‘I’ll tell you on the way.’ Then, to the woman seated opposite, ‘A reckoning is coming, Josephine, I promise you that.’

The smile Kilgour gave was world-weary. Her eyes drifted towards the photos of her younger self. She was still staring at them as Clarke and Fox rose to their feet and started to leave.

‘So tell me,’ he said as they headed across town.

‘First of all, what was really going on back there?’

‘I just wanted you to—’

‘Yeah, but what was really going on?’

He was silent for a moment, pretending to concentrate on the traffic.

‘Professional Standards – my old stamping ground – are about to start recruiting. ACC Lyon asked for my input, and I told her I couldn’t think of anyone better.’

‘Than me?’

‘It’ll come with a promotion to DCI, and I think it’s a good fit for you.’

‘It also comes with pariah status.’

‘Temporary pariah status,’ he said with a thin smile. ‘The posting only lasts four or five years, but the promotion is permanent.’ He turned his head towards her. ‘When Jennifer Lyon knocks on your door, promise me you’ll look surprised.’

‘Christ’s sake, Malcolm …’ It was Clarke’s turn to fall silent and contemplate the world outside the Merc’s windscreen. ‘And this is the trade-off?’ she eventually said. ‘When I say yes, I repay you by keeping up the heat on Tynecastle?’

‘A small price to pay.’

She began to nod slowly. ‘Fleck really got to you, didn’t he?’

‘More than most.’

‘Why, though?’

‘Because he’s a virus,’ Fox stated. ‘And we all know what viruses can do.’ He signalled to turn at the approaching junction. ‘Now what was the message you got on your phone?’

‘It was from Christine. Fraser Mackenzie is at Leith.’

‘Why?’

‘Because we asked him to explain the rock-bottom rent Francis Haggard was being charged. Christine says he’s turned up with a lawyer. There being no one else in the office, the DCI said she’d sit in on the interview.’

‘And you’re not happy about that?’

‘I’d just rather I was there.’

Fox thought for a moment. ‘Can I tell you something in confidence?’

‘You can try.’

‘That bouncer outside the nightclub …’

‘The one they called C?’

‘Dickinson has him down for the caravan park attack. The Mackenzies are putting the frighteners on any and all competition.’

‘Makes sense.’

‘Dickinson wants it kept hush-hush for now. He trusted me, and now I’m trusting you.’

‘Noted.’

‘And the job offer?’

‘I’ll think about it.’ She glanced at the car’s speedometer. ‘You sure you don’t want to push it above twenty, just this one time?’

‘If you insist,’ Fox said, pressing down on the accelerator.

‘To work Professional Standards, don’t you need to be cleaner than clean?’

‘You’re clean enough.’

‘Despite past proximity to John Rebus?’