Hunter's Rules (The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries Book 6)

by Val Penny

  “There’s really no need.”

  “I insist. My absolute pleasure. Ooh. Cookies. Good idea. I’ll follow you over.”

  Tim walked back to the table. “Felix Buchanan asked to join us. I couldn’t think of a reason to say no that didn’t sound churlish.”

  “That’s that creepy guy, isn’t it? Why bother about sounding churlish?”

  Tim shrugged and watched as Felix fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. He stopped at the bar set aside for sugar, stirrers and napkins and fumbled around in his pockets again while he was there.

  Gillian giggled. “I hope he never needs a job as a waiter. I’ve never seen anybody take so long to get from the counter to a table with three coffees.”

  “Don’t forget the three cookies.”

  “That makes all the difference.”

  “Sorry for the wait,” Felix said. “I couldn’t remember which pocket I’d put my wallet in.”

  “No worries. We’re in no rush. Gillian always likes to be early whether she’s going by plane, train or automobile.”

  “Ha, ha. Very good. The cappuccino is yours, I think, Gillian. Americano for Tim, and a refreshing Earl Grey Tea for me. I got us napkins for the cookies. I didn’t think we needed plates.”

  “Oh, by the way, Bear was looking for you. Did he manage to speak to you before you left Lucky’s?”

  “Always good to speak with the big man,” Felix said. “So tell me about this trip to Ukraine, Gillian. Can you fly direct, or do you have to change in London?”

  Tim smiled as Gillian started talking about her favourite topic; her trip to Kiev. He listened while she told Felix about the city, the university, the warm, funny people.

  Tim ate his cookie and then Gillian’s while Felix expressed interest in the language and culture of this country he had not seemed at all interested in any time Tim had seen him previously. He didn’t like Felix monopolising this precious time with Gillian and was irritated with Gillian for letting it happen. They chatted for easily forty minutes without Tim getting a word in.

  Gillian said she would go to the ladies’ room before waiting in line at security but, as she stood up, she became pale. Gillian sat back down again with a thump.

  “Tim, I don’t feel well. I feel so lightheaded. I feel all wobbly. I can’t get my legs to move properly. I can’t see properly. Help me, Tim!”

  Tim looked at her. Her skin had a grey sheen, and her skin was clammy to his touch.

  “Felix, will you look after her while I find a medic?”

  “Of course. I’ll loosen her belt and top button. Poor girl looks ill. Go, Tim. Hurry.”

  Tim got up. He looked around but they had chosen a secluded table on purpose so they couldn’t be seen, not that it made any difference after Felix joined them. Thank God that clown was there to look after her while he got medical attention.

  He went up to the counter and ignored the coughing and complaining of the customers standing in line. He asked the server where he would find a doctor. The man looked at him blankly and told him he didn’t know because he’d only started last Monday.

  Tim saw a police officer parading up and down. He introduced himself and the man replied, “I knew your dad. Right plonker, him, isn’t he?”

  “He can be, but right now I need medical assistance for my girlfriend. Is there a doctor in the airport?”

  Just then he heard a bloodcurdling scream. “Gillian. That’s Gillian,” Tim said, running towards her, and the officer followed him, talking into his radio as they went.

  They arrived just in time to find Felix standing over Gillian. Tim could see that he held her head firmly, but her body was limp. He held a Swiss army knife in one hand and what looked like escargot tongs in the other. She was unconscious and vulnerable.

  “Felix!” Tim shouted.

  There was no reply. No response. No sound. The man didn’t even look round. It was as if he were in a demonic trance. The expression on his face was terrifying.

  Tim leaped over the tables between him and Felix and rugby-tackled the man to the ground.

  “I always knew you were weird, but I never knew you were a fucking monster.”

  The police officer walked around to Gillian. He felt her pulse. And lifted her eyelids.

  “She’s alive, but out cold. Like she’s taken drugs or something,” he said. “I’ve called for back-up and an ambulance, but in light of those moves maybe all you need are these.” He handed Tim his handcuffs.

