‘How the hell did it get there?’

‘You really don’t know?’

Archie shook his head.

‘Come on, Archie.’

‘Honestly, Dorothy.’

He took the piece of paper, which trembled in his hand as he squinted at it.

Dorothy took the paper back and stared at it. Thought about Ailsa Montgomery. ‘I’m going to dig her up tonight.’

‘Good luck.’

‘You’re coming too.’271

‘No I’m not.’

‘You owe me, Archie, you said so yourself. You owe me your life.’

‘That’s not fair.’

‘Life’s not fair.’

‘I won’t do it.’

‘Then consider yourself out of a job,’ Dorothy said. ‘As of now.’

Archie looked across and held her gaze. ‘This is a bad idea.’

She stared at him then folded the piece of paper and put it away in her pocket.

Her phone rang. Hannah.

‘Gran, there’s something on the camera footage,’ Hannah said. ‘The Glassman case. You’re not going to believe it.’

272

52

JENNY

The King’s Wark was quiet, which made this harder. The sun had set outside, the dim light in here making it more intimate. Liam was in his usual spot at the bar, two-thirds through his lager, crossword in front of him. Jenny thought about what she had to say.

She’d sat in the café across from the studio vennel for two hours until Liam left, then waited another twenty minutes. When she finally got up she hoped he wouldn’t be here, that he’d skip his drink and head home to his loving wife. Ha. Her heart sank when she pulled open the door and saw him on his stool. The fates had decided, she would go through with it.

She walked to the bar and stood next to him. He didn’t notice her, intent on his paper. Jenny waited to be served, it was a barman she hadn’t seen before, a guy in his late twenties, hipster beard waxed at the corners, gelled quiff, arms sleeved with tattoos of birds and boats.

‘Double gin and tonic, thanks,’ she said.

Liam looked up at her voice. He smiled and her heart sank.

‘It’s the artistic funeral director.’

‘Hi.’

She put out her hand and regretted it, it was too formal, a stupid gesture, but he smiled and shook it.

‘Can I get you a drink?’ she said, nodding at his pint glass.

‘I’m fine.’

‘Sure?’

He thought about it for a second, smiled. ‘OK, pint of Amstel.’

She got the drinks and passed his over. ‘Cheers.’

They clinked and drank, Jenny taking a big gulp, feeling the edge of it.273

‘So did you take the studio?’ Liam said.

‘What?’

‘I presume as you’re here, that you’ve taken the studio round the corner.’

‘No, I didn’t rent it in the end.’

‘Shame,’ Liam said, and he seemed to mean it. ‘We could’ve been artistic buddies.’