Eye of the raven

FOURTEEN

It was such a lovely dream. He was afloat on a sea of wellbeing where only gentle waves of happiness disturbed the calm of blissful content. It was warm and light and bright and the colours were so vivid that he couldn’t focus on anything long enough to take in shape, but then geometry was a thing of the past. A kaleidoscope of beautiful, fragile images came and went in a seemingly endless carnival of bliss.

Then, out of the rainbow whirls, came the girl, the blonde, smiling girl who knelt down beside him and started rubbing warm oil into his chest in a slow circular motion. She did it gently with her fingertips and then harder with the heels of both hands, alternating with perfect regularity so that he could anticipate when the change was coming.

Steven’s heart was full of love. He smiled at her as if the sun were inside him instead of above and shining down on both of them from an azure sky. He reached up to run his fingers through her silky blonde hair and trace the line of her slim tanned shoulders as she worked the oil into his skin. They knew each other so well. Love and affection just flowed between them.

Steven caught his breath as her hands started to move down on him and he responded by bringing his hands up to cup her breasts and marvel at their firmness. She paused for a moment to undo her bra top and slip it off, shivering as Steven gently used his fingernails to tease her now hard nipples.

With a knowing smile, the girl sat astride him and moved backwards to work both hands between his thighs. He groaned with pleasure and closed his eyes as for a moment he was transported back to the past. He was fourteen years old and Miriam Barnes was introducing him to the mysteries of the opposite sex in the youth club hut in Patterdale. A few of them had stayed behind after the Friday night dance — ostensibly to clear up — but with teenage hormones raging, an alternative agenda was always on the cards. One of the kids had turned the lights out after putting on some music and at some point, he and Miriam had found themselves in the storeroom where the camping and games equipment was kept. They had made a makeshift nest out of bits and pieces and lay down to explore each other in the dark. She had tugged down his zip to slip her hand inside his jeans while he had rejoiced in the swell of her young breasts and the glorious journey his hand made up under her skirt to slip inside her panties. All this while outside in the hall the others were pairing off to the sounds of Pink Floyd’s soulful, Wish You Were Here.

Miriam had brought new meaning to his life that evening, one that was to leave a smile on his face for days. His sense of wonder was perhaps never to rise again to the heights it had scaled on that occasion… until now.

This girl was more skilled than Miriam and knew how to ensure that what might well have been a sprint became an odyssey. Using her mouth and hands she took him to the brink then reined him back. Such pleasure was not unknown to him but the sense of wonder was as great as on that first time so many years before.

The girl moved up on him and guided him expertly inside her. Three short squats and she had impaled herself on him to begin gyrating her hips in a slow rhythmic grind, making him wonder it were possible to die of pleasure. He tried to share this thought with her but found that he couldn’t get the words out. It didn’t matter: she just smiled and put a finger to her lips then continued on her mission.

There came a point when Steven grew impatient with his passive role. Male hormones were demanding that he take charge. He wanted the girl beneath him. He needed to dominate her, thrust deep and hard into her until this beautiful journey came to its rightful end.

He reached up to take her by the shoulders but she recoiled from him. She was no longer smiling. Something had broken the spell: she was now detached, distant and alarmingly different.

Feeling confused, Steven looked at her questioningly but in an instant the dream evaporated and the world exploded inside his head. Pleasure gave way to searing pain as he was rolled off the bed and blows rained down on him. His body shuddered as boots thudded into his ribs and fists smashed into his face. The pain soared until the bright lights and colours of a few moments ago yielded to an agonised spiral downwards into seemingly infinite blackness.

The dream had become a nightmare. He was in such pain that he couldn’t move without stabs of protest coming from his injured body. The bed was hard and it was wet; he could feel it grazing his cheek. In fact, it wasn’t a bed at all; it was… a pavement… it was raining… and it wasn’t a dream.

Steven’s eyes flickered open to see flashing blue lights reflected in a puddle in the gutter where he was lying. There were people nearby but he felt that he couldn’t turn his head just yet. He went on gazing at the puddle, watching a cigarette butt and a chewing gum wrapper float hither and thither on the rippled surface as a slight breeze rose and fell away again. He moved his attention to some moss growing in a join in the pavement as he tried to determine which part of him was hurting most. The vague sounds nearby however, were starting to become distinguishable words.

‘ I don’t fucking believe it, Mike,’ said a man’s voice. ‘Do you know who this guy is?’

‘ Surprise me,’ said another man’s voice sourly.

‘ None other than Dr Steven bloody Dunbar.’

