The Wood Beyond

v

Andy Dalziel parked his car in the same spot opposite Cap Marvell's flat that he'd used four nights earlier.

It was almost the same time too and as he sat, undecided on his next move, he saw her again, only this time she was coming out of the apartment block and heading round to the garages.

Like a man who has screwed up his courage for a visit to the dentist's then finds the surgery closed, Dalziel didn't know whether he felt glad or disappointed.

Morning would be better, he decided. He'd had a long hard day though not so long as Des Patten, Captain Sanderson and Dr Batty. He'd found the captain at the doctor's house, wearing nothing but a kimono and a satisfied smile both of which had been removed prior to his departure for the station. Later Pascoe had turned up with Batty and that had been the turning point. The two military men knew the value of keeping their mouths shut till they found a way to communicate and produce a consistent story. But Batty, once the string of deaths had been laid before him, had been almost overenthusiastic in his efforts to put clear blue water between himself and an accessory-to-murder charge. Yes, he'd paid Sanderson to steal the Fraser Greenleaf research papers; yes, the second part of the deal had been for TecSec to get the Wanwood House contract after Patten had staged a raid there too, serving the double purpose of demonstrating the need to upgrade security and at the same time refocusing attention on the non-existent animal rights extremists who'd killed the guard at Redcar. But no, he hadn't at any time had any knowledge, either prior or subsequent, of any of the other deaths now laid at TecSec's door, and he'd honestly believed the guard's death had been completely accidental.

Load of bollocks, proclaimed Dalziel. But the doctor's small volume of evidence was going to be invaluable in putting the other two away. So, cause for celebration. But Wield had long since headed off home, and as for Pascoe, the lad had been in a funny mood, quite unable to join in the general euphoria that usually attended the fingering of collars. In fact, if he were honest, Dalziel himself had to admit he'd needed to work on it. Always at the back of his mind was the sense of unfinished business with Cap Marvell.

But it would have to stay unfinished tonight. God knows where she was heading now at this hour, and he didn't want to risk finding out! Pointless trying to apologize for one misunderstanding with another already on the boil.

He switched on his engine then realizing he would be driving past the entrance to the garage courtyard with the good chance that she'd drive out simultaneously and clock him, he switched off again. Best to let her go. And follow? No! Jesus Christ, if he was going to get anywhere with this woman which he doubted, he'd have to stop acting like a cop.

But where the hell was she? Didn't take this long to start up a vehicle and drive out.

Suddenly he was worried. Could fate be so malevolent as to let Cap get mugged while he was sitting out here feeling like a nervous adolescent?

Too bloody right it could! he thought grimly.

He picked up the gift-wrapped cylinder lying on the passenger seat, gripped it like a club and got out of the car. Moving with that lightness and stealth which often amazed those who'd never seen him in action, he crossed the road and went along the front of the block.

At the corner of the alley leading into the rear yard where the garages were, he paused. No sound. . no.. wait… a distant voice.. female. . low. . pleading..

He launched himself forward again, still light-footed but now covering the ground with the surprising speed of a grizzly bear on the rampage. Teeth bared in fury and exertion, he rounded the corner. And stopped.

In the light cast out of an open garage door, Cap Marvell crouched, surrounded by cats feeding at half a dozen saucers piled high with scraps of meat. Several of the animals, alarmed by Dalziel's approach, retreated and the woman looked up angrily.

'Quiet!' she urged. 'It's OK, my dears, nothing to worry about, back you come.'

Slowly the cats returned and began to feed again. They were mainly lean ragged beasts with the scars of street warfare upon them.

'Bet the neighbours love you,' said Dalziel.

'Bet the neighbours aren't starving,' replied Cap.

'You do this regular, do you?'

'Most nights when I'm home. Watch the news, then it's supper time. Nice to have a bit of order in a disordered universe. Why do you ask?'

Dalziel considered whether explanation would help his case, decided on the whole it wouldn't.

'No reason,' he said. 'Thought we should talk.'

'We talked, remember?'

'Still things left to say.'

'I don't think so, Andy.'

'Brought you a present.'

He offered her the cylinder. She didn't take it so he tore off the wrapping to reveal a bottle of whisky.

'The Macallan,' he said reverently. 'Twelve years old. Single malt.'

'Maybe it'll get married when it grows up,' she said.

The cats had finished eating. She gathered up the saucers.

'Thought you might like to know what happened about Walker,' he said.

‘I’ll read about it in the papers,' she said. 'Unless you've sat on them again?'

'No, it'll be there, eventually.'

'Good,' she said.

She put out the garage light, closed the door and began to walk away.

'Hey, you're forgetting your malt.'

'Never touch the stuff,' she called over her shoulder.

He set it carefully on the ground.

'Well, it's there if you change your mind,' he said.

'I won't,' her voice came out of the darkness. 'But it's a nice gesture, superintendent. You can plead it in mitigation. Nothing God likes better than a nice gesture.'

He waited a moment then followed. She had gone into the apartment block when he reached the roadway. He paused, contemplated, then turned and went back down the alley. Bright eyes watched him hopefully from the darkness.

He raised two huge fingers, not to them but at the skies.

'Think on,' he said. 'That's a nice gesture. This is nigh on two and a half gills.'

And picking up the bottle of whisky, he strode off to his car.