  Tim pulled Felix to a standing position and growled the statement of his rights into his left ear.

  “Careful, Tim. Remember, I’ve got a bad ankle.”

  “If I had my way, you’d have more than a bloody bad ankle. Why Felix? Why Gillian? Why anybody? It’s the attack of a madman. The wickedness. Are you that man?”

  Gillian slumped to the side and would have fallen to the floor if Tim hadn’t loosened his hold on Felix and caught her. While he steadied her, he saw Felix running across the airport, showing little sign of that bad ankle he’d complained about, and the police officer was running after him. Tim decided to lie Gillian on the floor in the recovery position and then sprinted after Felix.

  Tim caught up with Felix near the airport supermarket. “Did you really think that was going to work?”

  “I had to try.”

  ***

  The officer was still breathless when he came up to Tim. “Paramedics are here. I’ve just taken them to your friend. They’ll take her to hospital to get checked over.”

  “I don’t know which hospital is receiving A & E patients today.”

  “Royal Infirmary.”

  “Good. I’ll phone my sister she’s a registrar there. Will you go with Gillian in the ambulance? I must take this monster in for questioning. “Felix, you are under arrest, on suspicion of murder, assault to severe injury and anything else I can think of between now and when I get you to Fettes station. But before we go, call me ‘darling’.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Eileen listened carefully to the first recording.

  “No, that’s not Frederick. That man has a foreign accent and Frederick’s is local. He’s well-spoken, much posher than me, but local.”

  Rachael never thought Mansoor would be the one, but that recording was there just to make sure.

  “Okay, what about this next one?”

  Eileen had a look of such concentration on her face, Rachael felt for her. The young woman was desperate to help.

  “No, that voice is older and rougher than Frederick’s. Frederick has a smooth voice, almost musical.”

  “That’s fine. Listen to this one.”

  Felix’s voice filled the room. Rachael watched Eileen carefully. She watched the tears dribble from her tear ducts down her cheeks.

  She nodded. “That’s him. That’s Frederick. Oh God, that’s Frederick. Rachael, put it off I can’t listen to it.” She sobbed silently. “When you find out why he did this to me, will you tell me what he says?”

  “I will, but I can tell you now, what I’ve told you before, he is a monster, and you did nothing wrong. But I must ask you to listen to one more voice, Eileen. It’s for the sake of completeness and so that you have heard all of our suspects. Can you do that for me?”

  “I will, but it won’t be Frederick.”

  “No, that’s not him. The voice isn’t posh enough. The third one is Frederick. That may not be his real name, but that’s Frederick.”

  ***

  Hunter walked into the incident room.

  “Tim’s gone to the hospital to be with Gillian, boss,” Bear said.

  “No problem. Find out the name of the officer who helped in the arrest. I want him to get the credit he’s due. I’ll also need a statement from him.”

  “His name is PC Paul Wallace. He’s coming in to give a statement tomorrow,” Colin said.

  “Please may I interview Felix, boss?” Bear asked.

  “Would a negative answer hurt your feelings, DC Zewedu?”

>   “No, but it might affect my dinner plans. I was going to tear that bastard limb from limb and marinade his testicles before barbecuing him piece by piece in flour and a blend of eleven herbs and spices.”

  “Which is exactly why you will stay here, and Oskar will come with me to interview Sir Felix Buchanan.”

  “Oskar’s not even in the room,” Mel complained.

  “Because he’s a DI and has his own room,” Hunter said. “You all work on putting the case together for the Procurator Fiscal. I don’t want this one failing for want of anything we did or didn’t do. Oskar and I will be in interview room one.”

  When Hunter and Oskar walked into the room, Della Maclehose was already sitting beside Felix.

  “Now don’t go throwing anybody under the bus. Remember, I act for both of you,” Hunter heard her say.

  “Sorry, Ms Maclehose. Do you need a little more time with your client?”

  “No. It’s fine.”

  Hunter looked at the woman’s long, elegant legs and expensive suit. Her hair was well coiffed and her nails highly manicured. Hunter thought he’d probably seen less make-up on a pantomime dame.