‘ You’re joking!’ exclaimed the other man, now sounding very interested. ‘The Home Office guy the boss has been shitting bricks about?’

‘ The very same. Take a look. Her Majesty’s Sci-Med Inspectorate.’

Steven who had now regained full consciousness realised that his warrant card had been taken from his pocket. He tried to move without much success but the two men above him noticed the attempt and knelt down beside him. He could see now that they were policemen. He could smell boot polish and the wet serge of their trousers.

‘ Just you stay put, pal,’ said one. ‘An ambulance is on its way. You’ve had a bit of a doing.’

‘ And well deserved too,’ said the other. ‘If what we’ve been hearing is anything to go by. Santini is going to love this. Man o man. Yes siree. I can almost feel promotion in the air.’

The two policemen started laughing as they stood up.

Steven, wondering just what the hell they found so funny, tried to raise his head to demand an explanation. The arriving ambulance however, drowned out his words and two different uniforms jumped out to take centre stage.

After an examination by two paramedics, during which it was established that none of his limbs had been broken, Steven was helped up and into the back of the vehicle after waving away a stretcher. The last thing he saw before the doors were closed was a lilac neon sign on the wall of the building outside. It said, ‘Cuddles’.

‘ You were lucky,’ said the young woman doctor in A amp; E.

Steven closed his eyes and felt sure that if he had fallen into a mincing machine and lost all his limbs, someone would be sure to come up to him and say these self same words.

‘ No broken bones,’ continued the severe looking young woman. ‘Just bruised ribs and a variety of cuts and bruises that should keep you out of mischief for a bit. We’d like to keep you in overnight though, just as a precaution. You took quite a beating about the head. We’ll do some tests. Any idea how long you were unconscious?’

‘ What time is it now?’ Steven asked.

‘ 2 a.m. give or take.’

‘ Since the back of six last night.’

‘ What?’ exclaimed the doctor. ‘Are you serious?’

‘ The last thing I remember is getting into my car around six last night. Someone grabbed me from behind and then… nothing until I came round in the gutter.’

‘ Well, memory loss is not that uncommon after head trauma. It’ll probably come back to you. In the meantime the police would like to have a word if you feel up to it?’

Steven nodded. As he waited, he ran his hand over the strapping that had been applied to his ribs and then explored his face for lumps and bumps, grimacing as he came across each of them. He was counting the butterfly stitches above his right eye when two plain-clothes officers entered. Neither smiled but they exuded an air of smugness as they introduced themselves that put Steven on his guard.

‘ There’s not much I can tell you,’ he said. ‘I didn’t really get a chance to see who attacked me.’

‘ We know who “attacked” you,’ said the elder of the two, glancing at his colleague and endowing the word with a degree of mockery that put Steven’s hackles up.

‘ Who?’

‘ The men who… restrained you are bouncers at the Cuddles sauna near Haymarket. According to these gentlemen, you came over all nasty with one of their girls and started knocking her about when you didn’t fancy the bill she presented you with after you’d had your wicked way with her. They claim they acted purely in defence of the girl. They tried reasoning with you but you insisted on playing the hard man so they had no other option than to give you a bit of a smack. The lady in question, health club assistant, Miss Tracy Manson, will be pressing charges for assault.’

‘ This is ludicrous!’ exclaimed Steven. ‘I’ve never been in the damned place in my life.’

‘ Aye, right,’ said the younger of the two policemen, a ginger-haired DC with a face like a ferret. ‘What’s your story? You had a quiet night watching the telly before going out and head-butting the pavement outside a sauna at two in the morning?’

Steven fixed him with a look.

‘ Come on, Doctor,’ said the ferret’s boss, changing tack. ‘Your job here in the city was over and you fancied a bit of rest and recreation before going home. Perfectly understandable, we’re all men of the world. Things just got a bit out of hand. These things happen and the supposed extras that some of these tarts try to load the bill with are a nonsense…’

‘ Stop right there,’ said Steven. ‘I don’t know any Tracy Manson; there was no bill and I have never been in Cuddles sauna in my life. I was attacked last night around six when I got into my car and… I don’t remember any more.’

‘ Well now, isn’t that convenient,’ sneered the ferret.

‘ You’re beginning to annoy me, sonny,’ said Steven in an ice-cold monotone.

‘ Enough, Roberts,’ said his inspector. ‘We mustn’t forget that Dr Dunbar is a senior colleague of ours and has full Home Office backing.’

‘ No, boss,’ said the ferret with a grin.

Steven bunched the fingers of his right hand and the ferret noticed. ‘Is that what Tracy Manson got then?’ he asked. ‘A bit of a thump for being a greedy girl?’

