‘He used recreational drugs with a fair degree of regularity, but since he could afford them, I don’t suppose that’s an issue. He wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of going to jail – he knew that inmates don’t take kindly to disgraced police officers. I dare say it didn’t help that he had helped put away innocent men.’

‘He told you that?’

‘He told me these men were guilty of crimes, just not the ones ascribed to them.’

‘Specific cases?’

Leckie shook his head.

‘What about the names he was planning to name?’

‘We hadn’t got that far.’ He thought for a further moment. ‘He mentioned several times that police officers are often placed in a prison’s sex offenders wing – harder for the general population to get access to them. He said he’d rather be knifed in the food queue than have to hang out with that sort.’

‘He definitely said “knifed”?’

‘I think so.’

Clarke had taken out her phone. She held up a finger, meaning she needed a minute. Then she walked outside onto Young Street. The setts gleamed in the street light, slick from recent rain. Christine Esson eventually answered.

‘Sorry about earlier,’ Esson said.

‘Forget about it. Air sometimes needs clearing, and you were right – you’ve been on this case from the get-go. You deserve not to be shoved in a corner.’

‘So why aren’t you here, festooning me with apologies and caramel bars?’

‘I’m in a meeting with Haggard’s solicitor. I take it you’ve started on those Complaints files?’

‘You saw them arrive, right? You know how much there is to wade through?’

‘I’m trying not to think about it.’

‘Should you even be talking to the lawyer?’

‘Probably a grey area. But it got me thinking – Tynecastle has a history of fitting up suspects. I’m wondering how many of those Haggard played a part in and whether any of the guilty have been released recently.’

‘So we’d be looking for a criminal mastermind then, the sort who’d know that he’d just moved into a rented flat?’

‘They could have followed him.’

‘Rather than stabbing him as soon as they laid eyes on him?’

‘You’re right, it was just a thought.’

‘It is a thought, though. Maybe we could give it to Liam and Noel.’

‘You mean as in Oasis?’

‘My new name for King and Ritchie. King does everything but call him “our kid”.’

Clarke smiled. ‘What’s Fox up to?’

‘He’s just gone home – early for him. The DCI’s clocked off, too. Just us worker bees left. Should I let you get back to your grey area?’

‘See you tomorrow, Christine.’ Clarke ended the call and went back inside. Fresh drinks had appeared on the table.

‘Work,’ she explained, sitting down again.

‘Here’s to it.’ They clinked glasses.