Grogan shrugged. ‘Shift changeover, the canteen’ll be busy.’

‘You just can’t get the staff these days,’ Rebus said. Head down, Ancram smiled into his chest. Then he gave a sideways look at the seated figure.

Here we go, thought Rebus: the sympathy routine. Maybe Ancram read his mind, changed his own accordingly.

‘Let’s talk a bit more about Bible John,’ he said.

‘Fine with me.’

‘I’ve started on the Spaven casenotes.’

‘Oh aye?’ Had he got to Brian Holmes?

‘Fascinating reading.’

‘We had a few publishers interested at the time.’

No smile for that one. ‘I didn’t know,’ the inquisitor said quietly, ‘that Lawson Geddes worked on Bible John.’

‘No?’

‘Or that he was kicked off the inquiry. Any idea why that was?’

Rebus didn’t say anything. Ancram spotted the flaw in the armour, stood up and leaned over him.

‘You didn’t know?’

‘I knew he’d worked the case.’

‘But you didn’t know he’d been ordered off it. No, because he didn’t tell you. I found that particular nugget in the Bible John files. But no mention of why.’

‘Is this going anywhere other than up the garden path?’

‘Did he talk to you about Bible John?’

‘Maybe once or twice. He talked a lot about his old cases.’

‘I’m sure he did, the two of you were close. And from what I hear, Geddes liked to shoot his mouth off.’

Rebus glared at him. ‘He was a good copper.’

‘Was he?’

‘Believe it.’

‘But even good coppers make mistakes, John. Even good coppers can cross the line once in their lives. Little birdies tell me you’ve crossed that line more than a few times yourself.’

‘Little birdies shouldn’t shit in their own nests.’

Ancram shook his head. ‘Your past conduct isn’t an issue here.’ He straightened up and turned away, letting that remark sink in. He still had his back to Rebus when he spoke. ‘You know something? This media interest in the Spaven case, it coincided with the first Johnny Bible killing. Know what that might make people think?’ Now he turned round, held up a finger. ‘A copper obsessed with Bible John, remembering stories his old sparring partner told him about the case.’ Second finger. ‘The dirt on the Spaven case is about to be uncovered, years after said copper thought it was buried.’ Third finger. ‘Copper snaps. There’s been this time-bomb in his brain, and now it’s activated …’

Rebus got to his feet. ‘You know it’s not true,’ he said quietly.

‘Convince me.’

‘I’m not sure I need to.’

Ancram looked disappointed in him. ‘We’ll want to take samples – saliva, blood, prints.’

‘What for? Johnny Bible hasn’t left any clues.’

‘I also want a forensic lab to look at your clothes, and a team to give your flat the once-over. If you haven’t done anything, there should be nothing to object to.’ He waited for a reply, got none. The door opened. ‘About fucking time,’ he said.

Lumsden bearing a tray swimming with spilled coffee.