Skinner's ghosts bs-7

by Quintin Jardine

  – the name of the man who's assisting us with our investigation of a murder and kidnap.'

  Bob threw back his big grey-mopped head and laughed, heartily, for what seemed to each of the others to be the first time in an age.

  'Oh yes,' he chuckled. 'I'm going to love that. Especially when I play my tape back to him.'

  Andy and Pamela stared at him. 'What tape?' asked Martin.

  'Something even you didn't know, mate… and, incidental y, which the pair of you stil don't know, even after tonight.

  'It's an open secret now that, as the Secretary of State's security adviser, I'm part of MI5. But the fact that all MIS officers' home phones are tapped: that's a very closed secret indeed!'

  He punched Martin gently on the shoulder. 'Let's nick him, pal. I suggest that you have McGuire do it: he's hard enough to frighten stone, and besides, being lifted by Special Branch always concent!. ites the mind.' He smiled, as an afterthought came to him. 'Tel Mario to take Mcl henney with him, just for added effect.

  'Have them pick him up, tomorrow morning, over breakfast. Then you and McGuire chew him around good and proper. Lean on him, pressure him for the name of the person who gave him my unlisted number. Let him think we're after him for bribery; don't tell him about the kidnapper's cal.

  'I want to spring that on him myself. After an hour or two, I'l come in and play my tape. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I ask him to convince us that he isn't in cahoots with a kil er.'

  Martin nodded. 'Okay, save for one thing. I don't think it would be wise – or even proper – for you to take part in any interview with Salmon. You've got a personal involvement with him and a very public grudge against him. I'l play your tape to him, don't worry about that.'

  The big DCC grunted. 'Yes, I suppose you're right. It's a pity though. I really want to see that wee sod piss his pants.'

  16

  The building in which Salmon's flat was located was a dingy affair, in a part of Leith which seemed to have escaped the process of yuppification by which much of the old port has been transformed.

  The door to the street was unsecured and the wide, dusty stairway smelled strongly of urine.

  'Jesus Christ, Mario,' muttered Mcllhenney. 'Places like this make a case for more public lavvies.'

  Mario McGuire shook his dark Latin head. 'People who pish up closes wil always pish up closes, you know that.' He paused, and grinned. 'What happened to the "sir" by the way?'

  'Fuck off, Inspector. That's for when there are people around. Don't let this SB stuff go to your heid. I suppose you cal your wife "ma'am" al the time, eh?'

  'What else would I call a senior officer? You know DCI Rose: she's a stickler for formality. "Excuse me, ma'am, would you please pass the marmalade." That's normal across our breakfast table. Or

  "Excuse me, ma'am, is there any chance of a shag?" That's for after dinner.'

  The big sergeant chuckled. 'It's lucky you're not in Admin, then, or you'd have to fill out a requisition.'

  'Aye,' said McGuire, laughing himself. 'Another fuckin' chitty!'

  'Married life's agreeing with you, then?' said Mcllhenney, as they climbed the dirty stairs, away from the rankness of the street level.

  'To my slight surprise, it is. I'l tel you, as an old pal, I was a wee bit scared when we tied the knot. The Italian side of my lineage isn't big on divorce. I needn't have worried though. Mags is one in a million.

  'We're a couple of lucky bastards, you and I, Neil. All those fish in the sea yet I land her, and you land Olive; exceptional women both of them.'

  The Sergeant nodded thoughtful y. 'It's true what you say; about my Olive too,' he said at last. 'Exceptional. Out of every million fish or so, you can expect to find a Great White Shark.'

  'Aw come on, Neil,' McGuire protested. 'You can kid the rest of them, but not me. I remember those Sunday lunches Olive used to cook for me when I was young, free and single. And I 55 remember she had you eating them out of her hand.'

  Mcl henney shrugged his shoulders and smiled, sheepishly. 'Fair enough,' he chuckled, 'but don't tell anyone else, okay. I've got her image to protect, ken.'

  In the seconds of silence which fol owed, as they climbed past the second floor, scanning the nameplate on each door, his smile faded.

  'It's a shame about the Big Man though, Mario, isn't it?' he said at last.

