Skinner's rules

34

‘What the hell does Andy want?’ Skinner asked the question aloud, but to no one in particular. He looked up at Mackie from his swivel chair. ‘Okay, tell them to put him through here.’ Mackie disappeared, and a few seconds later, the telephone rang.

Skinner picked it up on the first tone. ‘Hello, Andy, what’s up? Was the Pakora too spicy for you?’

‘I didn’t get that far, boss.’ Skinner could tell from the booming tone that the call was coming from Martin’s car.

‘Look, I can’t explain over the phone, but I’ve had a message from an outside agency. They ask that there should be no further questioning of our guest at this time.’

In the car, Martin felt awkward, and on the spot. He had never heard anyone give Skinner an order before; now he was doing it himself. The message was second-hand and courteously phrased, but it was an order, and they both knew it.

Haggerty and Bell saw Skinner frown. ‘I hear you, Andy. The request, he leaned heavily on the word, ’is academic.’ Now Martin was puzzled. ’However, we will comply. See you when?’

‘Ten minutes, tops.’

‘Okay.’ Skinner replaced the receiver, slamming it into the cradle. Haggerty cast him an enquiring look.

‘What’s up?’

‘Dirty work at the bloody crossroads, perhaps. It seems that our silent pal might have friends in high places watching over him. Whatever it is, it’s too secret for an open telephone line. Andy’ll explain when he gets back. In the meantime, if you need to brief your gaffer, there’s the phone.’

‘Bugger that, sir, have we got time for a pint?’

‘You Glasgow boys get your priorities right, don’t you. Come on. Andy can wait!’

When they returned, the two psychiatrists were waiting in the CID office, drinking bad coffee and completing their assessment of Yobatu.

Kevin O‘Malley looked up as Skinner came into the room. ’Hello, Bob, how are you?’

‘I’m in better shape than Yobatu, I reckon. What d’you think?’

‘Complete withdrawal. The man’s had a massive shock. It could be guilt. It could be the fact of his daughter’s death getting through to him at last. As far as fitness to plead is concerned, let me have him in hospital for a week and I’ll give you a considered view.

‘On the face of it, from the information that your man Mackie gave us, we think he’s probably a psychopathic personality with two extremes of behaviour, huge energy or total depressive introspection. When the top end reaches a critical point, a mental fuse blows and he collapses into the state he’s in now.’

‘Can you fix the fuse?’

‘Maybe we can, maybe we can’t. But we’ll begin by putting him to sleep for a few days, with your agreement.’

‘I might not have a choice. There’s something funny about this one. In fact, Kevin, there’s a lot funny about it. I’m a guy who’s suspicious by nature of things that fall into place too easily.’