Steven held his temper in check although it was touch and go for a moment. ‘Are you charging me?’ he asked.

‘ Not just yet,’ replied the inspector. ‘We’ve not finished our inquiries but you won’t be going anywhere will you, Doctor?’

Steven swore softly as they left. He lay back on the pillow, wondering just what the hell was going on. The young doctor, whom he could now read from her badge, was, Dr Cynthia Reeves came back into the room and asked how he was feeling.

‘ Worse,’ replied Steven.

‘ How so?’

‘ Part of my life has gone missing and I don’t like what certain people are intent on filling it with. I can’t remember a damn thing after I got in the car last night.’

‘ Can you remember where you were going?’

Steven thought for a moment before saying, ‘Oh God! I was on my way to see my daughter Jenny. God almighty! Sue and Richard will be wondering where I am. I’m supposed to be taking Jenny and the other two swimming this morning. I’ve got to phone them and tell them what’s happened.’

‘ Easy,’ said Cynthia, restraining him. ‘All in good time. It’s three in the morning. The whole world’s asleep.’

Steven was persuaded to relax for the moment. He calmed down and lay back to start thinking again about the previous evening. ‘I got in the car and then… nothing. I can’t remember anything. No wait! There was a smell, a cloth on my face, Chloroform! It was chloroform! I remember now.’

‘ That would explain the slight skin burns on your face,’ said Cynthia. ‘They’re not consistent with a beating but direct contact with chloroform would fit the bill perfectly.’

Steven thought out loud. ‘But they couldn’t have kept me under all that time with chloroform,’ he murmured. ‘They must have used something else.’ He started examining his arms, beginning with the inner aspects.

‘ What are you doing?’ asked Cynthia.

‘ Looking for puncture marks,’ said Steven, grimacing at the discomfort involved in the search. ‘Look! There it is,’ he said finally, pointing to a tiny mark on the inside of his left elbow. He lay back again while Cynthia examined it and agreed that it could have been left by a hypodermic needle.

‘ Did you take a blood sample when they brought me in?’ asked Steven His recollection of events at that time was still a bit hazy.

‘ Yes, for the usual routine’

‘ Can you rescue some of it and send it to the biochemistry lab for analysis?’

‘ Sure, what are they looking for?’

‘ Any drug they care to come up with,’ said Steven.

‘ I’ll see to it. Now you get some rest.’

Rest was the last thing on Steven’s mind as the door closed and he was left alone with his thoughts. He was still in considerable pain despite having been given analgesics but it was the mental anguish that was really getting to him. He’d been set up by Paul Verdi but proving that to a police force who were obviously quite happy to see him discredited in any way possible was going to be difficult. He had to think ahead, try to anticipate the opposition’s next move.

It only took a few moments to figure out that they were holding all the aces. He’d been unconscious for something like nine hours and couldn’t prove anything about his whereabouts during that period. To argue that he had never visited the Cuddles sauna or met the Manson woman wasn’t going to convince anyone, particularly as he’d been found lying in the gutter outside the place. He could see that the court’s reaction to such a claim would be much the same as that of the ferret-faced policeman. Proving his innocence was going to involve proving that he had been unconscious at the time of the alleged assault and was being held at some unknown location against his will.

With a bit of luck the biochemistry lab would come up with the evidence he needed about the involvement of drugs but as for the rest, he wasn’t quite sure where to begin. He supposed his car would be as good a place as any. Forensics might be able to come up with evidence of the attack on him and maybe some clue as to his assailant. It would also be vitally important to establish his intention of travelling down to Dumfries when he’d got into the car. Luckily Peter McClintock knew that to be the case.

Steven phoned Sue at 7am to tell her what had happened.

‘ Oh my God Steven, are you all right?’

‘ A bit bruised and battered but otherwise okay,’ Steven assured her. ‘The kids must have been awfully disappointed?’

‘ You could say,’ conceded Sue. ‘I let them stay up as long as I could last night but then I told them that something very important to do with your job must have come up at the last moment and they shouldn’t count on you taking them swimming today. The truth is that Richard and I were both very worried. It was so unlike you not to call.’

‘ Now you know why,’ said Steven.

‘ Do you know why you were attacked?’ asked Sue.

‘ I think I’m being framed,’ said Steven.

‘ For what?’

‘ An assault on a young woman in an Edinburgh sauna.’

‘ Oh dear,’ said Sue. ‘I’ve heard about these places. Sounds messy. Is it going to make the papers?’

