Skinner's ghosts

77

'I'd forgotten everything about him,' said Andy Martin, back in his office.

'So had I,' Skinner agreed. 'But why should either of us have remembered? Neither you nor I ever interviewed him: we only handled the support players. We were hauled off drugs work to do it, remember, and we were pissed off about it.

'But when Christabel came on the scene as my counsel, and we started to talk about it, I began to have an itch about something.

When I heard his voice on the tape this morning, insistent, angry, as it was in court, I was almost sure. If the old dear hadn't picked him from the first message, I'd have played her the other, but she knew him well, knew all sides of him.'

He looked at the case notes on Martin's desk. 'It reads oddly, doesn't it. He was caught in the Polish Consul's house, with a gun, and some of the Consulate silver in a bag, yet at first he wouldn't make any statement. All the notes say that he was arrogant and confident, yet silent as the grave, until the case was almost ready for trial.

'It reads as if he thought someone was going to spring him.

'He acted that way in court too. But if you recal, my evidence was about how the technicians had found his prints on the disabled alarm, and about how he had activated the second system, linked direct to Fettes, that he hadn't known about.

'When I was finished, he knew that he was done for. Thinking back, I remember the way he looked at me, when I stepped down from the box. Pure hatred. It was as if I had been sent along as his executioner.'

He paused, and picked up the notes. 'When Heuer was arrested, he gave his address as Cromden, in Derbyshire. I'm sure if we had time, we'd find that recently he's been living somewhere in Edinburgh, maybe as Mr Gilbert. You should put Clan Pringle's team on to checking that, but let's not base our hopes on us.

' I left Bruce Anderson to consult the Prime Minister about payment of the ransom. I think that he'll agree.'

'But how will Heuer collect it?' asked Martin.

'He won't leave it in Guernsey, that's for sure. It'll be forwarded 250 to another bank, and maybe one or two more after that, till it reaches its final destination. I'd guess it'l go somewhere we've no jurisdiction, where Heuer can pick it up and disappear for good.'

'And the kids?'

Skinner looked at him. 'You have to ask? He'l kill them, Andy, if he hasn't already. At best,' he checked his watch, 'we have forty-seven hours to find them. And we can't do anything until Neil gets back from RAF Leuchars.'

Skinner threw open the door of Martin's office. 'I hate hanging around, Andy,' he cal ed from the doorway. 'I'm going off to make a phone cal. After that, I'm going to find Noel Salmon, take him into a quiet corner and find out exactly what he knows about al of this.

'Once Mcl henney gets back, with a bit of luck, we'l have a good idea of where to look for Mr Peter Gilbert Heuer. Given that, then tomorrow we'll take him, and pray that the children are still alive.'

'I hate to remind you, Bob,' said Martin, 'but you're stil suspended.'

'Bugger that. When we run this bastard to ground, I'm going to be there, and no rucking politicians are going to stop me.' He paused.

'Anyway, I called in to see Bruce Anderson, just after eight, on my way in here. I played him that tape, and this time I let him lift my suspension when he offered.'

He looked across the room. 'Before I forget, Pammy, come out to Gul ane tonight. After al, you start your new job tomorrow. Somehow or other, we must fit in dinner to celebrate that.'