  'Depends what you mean,' replied McGuire. 'I know a few guys would give their back teeth to be banging Pam Masters. It's a shame about them being al over the papers though…

  'As this guy Salmon's going to find out,' he added, grimly.

  'No,' countered the Sergeant. 'I mean it's a shame about him and Sarah. I thought that pair were set for life. I just can't imagine what happened to split them up.'

  'Him bangin' Pam Masters could have had just a wee bit to do with it!'

  'Maybe now it could, but I'm pretty certain that didn't start til after they separated. There was some other reason for him moving out when he did. Don't know what it was, though.'

  McGuire drew a deep breath as they reached the fourth, and top, floor of the tenement building. 'Did you know about him and Masters?' he asked at last.

  'I suspected. Being his PA and al, I picked up the odd hint.'

  'What's she like? I don't real y know her.'

  Mcl heney shrugged again. 'Pam? She's okay. She's bright, although I wouldn't put her in Maggie's league. She's efficient too. I know that, having taken over from her. It's just… Och, she's no Sarah, that's al.' He glanced at his col eague. 'What does Maggie think other? She worked for her for a while, didn't she?'

  McGuire nodded. 'She hasn't said much. I just get the impression that she doesn't think she's a real copper – know what I mean? Mags isn't too struck on late entrants to the force.

  She definitely doesn't approve other and the boss, though. I can tell you that. When she saw the paper this morning, she'd a face like thunder.'

  The sergeant winced. 'A few folk'l think that way, I fear. Tell you what I think, Mario. It's the first wrong move I've ever known Big Bob make.'

  He glanced across the landing, lit by a glass cupola above, to a mauve-painted door. 'There,' he said, pointing. 'Salmon. That's the boy's flat.' He looked at McGuire once again. 'Quiet or noisy?' he asked.

  The black-haired policeman grinned, wickedly. 'What do you think? Let's give the neighbours something to talk about!'

  He stepped up to the door and pounded on its wooden panel with the side of his heavy fist. 'Police,' he roared. 'Open up!'

  Mcllhenney leaned against the door listening. 'He's switched the tranny off.' The two policemen stood, waiting.

  After almost a minute, the Inspector thumped the door again.

  'Come on! Open up or we'l kick it in.'

  The Sergeant pressed his ear to the panel once more. 'He's coming,' he said, suddenly leaning back.

  They heard the rattle of a security chain being slipped, then a key turned in the lock, and the mauve door swung open.

  'What d'youse…' The words died in the woman's throat as she stared at Mcl henney, in recognition. She was tall and blonde, in her mid-thirties. Her face was not unattractive, but bony, and the lines around the eyes had been carved not by laughter but by life. Her hair was dishevelled, and her make-up only a memory of the night before.

  As she looked at Mcllhenney, her right hand rose involuntarily, clutching the long teeshirt which she wore and pul ing it up, in the process, to the edge of immodesty.

  'Oh, no,' she said, in a resigned tone. 'No' you again.'

  'Well, well, well,' said the Sergeant. 'If it isn't Joanne Virtue, lady of the night. The Big Easy herself. And what, my good woman, would you be doing here?'

  The blonde struggled to recover her composure. Belligerence flickered in her eyes. 'Ah live here,' she said, with an attempt at boldness.

  'Like fuck you do, Joanne,' said Mcllhenney, patiently. 'You live down by the waterfront, as you and I both know. Now go and tell Mr Salmon that – like
you – the polis await his pleasure.'

  'Who's Mr Salmon?'

  'Your punter,' said McGuire.

  'Aw. Is that his name? He just felt me it was Noel.'

  Mcllhenney's patience, a scarce and fragile commodity at the best of times, ran out. 'Bugger this for a game of soldiers,' he said, marching past the prostitute and into the flat.

  'Salmon! Where are you?' he bellowed, throwing open the nearest door, to the right off the hal way. He looked quickly into an untidy, stale-smelling bedroom. A black dress, bra and tights were thrown over a chair and men's clothing lay strewn across the floor, but the room was empty.

  The big detective looked over his shoulder at Joanne Virtue. She shrugged her shoulders and pointed, briefly, at a door on the other side of the hal. Mcl henney nodded, and with a grim smile, stepped across and threw it open.

