Changes things a bit, Rebus messaged back. Please tell me Fox isn’t in charge.

He had to wait only a few moments for her reply.

Not quite.

He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. He decided he would try to catch up with her properly later in the day. Instead, as he walked to his car, he called Cafferty.

‘News?’ Cafferty barked when he answered.

‘A question,’ Rebus said.

‘Fire away.’

‘That photo on your table, the one showing a man in a living room …’

‘Snooping behind my back, Strawman?’

Strawman – Cafferty’s nickname for him. It usually meant Rebus had drilled into a nerve.

‘It came in one of your own envelopes – MGC Lettings. Since sold to Fraser Mackenzie. The flat in the shot belongs to him, too. Very distinctive wallpaper.’

‘So?’

‘So why send it to you?’

‘Who the hell knows?’

‘Have you asked?’

‘What’s this all about?

‘You’ve not heard about the murder on Constitution Street? In one of the flats run by QC Lettings? Rented out to the victim, who happened to be a cop?’

‘Anyone we know?’

‘In a manner of speaking. He’s one of the Crew, or was until he was suspended from duty.’

‘The abusive husband?’

‘Looks to me like someone sent a picture of him to you, and now he’s on a mortuary slab.’

‘You sure it’s him in the picture?’

‘I dare say the inquiry team will want to check.’

‘What the hell is this? You trying to stir up shit?’

‘Where you’re concerned, there’s never a spoon far away.’

‘This has got the square root of nada to do with me.’

‘You might want to tell the inquiry that.’ Rebus paused. ‘So what have you done about it?’

‘The photo? Not a damned thing.’

‘Mind if I ask why?’

‘I do mind, yes. You’re not CID any longer, Strawman. I think sometimes you forget that.’

It took Rebus a moment to realise that Cafferty had rung off. Sitting in his Saab, he texted Clarke again.

The murder flat is owned by QC Lettings. I’ve had dealings with them about Jack Oram. Could there be a connection?

She called him back almost immediately.

‘What sort of connection?’ she demanded.

‘As of right now, I’ve no idea. But there’s something else.’

He heard her sigh. ‘What?’

‘Has to be done face to face, Siobhan.’

‘Why?’

‘Because it does.’

She considered for a moment. ‘I can drop by the flat this evening.’

‘Yes, you could. On the other hand, I can be with you inside of a minute. And back when I was working cases, we didn’t let a gift horse go to waste.’

It took her a few moments to decide. ‘I’ll meet you at the front desk,’ she said.

14

True to her word, she was waiting for him inside the police ­station’s front door.