Skinner's rules

38

Skinner turned to go, but Proud stopped him. ‘Hang on a minute, Bob. Sit down.’ He settled into one of two leather armchairs set on either side of a coffee table in the middle of the big room, and motioned Skinner towards the other.

Proud hesitated, as if considering his choice of words very carefully. At last, he said, ‘Bob, you and I are different sorts of policemen. Let me put it this way. I’m a policeman, but you’re a copper, in the best sense of the word. You have an understanding of the job and a feel for it that I, even at my exalted rank, have never had. I see it as something that is necessary to society, and I tend to approach it dispassionately. That works for me. But you, you care so much.

‘I’m an administrator, you’re a motivator. I feel bad enough about all this, but I can only imagine how gutted you must be at the way it’s turned out. You’ve been a detective for most of your career. That’s a dirty job, but there are times when my job can get dirty too; you’ve just been involved in one of them. I hate creeps like that man Allingham, but believe me, there are worse than him about. You’ll find that out when you’re sat behind that desk over there.’

Skinner looked at him in astonishment. Proud Jimmy had never talked to him like this before, had never mentioned him as a possible Chief.

‘Maybe I don’t want that,’ he began, cautiously.

‘Don’t kid me, and don’t kid yourself. Whatever you say, or allow yourself to believe, you want it all right. You can’t criticise the man if you’re not prepared to have a go yourself, and I know that you don’t agree with everything I do.’

Now it was Skinner’s turn to flush under the gaze of this new, and wholly unexpected, James Proud.

The Chief laughed. ‘Don’t worry, you’re right, and more so after this morning. I must be getting past it, if I can allow myself to be set up like that, in my own bloody office no less, by those two slimy twats. When Wilson told me that Pringle Muckhart wanted him here just as an observer, I actually believed the lying bastard.

‘I’ll tell you one thing, Bob.’ Proud’s tone changed, and his face was suddenly fierce. ‘If Mr bloody Wilson goes just one mile over the speed limit anywhere on my patch, he’ll have his fucking collar felt. Our Mr Wilson is about to become the best motor insurance risk in Edinburgh, and he doesn’t even know it.’

Proud, who rarely swore, was deadly serious. Skinner looked at him in amazement, then threw back his head and laughed. ‘But the Crown Office will drop the prosecution!’

‘The Crown Office will move to bloody Stornoway by the time I’ve finished with it!’

His stern face broke into a smile once more.

‘Anyway, about my desk, and the chair behind it. I haven’t got that long to go, and I want you to be in a position to succeed me. I’ve felt aggrieved for a long time that Jock Govan in Strathclyde has an ACC as his Head of CID, while I’ve only got a lowly DCS. Well, finally I’ve managed to persuade those Bolsheviks on the Police Committee to authorise one extra Assistant Chief Constable on the establishment.They’ll approve it today; and you, my son, are it. Congratulations.’

Once again the Chief left Skinner dumbfounded. When he could speak, he said, ‘Sir, you’ve taken my breath away. Does that mean that you want me out of CID?’

‘Good God no! You’re the best detective in the country, you’ll stay as Head of CID, but with ACC rank. You won’t even have to wear uniform dress.’

‘That’s a pity. I’ve always had a thing about silver braid and Sam Browne belts!’

Proud laughed at Skinner’s jibe at his formality of dress. ‘I’m the last of the dinosaurs, Bob. Most chiefs these days dress like managing directors, and keep the uniform for ceremonial.’ Skinner caught a change in his tone and looked at him curiously, but Proud went on. ‘I’ve always believed in being seen for what I am, even in the New Club. It helps keep the aloofness which the job forces on you.

‘By the way, that’s another part of your grooming for office that I’ve taken care of. I’ve put you up for membership of the Club.’

‘Oh Christ, not me, surely!’

‘In Edinburgh, it goes with the job. You’ve just seen politics in action. Well, politics is what the Club is about, in part at least. I’ll find a way to sort out Pringle Muckhart for what he’s done to us today, and the Club will help me do it. If he’s wise, My Lord Advocate won’t waste any time in promoting himself to the Bench!’

‘You’re a deep one, all right, Jimmy,’ Skinner mused inwardly. ‘Too good at playing the caricature policeman, that’s your trouble. So good that most people believe it, me included up to a point. Until today.’

Aloud he said, ‘What a morning. Stuffed by the mandarins, now my whole life takes a new turn. Me in the New Club!’ He shook his head in mock disbelief.

Smiling, Proud rose to his feet. Skinner took the signal, and stood up with him. ‘I must get off to the Committee to have your appointment ratified. It’s a formality, though. It’ll be effective from tomorrow, but you can tell Alex now. And your Doctor, of course.’

Skinner’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

Proud chuckled. ‘When you’re Chief Constable, you know everything!

‘Take some advice, Bob. Clear your desk and take your wee girl away on holiday. It’ll let you think about the future, and get Yobatu off your mind.’

“Thanks, Chief. I’ll do that, just as soon as Sarah can get away.’