  A naked man stood, with his back to him, bent over the toilet bowl, pumping at the handle as if that would make the cistern refill

  faster. 'Whatever you're doing, Salmon,' said Mario McGuire from the doorway, 'stop it right now!'

  The man turned and looked at the two policemen, then grabbed a towel and fastened it round his middle. 'What do you want?' he shouted, his face contorted with a mixture of fear and frustration.

  'What do you think you're doing? You've no right!'

  McGuire smiled. 'We're here to see you, Mr Salmon, in connection with a potential security leak, which we have reason to believe may involve the corrupt obtaining of an unlisted telephone number. As for our entering your premises. Miss Virtue invited us.' He looked over his shoulder at the woman. 'That's right, isn't it?'

  Joanne Virtue nodded, avoiding Salmon's glare.

  'You having trouble wi' your bog, Noel?' asked Mcl henney. 'Isn't it flushing properly?'

  He stepped across the small bathroom and peered into the toilet bowl, with an expression of distaste. 'There's nothing I dislike more than skidmarks in the lavvie,' he said. 'You're a dirty wee bastard, aren't you… in every respect.'

  His eyes narrowed, and he shook his head. 'That's pretty pathetic, chuckin' talcum powder down it to freshen it up.

  'It is talcum powder, isn't it?'

  Oblivious of his covering towel, as it unfastened and fell to the floor, Salmon spun round and grabbed the handle of the cistern. But before he could twist it to flush, Mcllhenney seized his wrist in a grip like a vice. 'Let go,' he said, in an even tone, 'or I'll break your fucking hand off.'

  The man, white-faced, released the handle. The sergeant spun him around and propelled him out of the bathroom and through to the bedroom. 'Get dressed, friend; we can hardly take you out like that.'

  'Noel Salmon,' said McGuire, 'I am arresting you on suspicion of being in possession of a control ed substance. You do not have to say anything…' He administered the rest of the formal caution in a stiff, formal tone, speaking clearly and ensuring that he was word perfect, in the form the law required.

  Reaching for his underwear, the journalist looked up at him. 'This is a fucking fit-up,' he shouted, almost in tears.

  'No, mate,' the Inspector replied, 'It's just your unlucky day, that's al.' He turned to Mcl henney, who was holding Joanne Virtue by the left arm, gently but securely. 'Neil, call Fettes for a team of technicians. We'll need to find out what that talc really is. Tell them to get a formal search warrant too: we'd better take the place apart just in case Mr Salmon has any other goodies hidden away.'

  The Sergeant nodded. 'Very good, sir,' he said with a grin. 'I'll ask for some uniforms to stand guard at the door til they get here.

  That way we can take these two back to the shop quicker. Wouldn't do to keep Mr Martin waiting.'

  'Martin?' Salmon bleated. 'He's behind this?'

  'What dae youse mean, take us both back?' Joanne Virtue protested. 'Ah'm an innocent bystander.'

  Mcl henney laughed out loud. 'Joanne,' he boomed, 'you haven't been fuckin' innocent for about twenty-five years!'

  17

  Even before his appointment as Head ofCID – indeed, from his days as Bob Skinner's Executive Officer – Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Martin had come to know the Edinburgh press corps well. He had seen them amused; he had seen them bored; he had seen them at their most cynical, and at their most constructive.

  But in al that time, he could not recal ever having seen them on the edge of their seats. On his instruction, Alan Royston had cal ed a press briefing, to announce 'an important development in the McGrathcase'.

  Sunday or not, 10.30 a.m. or not, the conference room was full.

  As Martin, impassive, sat down at the blue-covered table, facing the cameras, the room fell silent.

  'Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,' he began. 'Late yesterday evening, at his home, Deputy Chief Constable Bob Skinner received a telephone call from a man. The caller did not identify himself. He said simply that he had the child and that he was alive. Then he ended the call.

  'Our telecommunications experts have been unable to trace the phone from which the call was made, so we have no way of identifying the cal er, or of knowing for sure whether the message was genuine. However, we are proceeding on the basis that the anonymous man was indeed the kidnapper. If we take his statement at face value, then Mark McGrath is alive.'

