Fatal Last Words

Forty-one

‘You know, Bob,’ Sir James Proud confessed, ‘this is a week that once I thought would never come; my last as a police officer before I go off to tend my garden.’

Skinner laughed. He looked around the room: rectangular patches showed on the walls, the places where personal photographs had been hung until a few minutes earlier. ‘You reckoned you were immortal?’ he asked.

The outgoing chief constable did not smile. ‘No, no. Far from it. I had a secret belief that I would die in office. Damn near did too; that heart scare a few years back might have seen me off. But it didn’t. Instead it showed me that too much time spent behind a desk is good for nobody. So now I’m three stone lighter than I was then and I can jog upstairs to this office.’ He patted the arm of the rocker in which he sat. ‘Watch this chair when you settle into it. It’s bewitched; the longer you sit in it, the closer your belly gets to the desk, without either piece of furniture moving at all.’

‘I’m bringing my own chair across the corridor, Jimmy. It’s magic too. If I sit in it for longer than half an hour there’s an ejector mechanism that fires me to my feet. If I’m confirmed in your job, my successor as deputy can have yours.’

‘There’s no “if” about it, son,’ said Proud quietly. ‘None of your brother Scots have applied for the position, in deference to you, or in acceptance of the inevitable, I reckon, and in the current political climate it’s been deemed unacceptable by the Police Board that officers from outwith Scotland should be considered, unless they have a record of service north of the border.’

Skinner stared at him for several seconds as the import of what he had just been told began to sink in. ‘I don’t suppose you had any influence on that “deeming”, did you?’ he asked.

‘Far be it for me to press my opinion on the Board.’

‘If I had you under interrogation and you gave me a non-answer like that, you’d be waiting a long time for your next cup of tea. Were you asked for your opinion?’

‘If I was, why do you assume that I’d have agreed with that view?’ Proud Jimmy smiled. ‘But to stop you pestering me about it, I played no part in the deliberation. . my insistence, not the Board’s. My last act as chief will be to attend the meeting tomorrow, at which your appointment will be confirmed, effective immediately.’

‘I didn’t want that, Jimmy,’ the DCC said quietly. ‘I wanted a contest.’

‘I know, but since this is the way it’s panned out, we’ll just have to accept it. . won’t we? So. . who’s your deputy going to be?’ he asked brusquely. ‘Andy Martin, I assume.’

‘That’s one job there will be several valid applications for.’

‘But none will stand up against him in interview. He is going to apply, isn’t he?’

‘That’s the general expectation.’

Sir James’s heavy grey right eyebrow rose. ‘But not yours?’

‘I have no reason to think he won’t, but. .’

‘What?’

Skinner frowned. ‘Maybe it would be just too chummy if Andy waltzed back in here. Like I said, I’m personally more than a little embarrassed to be taking over your job without a contest, if that’s what’s going to happen, but you are such a crafty old bastard that I’m not really surprised. If I’m seen to be trying to move my best mate into the number two job, that might be too much even for our malleable Board to swallow. Andy can apply, but I’ll make damn sure he’s opposed.’

‘I suppose Brian Mackie will fall to be considered naturally as a serving assistant chief.’

‘Yes, but there are others. For example, I’ve heard that Max Allan might be interested in a move away from Strathclyde. Then there’s Eddie Burke up in Grampian. And one other who’s entitled to a run at it, if she’s interested.’

‘She? You mean. .’

‘I mean Maggie Rose. I know she’s only a chief super just now, but in my opinion she’s the best all-round police officer on this force.’

‘I won’t argue with that view. . if we’re excluding you and me from consideration,’ he chuckled. ‘But would she be interested? Remember, she’s a single mother and her recent medical history isn’t too great.’

‘I came through the ranks as a single parent. Fuck it, technically I’m a single parent right now. As for the health side, you’ve had a heart attack, I’ve got a pacemaker implanted and we’re both fine. Mags had cancer, it’s in remission and she’s clear to come back to work as soon as her maternity leave’s over, or before if she chooses.’

‘Would she be interested?’

‘That’s her choice, but I’ll be putting it to her.’

‘And your choice, Bob, who would that be? Privately, of course.’

‘To be honest, it would still be Andy, but I’d be happy with any of the people I’ve mentioned.’

‘Then I hope you get one of them. I’ll look on intrigued, from the sidelines.’

‘I’m sure you will,’ said Skinner, ‘but you’re not on the bloody sidelines yet, and there’s stuff happening I need your view on.’

‘The Anderson situation, you mean? Neil McIlhenney came in and briefed me on that just before you got back. There was no need for him to do that, incidentally, but I appreciated it, even if I am a virtual non-person. ’

The DCC shook his head. ‘You still have no real grasp of the respect your officers have for you, do you?’ he murmured. ‘Yes,’ he continued, ‘I mean the Anderson situation. The guy’s a former leader of this country, and I have personal issues with him. Now he’s a murder suspect, which I have trouble crediting, but not only that, he’s behaving as though he actually did it. Up to now, Neil and Sammy Pye have kept the whole situation low key, but I have a decision to make. If Anderson isn’t found soon, or doesn’t give himself up, do I put out a public appeal for information?’

‘And a “keep clear” warning to the public?’

‘Maybe that too.’

‘Has anybody tried phoning him? He’s a politician, Bob; every bloody newspaper in Scotland will have his mobile number on record. I’ve met the fellow too, remember; can’t stand him, but if you want a veteran’s opinion, I don’t see him as a murderer. So before you splash his picture all over the press, why don’t you give him a call, or send him a text, and ask him what his problem is?’

A broad grin spread across Skinner’s face. ‘You know, Jimmy,’ he drawled, ‘I’m really going to miss you.’

‘Why should you?’ his soon-to-be predecessor replied. ‘You’ve got both my phone numbers, and I’ve got no immediate plans to change either of them.’