Death's Door

Thirty-six

Maggie Rose had been conscientious throughout her police career. She had never taken time off duty without reporting the fact to a supervisor, and so it was second nature to her to pick up the phone at three o’clock and call Brian Mackie.

‘Hi, Mags,’ he said, as he answered, with warmth in his voice, ‘how’s your day going? Is Mary Chambers up to speed on everything that’s coming up in the division?’

‘It’s fine,’ she replied. ‘To tell you the truth, I’m surprised by the way that people have been coming up to me privately and wishing me good luck. I never knew they felt that way about me. It’s really touching. As for Mary, she’ll be fine; you won’t regret accepting my recommendation, I promise you.

‘Actually, it’s a good time for her to be taking over: the next couple of months will be as quiet as it ever gets. The football season’s over, so she won’t have the fortnightly turnout at Tynecastle to police. That’s the most consistently stressful part of the job, especially when the big teams visit, and Hibs.’

‘I agree with that, for sure. But don’t you go off worrying about Mary either. She will have my full and active support, I promise you, until the moment she gets fed up with me hanging around and asks me respectfully to go away. Even then, she’ll have it, if from a greater distance.’ He paused. ‘You don’t have any plans to bugger off sharp tomorrow, I hope. You’re not leaving without ceremony, I promise you that. . even if it is only a temporary absence.’

‘No,’ she conceded. ‘I’ll be a good girl. I hope nobody’s expecting a riotous assembly, though. Willie Haggerty’s leaving do may have turned into a right session, but in my condition that would not be appropriate.’

‘No, no.’ Mackie laughed reassuringly. ‘It won’t be ambulances at midnight, I promise. Besides, you’ll have Stevie there to look out for you.’

‘If his investigation allows, I will. I wonder how it’s going. I haven’t spoken to him since breakfast.’

‘Positively, from what I hear. I’ve just had a call from Mario, on the road back from Perthshire. They’ve got a suspect, a guy who seems to have been involved with both of the victims.’

‘An ex-boyfriend? That’s a break. It’ll surprise Stevie too: he’s convinced that these killings are ritual, that the women were selected more or less at random and that there’s something behind them, a sort of purpose.’

‘Is he indeed? Stevie’s a damn good analyst. Still, he could be right in part: ritualistic killings but with sexual jealousy as the motive.’

‘He won’t be worried about his theory being right or wrong as long as he gets a result. Nor will my ex; even less so, I reckon. Have they traced this man, this lover they had in common?’

‘Not yet, but they’ve got a scent and they’re after it.’

‘In that case I may be eating alone again tonight.’ Suddenly she realised how hungry she was, having missed lunch at Aldred Fine’s request. ‘Brian,’ she said, ‘I didn’t just call you up to pass the time of day but to check out of the office for a while. I have a hospital appointment in half an hour.’

‘That’s very formal and proper of you,’ he replied. ‘You’ll never bloody learn, will you? Divisional commanders are their own bosses in these things. Anyway, your kid’s a hell of a lot more important than the job. I’ll see you tomorrow; get on your way.’

Maggie hung up, picked up her bag, took her coat from its hook and left her office. She looked in briefly on Mary Chambers, then headed for the car park.

The mid-afternoon traffic was relatively light, and so she arrived at the Royal Infirmary five minutes early for her three-thirty appointment. When she entered the MRI scan reception area, she was surprised to find Aldred Fine waiting there.

‘I didn’t expect you to be here,’ she told him.

‘All part of the service,’ he replied, as jocularly as his appearance allowed.

As she looked at him, all the experience that she had amassed during her years in the police service told her, beyond reasonable doubt, that he was lying.