  “Good. Would you or your client like something to drink? We could be some time.”

  “Water,” Felix said.

  “Water for both of us would be fine.”

  When the PC came back with the drinks, Hunter explained the recording system and introduced everybody in the room for the benefit of the tape. He also made clear that Felix was being interviewed under caution and with the benefit of legal representation.

  “Now, Sir Felix, let’s start with today. What is your version of events?”

  “Remember you don’t need to say anything,” Della said.

  “But we may consider your position if you refuse to answer all or any of our questions.” Oskar added.

  “I might as well tell them. It’s not as if Tim saw nothing.” Felix looked at Della who shrugged her shoulders and took up her pen.

  “On your own head be it, but it is contrary to my advice.”

  “This morning, when Lucky and I were playing video games, McKellar came through and asked when it would be convenient for detectives to come and speak to me again and make a recording of my voice.” Felix sighed. “I just had this horrible feeling that someone was going to share the sound with Eileen. I always thought it would have been better if she’d died too.”

  “I doubt she thinks so,” Hunter said.

  “I couldn’t let it happen. I told McKellar to tell them they’d missed me, grabbed my passport and a change of clothes and drove out to the airport. I found a gig in Dublin looking for a celebrity DJ to take a turn and bought a ticket. I thought that would get me out of the country and nobody would find me at the airport. And who do I see but bloody Timothy Myerscough. Just my sodding luck.”

  “You could have avoided him, but you chose to approach him. Why?” Hunter asked.

  “I remembered his girlfriend’s eyes. They are the most beautiful shade of bright green. I have never seen eyes that colour and I knew Arjun would treasure them. I must work off my debt to him, but I don’t know how. The interest keeps going up. I thought those eyes might do it.”

  “Really? You attack, murder and blind women to pay off a drug debt?”

  “I never killed anyone.”

  “And my client didn’t say what the debt was for,” Della said.

  “Was your debt to Mansoor as a result of his supply to you of class A drugs?”

  “I’m addicted to cocaine. Of course, it was. Mansoor is in prison just now, so he doesn’t supply anyone with anything directly.”

  Hunter noticed that Della relaxed a bit when Felix made this comment.

  “I thought you were paying your drug debt by taking drugs into gigs for Mansoor’s associates to distribute and you took the money to Mr Morrison for clearing,” Hunter said.

  “I couldn’t say who the pushers were working for,” Felix said.

  “Good try, but why else would they collect their supply from the stuff you took into the gigs?” Hunter asked.

  “Who did you get the stuff from in the first place? We know you took it in because you’re a celebrity and wouldn’t get searched.” Oskar frowned. “But you had to have a supplier.”

  “I’d get a message telling me where to pick up the coke. Always a different number. Never with a name. It’s good stuff, from Peru.”

  “I’m delighted to hear you only supplied good gear,” Hunter said sarcastically. “But let’s get back to the airport. Why did you approach Tim?”

  “I thought if I took the coffees over, I might get a chance to look at Gillian’s eyes again. If they were as beautiful as I remembered, I would have to have them for the collection. All I had to do was get rid of Tim for a few minutes.”

  “When Dr Ailsa Myerscough saw Gillian being brought into the hospital, she thought she might be drugged with the same stuff that incapacitated Eileen Maguire.” Hunter looked closely at Felix who in turn was looking fixedly at the table. “We are running tests on Gillian’s blood right now. Do you think she will be right?”

  “It’s possible. I’m not sure.”

  “I think it is more than possible and you are perfectly sure, Sir Felix. Are all the younger members of your family’s generation rotten to the core, or just you?” Oskar asked.

  “My client deserves courtesy, and his family does not deserve this slur. Retract the statement, Inspector.”

  “As soon as your client proves me wrong.”

  “Let me get this right,” Hunter said. “You became addicted to coke.”

  “Yes, Lucky introduced me to it, but when he went into rehab, I couldn’t get the money to pay for it and I ran up a debt to Arjun Mansoor. He’s good at supplying people who have cash flow problems and then he has you in his power. He’s done something for you, so you have to do something for him.”