‘ I hope not but there is a chance,’ said Steven.

‘ I just hope it doesn’t make the nationals then,’ said Sue. ‘Jenny thinks you’re the nearest thing we’ve got to Batman when it comes to fighting crime. I take it the police realise that you’ve been set up?’

‘ That could be another problem,’ said Steven.

‘ Oh double dear.’

‘ I’m a bit short of friends all round at the moment.’

‘ Well, you know you can always rely on us,’ said Sue.

‘ I do and I thank you for it.’

‘ When do you think we’ll see you?’

Steven thought for a moment. He thought about the look on the kids’ faces when they woke up and learned that they weren’t going swimming after all. ‘Tonight,’ he said.

‘ But you’re in hospital!’ said Sue.

‘ Not for much longer. I’ll drive down later today and take the kids swimming tomorrow.’

‘ If you’re sure?’

‘ I’m sure.’

Peter McClintock arrived just after eight when Steven was breakfasting on tea and toast.

‘ Well, well, well.’ He said, standing in the doorway for a moment with his arms folded and a smug smile on his lips. ‘You English blokes certainly know how to party.’

‘ Don’t you start,’ complained Steven. ‘I’ve had just about all I can take.’

‘ Looks like it too,’ said McClintock, coming closer to take a look at Steven’s cuts and bruises. ‘So what happened?… Not that I’m going to believe a word of it.’

‘ I left the hotel about six last night to drive down to Dumfriesshire. There was someone waiting for me in the back of the car. Shit! I should have realised when I found it unlocked but I didn’t. He held a chloroform rag over my face. After that I don’t remember anything until I came to in the gutter outside one of Verdi’s sauna parlours.’

‘ Not quite the same story the sauna staff are telling,’ said McClintock.

‘ Come on,’ protested Steven. ‘You know damn well that Verdi is behind this. He was warning me off.’

‘ It’s your word against theirs.’

‘ You do believe me, don’t you?’

McClintock took his time before saying, ‘I’m not the one you have to convince and Verdi’s not the only one you have to worry about right now. Santini smells blood. He figures it’s payback time. The word is he’s going to send the papers up to the Fiscal’s office today with a recommendation that you be formally charged.’

‘ Vindictive little bastard.’

‘ He speaks kindly of you too,’ said McClintock.

Steven told McClintock about the needle mark on his arm. ‘I should get the biochemistry report later today. Do you think you can at least stall him until that comes through?’

McClintock looked doubtful. ‘Santini would like to see you suffer the same sort of embarrassment he reckons you’re putting the local force through. I’m not sure that he’ll listen.’

‘ Even if he knows that I’m not guilty and I’m not.’

McClintock shrugged.

‘ Well, at least I know where I stand,’ said Steven. ‘Do you think your forensic people will go over my car or will I have Sci-Med appoint an independent lab?’

‘ I’ll get on to McDougal this morning unless of course, you still have doubts about our lab’s competence?’

‘ No,’ replied Steven. ‘There’s nothing wrong with McDougal.’

‘ What are they looking for?’

‘ Evidence of chloroform having been used plus anything else they can come up with on the guy who was in the back.’

‘ Is that it?’

‘ Tell me about these saunas,’ said Steven.

‘ Saunas!’ snorted McClintock. ‘Everybody knows they’re knocking shops but it’s council policy to leave them alone. The city prides itself on its liberal policy towards sex for sale. As well as the saunas the whores can work the streets unchallenged in certain designated areas. It suits everyone except the poor buggers who live there but then if you are going to have winners, you have to have losers. That’s the way it goes.’

‘ And Tracy Manson?’

‘ Not known to me but I can ask around if you like.’

‘ Please,’ said Steven.

‘ On thing’s for sure,’ said McClintock as he got up to leave. ‘You certainly got under Verdi’s skin. Makes you wonder why.’

‘ I hope it makes a lot of people wonder why,’ said Steven.

‘ Where’s your car?’

‘ I’m assuming it’s still in the car park at the hotel. If it’s not, I’ve no idea.’

‘ Better give me details,’ said McClintock.

Steven asked McClintock to hand over his jacket and he took out his wallet to find the hire car documents, which he handed over adding, ‘I’ve been told not to leave town.’

‘ Routine,’ said McClintock.

‘ I’m going down to Dumfries to see my kid.’

‘ Naughty boy,’ said McClintock.

‘ Can I expect the cavalry to come calling?’

‘ Leave me a contact number,’ said McClintock. ‘I’ll do my best to head them off at the pass.’

‘ Thanks. I owe you.’