Skinner's rules

30

When Skinner spoke he was suddenly hoarse. ‘Toshio Yobatu, I am arresting you in connection with the murder in Glasgow of one Shun Lee. You have already been advised of your right to remain silent. You will accompany Mr Martin and me to police headquarters at Fettes Avenue, to assist us with our enquiries into several incidents which we believe are related to this murder.

‘Let’s go, now. Mackie, complete the search and advise Madame Yobatu of what has happened.’

Without a word, Yobatu accompanied the two men to Skinner’s car. He sat silent in the back, between them, as the capless constable drove back into the centre of Edinburgh. It was Sunday, and so they arrived unobserved.

Martin signed them in, with their prisoner.

‘Sergeant,’ he instructed the duty officer, ‘take Mr Yobatu to the interview room. He is to be accompanied by two men at all times. And make sure they’re big guys.’

He and Skinner went upstairs to the Chief Superintendent’s office, where they collapsed into chairs.

‘Good thinking down there, Andy. I don’t want an escape, and I don’t want any bloody hara-kiri either. This man has to be as dangerous an individual as we’ve ever seen, so make sure that the guys on guard duty are up to it.’

Suddenly Skinner sighed. ‘Let’s have a coffee, and wait for Brian to get back. Then he and I will get a statement out of the guy. You can get back to spycatching.’

Martin noticed a change in Skinner. With the adrenalin surge of the confrontation dissipated, he looked spent.

‘Boss, I should be saying “well done”, but instead I’m thinking, “what’s up”. You should be doing handsprings, but you’re not. Don’t tell me that bloke got to you.’

Skinner shrugged his shoulders. ‘I don’t know. It’s just a bit of an anticlimax, I suppose. I was expecting some master criminal, and all we wind up with is some poor bastard who’s been driven stark raving mad by his kid’s murder. He is a loony, Andy. After all that, he’s a loony. He just sat there and took it. No bluster, no denial, no nothing. I’ll bet you he’ll turn out to be unfit to plead.

‘I didn’t expect that. My famous instinct told me that if we found anyone at the end of the day, it wouldn’t be someone like that. An evil sod, yes, but sane, and with some sort of a purpose. Well, I was wrong.’ He shook his head. ‘I shouldn’t care. It’s catching him that counts. But I feel let down. Maybe I wanted him to have a go, to have a physical confrontation with the dark beast. As it is, I just feel empty. We’ve got him bang to rights and I don’t feel a thing.’

Martin leaned towards him and spoke gently. ‘Bob, this has taken more out of you than you realise. If Sarah was here she’d say you were reacting naturally to extreme stress.’

Skinner looked at him and smiled. ‘Sarah. Yes, I’ll call her. Alex too. She’ll be in Glasgow by now.’