  “An old trick, but a flawless logic,” Hunter said.

  Della stood up. “I regret that I cannot continue to represent Sir Felix. He is naming other clients of mine who are not here to defend themselves.”

  “I suspect he’s only mentioned one, but the police constable will show you out, Ms. Maclehose. We’ll suspend the interview. Would you like us to get another lawyer for you, Felix?” Hunter asked.

  “I suppose it would be best. Can I go outside for a ciggie?”

  “Come on. I’ll go with you,” Oskar said. He felt one pocket for his cigarettes and the other for his lighter as they made their way to the carpark.

  ***

  When the interview recommenced, Andrew Barley had taken over the lawyer’s seat.

  “Good day, gentlemen. I have been briefed by my client. My advice is that he be as frank as possible with you and explain the whole sorry tale to you from beginning to end. He has admitted some terrible actions to me which have had devastating effects on his own life and those of other people, but there are mitigating circumstances. Sir Felix, over to you,” Barley said.

  “You know I was indebted to Arjun Mansoor. I told you that. He’d get his men to come and hound me, threaten me and beat me up. That’s how I got the bad ankle, it wasn’t running for the plane. I was running away from his goons after I got off the plane.”

  “He’s in jail,” Oskar said.

  “I’m not brave and he has a long reach. He terrorises half the people in the jail. If a guy they call Thomson wasn’t in there, Mansoor would be terrorising them all. That’s what I’ve heard.”

  “Go on,” said Hunter.

  “Mansoor is fascinated by eyes. The mirrors of the soul, the smile of the heart. He especially likes unusual shades of eyes, the translucent appearance the eyes of some people with albinism, deep green eyes, bright blue eyes, and Eileen Maguire had genuinely violet eyes, just like Elizabeth Taylor did.”

  “Let’s get back on track. Never mind about film stars,” Oskar said.

  “No, it’s important. It’s all part of it.”

  “Carry on,” said Hu
nter.

  “Mansoor suggested first that I get pictures of people with unusual eye colours. He suggested going on a dating site might be a good place to start.”

  “How did he contact you?”

  “By phone. It’s true the number’s never the same. Sometimes one of his henchmen would catch up with me and thump me. Then he’d whisper a suggestion into my ear as to how I could avoid getting beaten up, again.”

  “When was the first time he suggested that the people might have their eyes removed?”

  “He told me his optician, Steven Morrison, wasn’t really qualified, and Mansoor hadn’t let the cat out of the bag, so the guy owed him. I was to take him a dead animal and he would remove the eyes and preserve them. It didn’t sound too bad. Gruesome, but not illegal. When I found a dead cat at the side of the road, I took it to Morrison. I knew where he lived because of the envelopes of cash being delivered there. I didn’t stay to watch, just dropped it off.”

  “Did you put a dead cat on his doorstep recently?”

  “Just for fun.” Felix laughed. “He’s not a nice man, very dull. I thought it would be funny.”

  “He and his wife didn’t find it fun, or funny,” Oskar said. “And they blamed someone else. Who, in turn, was subjected to a police interview.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “I didn’t think you would.”

  “I need a drink and a cigarette.”

  “I don’t care,” said Oskar.

  Hunter suspended the interview and watched Andrew Barley as he went outside to the car park with Felix. Hunter and Oskar went into Hunter’s room.

  “Want a decent coffee while we have a chance, Oskar?”

  “Thanks. I have a feeling that the next bit of the story might require more than coffee to swallow it. Is Mansoor really as bad as Felix is making out?”

  “Every time I hear his name, it always has wicked connotations. But Felix is right about Ian Thomson keeping Mansoor in check inside.”

  “Doesn’t that make more problems for him?”

  “Only if he gets caught.”

  Bear stormed into Hunter’s room. “Is that slug still here? I’ve just heard from Tim. Do you know what that fucking monster tried to do to Gillian? She’s out cold from whatever drug he gave her, and the right side of her face is all scratched because he tried to scoop her fucking eyes out.”