keeping themselves pure?"
Caldwell nodded. "She did."
Cullen chuckled. "Maybe he just liked a very safe posh wank."
Methven glared at Cullen. "I beg your pardon?"
Cullen shrugged. "I take it you've never heard the expression?"
"I'm fully aware what it sodding means, Constable, I just wish you'd keep such terminology away from the crime scene."
"It's an explanation."
Methven sighed. "I take your point."
Caldwell leaned against the door. "Do you want us to speak to her again?"
"Let her sodding get over her boyfriend's murder first. Give her a couple
of days before we go over her sex life. It might be better for someone more sensitive than Mr Cullen to do that."
Caldwell smiled. "I've been an FLO, I've got the skills."
"Good. DCs need a broad skill set."
Cullen decided to leave any further backchat. "What do you want us to do, then?"
Methven checked his watch. "DI Cargill's got a briefing at six thirty. I want you two to compile your notes ahead of it."
CHAPTER 13
Caldwell stopped at the door leading from the garage to the stairwell. "Scott, I've said I don't want to get tarred with the same brush as you, can't you just leave it at that?"
"No, I can't." Cullen put his hand against the door. "You know as well as most that I don't just leave things."
Caldwell glared at his hand as she stood back and folded her arms. "And that's the problem. You're always off on your own, trying to prove you're better than everyone else." She stabbed a finger in the air. "I got hit on the head with a hammer because of you."
"I got my shoulder opened as well."
"If you don't care about your own well-being then that's fine. You've had an ADC get stabbed on your watch and then I got my head battered with a hammer. And all because you couldn't wait for backup."
"Both of those were Bain's fault. I solved two murders, saved two lives."
"And cost one life and almost another two. I had to save you."
"Where's this come from?"
"Your actions mainly."
"I'm serious. Since you became a DC, you've been a nightmare."
"A nightmare? You're the one who's a nightmare, Scott. I'm your partner, which means every decision you make looks like it's supported by me."
"Is this coming from Bill?"
She laughed as she shook her head. "We don't talk shop at home."
"It's Bain, then, isn't it?"
She yawned. "So what if it is?"
"What did he say?"
She paused for a few seconds. "When I got made DC, Bain warned me off following your example too closely."
Cullen felt his blood boil.
"Can I go?"
Cullen stood back and held his hands up. "Fine. Don't want to hold your career back."
"Don't be like that, I'm just following advice."