The nod Rebus gave was impassive, but his mind was racing. He got Brillo back on his lead and marched him home, grabbed the keys to the Saab and set out. He parked on the edge of Leith Links – recognised Clarke’s Astra parked half a dozen cars further along. He wasn’t sure what he’d say to her, but he cut through to Constitution Street anyway. Sure enough, the pavement had been blocked by strands of tape marked POLICE. A cold-looking uniformed officer provided an extra disincentive to ghouls. Rebus smiled a greeting and slipped his lanyard around his neck.

‘Meeting DI Clarke,’ he announced. The officer checked the list he was holding.

‘She’s not here,’ he said.

Which meant she was at Queen Charlotte Street, which in turn meant she had been recruited by the Major Incident Team.

‘I’ll take a look anyway,’ Rebus said, running his fingers down the lanyard.

‘All that bit of card tells me is that you’re exempt from wearing a mask. Nice try, though.’

Rebus stared towards the doorstep where he’d had his run-in with Fox only two nights back. Looked like the SOCOs hadn’t yet finished. A pair of them were having a dialogue, still wrapped in white protective suits and masks.

‘Haj!’ Rebus called out, giving a wave. Haj Atwal recognised him and walked towards the cordon.

‘Hiya, John,’ he said.

‘Any chance I could have a word? Might have something useful for you.’

Atwal gave him a long, searching look, but eventually nodded him through, the uniform lifting the tape with obvious reluctance so Rebus could duck beneath it.

‘How have you been keeping, John?’ Atwal enquired.

‘Never mind that. It’s Francis Haggard, right?’

‘Right.’

‘I was here a couple of nights back with Siobhan Clarke. He wasn’t home.’

‘Would have been better for him if he’d kept it that way.’

‘There was supposed to be surveillance on him.’

‘They did what they could.’

‘Busy times, eh?’

‘Been a while since I had so many crime scenes flying at me. I’m almost nostalgic for lockdown.’

Rebus nodded his agreement. ‘So tell me again, how was he killed?’

Atwal gave him a look. ‘Something useful, you said?’

‘Whatever got me past the cordon,’ Rebus replied with a wink. The door to the tenement had been wedged open, and he walked in, Atwal at his heels.

‘Crime scene, John. No place for a civilian.’

‘So give me some overalls.’ Rebus was already climbing the stairs, gripping the banister for assistance. He paused at the first-floor landing, turning to face Atwal.

‘Word to the wise, Haj – steer clear of COPD.’

‘Get your breath back. Last thing I need is another body.’ Atwal headed to the second floor and returned with a white suit for Rebus to wear. ‘So what connects you to the victim?’