He heard running footsteps: Agnew and Turnbull. One took the man’s legs while the other got busy with the cuffs.

‘About bloody time,’ Driscoll told them.

‘You might want to ease off the guy’s neck, Rob,’ Agnew advised. ‘He’s going a funny colour.’

Driscoll did as he was told and started getting to his feet. The bottom third of his trousers felt damp, and he knew the reason why. Realising that he was still being filmed, he flicked the Vs at the group.

‘Fuck the lot of you,’ he said, scooping his pepper spray up off the pavement.

Day Eight

29

Rebus was seated in the window of a café on Duke Street, walking distance from Leith police station, when Malcolm Fox arrived.

‘Five minutes,’ Fox stressed, perching on the chair opposite.

‘You’re a busy man, Malcolm, I appreciate that.’ A bacon roll and mug of tea were placed in front of Rebus, and Fox looked tempted, but he shook his head when the server asked. Rebus squirted brown sauce over the filling and closed the roll, taking a bite.

‘And that’s one minute gone,’ Fox said.

Rebus chewed and swallowed, reaching for the tea.

‘Everything okay with the inquiry?’ he eventually asked.

‘You know I can’t discuss that.’

‘Well, let’s head for safer ground then – Fraser Mackenzie.’

‘What about him?’

‘He’s in Organised Crime’s sights, yes? I’m wondering how long he’s been there.’

Fox gave him a stare. ‘Siobhan’s been talking. She shouldn’t have.’

‘My guess would be that it’s happened only recently – around the time Cafferty emerged from hospital into a wheelchair and the pandemic shut everything down.’

‘So what?’

‘It’s just, you’ve maybe got it wrong – focusing on the husband, I mean.’

Fox was probably unaware that his hands were gripping the rim of the table. ‘I’m listening.’

‘Beth Mackenzie used to go out with Cafferty. Ancient history, but she maybe learned a few things. Her husband owns a lettings agency with what could be termed a challenging clientele. Not all of them, by any means, but enough. Her daughter, Gaby, is a club DJ – a world not averse to chemical substances.’

‘I’ve seen her at work.’

‘Clubs were closed during lockdown, meaning a lot of doormen needing a wage. Useful in all kinds of ways to an outfit like QC. Up until that point, as far as you know, Mackenzie had been happy operating as an above-board businessman?’ Fox conceded as much with a shrug. ‘Well, maybe he still is. Mother and daughter, on the other hand …’

‘I always enjoy your stories, John, but so far that’s all I’m hearing. Doesn’t really matter if it’s Fraser Mackenzie or any other member of his family, what we need at Gartcosh is some hard evidence.’

‘It matters,’ Rebus said quietly.