  As he paused, a forest of hands shot up. As always, he took John Hunter, the senior journalist, first.

  'Andy, did he say anything else?' asked the veteran.

  'He said that we would hear from him again, that's all.'

  'He made no ransom demand then?'

  Martin shook his head. 'None at al. The call lasted seconds, and that's al there was to it.'

  From the side of the room a woman, brandishing a television microphone, broke in. 'Did Mr Skinner take the cal himself, or was it Ms Masters?'

  The detective frowned at her, but answered. 'He took it himself.

  And his recollection is quite clear. A record was made there and then.'

  'Do you have any clue at all about where the cal came from?' cal ed a man from the back of the room.

  'Not much, I'm afraid. We do know it didn't come from a mobile, and we know that it wasn't international. But other than that, it could have been made from any telephone in the UK.'

  'Are you expecting a ransom demand, eventual y?' asked John Hunter.

  The Head of CID raised his eyebrows. 'It's a possibility. If the man had a reason other than money for abducting the child, there's no indication of it.'

  'D'you think you'l find the wee boy alive, Andy?' Hunter sounded weary, as if he had been at too many briefings such as this.

  'We can only hope, John. We can only hope. Meantime, every police force in the country is taking part in the search. There are no available resources unused. If this man has any compassion, or any sense, for that matter, he'll simply release Mark. If he doesn't, he'll be hunted down like a rabid animal.'

  He looked round the room. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I don't think there's anything I can add, so if you'l excuse me…'

  The woman with the television mike raised her hand. 'Mr Martin, can you tell us if there are any developments on Mr Skinner's situation?'

  The blond detective took a deep breath, and clenched his teeth.

  'As you must know, the Chief Constable issued a statement last night, deprecating the conduct of the Spotlight, and saying that the DCC's private life was his own business.'

  'Well,' she persisted, 'do you or he have any response to the statement issued subsequently by several members of the Police Board saying that they intend to bring the matter up at the next meeting, and to move that Mr Skinner be disciplined?'

  'Sorry, lady,' said Martin, evenly and emphatically. 'Mr Royston wil deal with your questions from now on. I have to be off. I have business in another part of the building.'

  As he strode towards the door, he caught the eye of John Hunter, and nodded, so quickly and unobtrusively that no-one else saw. The old man rose and fol owed him from the room. Quickly, before any other reporters e
merged, Martin ushered him up the short flight of stairs which led to the command corridor.

  'I thought you might like to know, old pal,' the detective said, as the door clicked shut behind them. 'We've got Noel Salmon in custody, under investigation for corruption. Also, when we lifted him, the sil y wee bugger had in his possession something which I'm sure that tests will prove to be cocaine.'

  Hunter whistled. 'What a shame, eh? What's the corruption about?'

  'Bob had another cal last night on his unlisted phone number, as well as the one from the kidnapper. It was from Noel Salmon. We want to know how he got the number. Specifical y, whether he bunged anyone to give it to him. And we want to know whether he gave it to anyone else.'

  The old reporter was quick on the uptake. 'Jesus wept!' he whispered. 'You don't think…'

  18

  Joanne Virtue looked up as the door of the interview room opened.

  In a corner stood a female officer in uniform, staring fixedly at the wall opposite. As Detective Chief Superintendent Martin entered, with Inspector McGuire fol owing behind, she stiffened and came to attention.

  'You can leave us. Constable,' said the Head ofCID, quietly. The woman nodded and slipped out, closing the door behind her.

  'Hello, Jo,' the blond detective began, with a smile. 'Don't take this personal y, but I'd hoped I wouldn't see you again.'

  The prostitute snorted as he sat down. 'Nobody's forcin' yis taste see me, Mr Martin,' she said, in a heavy Glasgow accent, stil hard at the edges despite her years in Edinburgh. 'There's nothin' ah can tell yis about that fella.'

  'Let's just see about that. When did you meet him?'

  'Last night, in a boozer off Constitution Street.'

  'You'd never met him before?'

  She shook her head firmly. 'Okay,' said Martin, believing her. He had known the big blonde whore since he was a beat constable, and had a policeman's grudging respect for her as a basical y honest working woman.