Chapter 33

‘You know what, Ricky,’ I said, as we drove away from the golf club, ‘there’s truth in the old song.’

‘Eh?’

‘Life is indeed just a bowl of cherries.’

‘What the bloody hell are you talking about?’

‘Anna Chin.’

‘You know her?’

‘I met her the other day. She’s the main hall receptionist at James Torrent’s new office building.’

‘You never said. When Kennedy came out with the name, you should have said.’

‘Why? What difference would it have made? Kennedy isn’t a suspect.’

Ross was silent for a moment or two. ‘How do you know that for sure?’ he asked.

‘He was playing in a pro-am event in Paris when Capperauld was killed. I checked the European Tour website on my laptop.’

‘Clever bastard, eh.’

‘Who, me or him? Anyway, I’m telling you now. Anna Chin works for Torrent, okay. Where does that take us?’

‘Nowhere of itself,’ said Ricky, as he took a right at the lights, past the Roseburn Bar, ‘but it’s a connection. It has a pattern of a sort; there’s Torrent giving Alison a hard time over Ewan Capperauld, and over money, and at the same time his receptionist’s having it off with Alison’s fiance, who’s also Capperauld’s cousin.

‘It doesn’t fit right. It sticks out, a bit like that.’ He took his right hand off the wheel and held it up. I looked at it and saw that his wrist was slightly deformed. ‘I broke it playing rugby, just after I left school. The bones weren’t fitted together properly, but no one knew until they took the plaster off. By that time it was too late, and a promising career was halted in its tracks.

‘I’ve had that as a reminder ever since. It niggles me, and now, every time I see a set of facts that fit together like a badly healed fracture, I want to know more about them.’

‘Maybe, but remember one thing. We’re after the person who killed David Capperauld.’

‘If it wasn’t Alison. . but what’s your point?’

‘Let’s say it wasn’t. And my point is, I’m telling you it wasn’t Anna Chin either.’

‘Why? Don’t tell me she was playing in the pro-am with Kennedy.’

‘She might as well have been. She didn’t do it.’

‘Let me guess. She’s a wee cracker with big doe eyes, and she couldn’t possibly have stuck an ice-pick in her boyfriend’s nut. If I’d given up on a suspect on that basis when I was in the force, there would be at least a dozen women walking around now, instead of doing time. Listen, whoever killed Capperauld either lashed out and got completely lucky. . or unlucky if you want to see it that way. . or they knew exactly what they were doing.’ He paused, to take a left turn on to the Western Approach Road. ‘Didn’t Don Kennedy say that Anna Chin’s a doctor’s daughter?’

‘She is,’ I admitted. ‘She told me so herself. But she didn’t kill Capperauld.’

‘There you go again.’ Ricky laughed.

‘Yes, and I’m right. I’ve known people who’ve killed, or had the potential to do it; this girl doesn’t.’

‘You say; I’ll make up my own mind on that when I go to see her.’

‘Go easy, then. Her boss is your client, remember.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll just have a gentle chat with the lass.’ I tried to imagine him having a gentle chat with anyone, but I let it pass. I was tired, and I wanted to get on my way to Glasgow, so much so that I took out my mobile and called Susie, to let her know I was heading her way.

We were heading up Johnston Terrace, on the other side of the castle from my apartment, when the phone rang in my pocket. I took a look at the readout before I accepted the call. The number was mine; I’d left it on divert.

‘Yup,’ I answered. Best not to give too much away too soon, I always say.

‘Oz, is that you? Is that you?’ It was Alison, unmistakeably. Equally unmistakeably, she was terrified.

‘Yes; now calm down. What is it?’

‘I’m at James Torrent’s office,’ she wailed. ‘We had a meeting. Oz, there’s a girl here, and she’s dead.’

My brain seemed to shut down for a few seconds. I felt numb, and weary. Not again, Alison, not again, I thought. I realised that Ross was staring at me, and so I forced myself back to the present.

‘Is there anyone else there?’

‘Not as far as I can see. Oz, I’m scared.’

‘If you’re on your own, how did you get in?’

‘By the side door, it opens into the hall.’

‘Have you touched anything?’

‘No.’

‘Then get out of there, now.’

‘What?’

‘You heard me. Get off your mark, as fast as you bloody can!’

As I ended the call, Ricky pulled the Alfa to a halt, just down from the Ensign Ewart pub. ‘What was all that about?’ he asked.

I stared back at him, hard. ‘As far as you’re concerned, until I tell you different it was a hoax call. Now turn around and head for Torrent’s place.’

‘Why?’

‘You’re his head of security, right? Well, I’m reporting an incident. Now shift!’

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