‘Cigarette break?’ Rebus asked.

Ancram shook his head. ‘No, I think that’s enough for today. You made so many cock-ups in the course of that false report, it’s going to take me time to list them all. We’ll go through them next meeting.’

‘I’m excited already.’ Rebus got up and reached into a pocket for his cigarettes. Jack had switched off the recorder and ejected the tape. He handed it to Ancram.

‘I’ll have a copy made immediately and sent to you for verification,’ Ancram told Rebus.

‘Thanks.’ Rebus inhaled, wished he could hold his breath for ever. Some people, when they exhaled no smoke came out. He wasn’t that selfish. ‘One question.’

‘Yes?’

‘What am I supposed to tell my colleagues when I drag Jack here into the office with me?’

‘You’ll think of something. You’re a more practised liar these days.’

‘I wasn’t fishing for a compliment, but thanks anyway.’ He made to leave.

‘A little birdie tells me you put the nut on a TV reporter.’

‘I tripped, fell into him.’

Ancram almost smiled. ‘Tripped?’ Waited till Rebus had nodded. ‘Well, it’s going to look good, isn’t it? They got the whole thing on video.’

Rebus shrugged. ‘This little birdie of yours … anyone in particular?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘Well, you have your sources, don’t you? In the press, I mean. Jim Stevens for one. Nice little friendship the two of you have got.’

‘No comment, Inspector.’ Rebus laughed, turned away. ‘One more thing,’ Ancram said.

‘What?’

‘When Geddes was trying to pin the murder on Spaven, you interviewed some of Spaven’s friends and associates, including …’ Ancram made show of looking for the name in his notes. ‘Fergus McLure.’

‘What of it?’

‘Mr McLure’s recently deceased. I believe you went to see him the morning he died?’

Who’d been talking?

‘So?’

Ancram shrugged, looked satisfied. ‘Just another … coincidence. By the way, DCI Grogan called me this morning.’

‘It must be love.’

‘Do you know a pub in Aberdeen called the Yardarm?’

‘It’s down by the docks.’

‘Yes, it is. Ever been inside?’

‘Maybe.’

‘A drinker in there says definitely. You bought him a drink, talked about the rigs.’

The wee man with the heavy cranium. ‘So?’

‘So it shows you were at the docks the night before Vanessa Holden was murdered. Two nights in a row, Inspector. Grogan’s beginning to sound very edgy. I think he wants you back in his custody.’

‘Are you going to hand me over?’ Ancram shook his head. ‘No, you wouldn’t want that, would you?’

Rebus almost blew some smoke in Ancram’s face. Almost. Maybe he was more selfish than he thought …

‘That went as well as could be expected,’ Jack Morton said. He was in the driver’s seat, Rebus electing to sit in the front with him.

‘Only because you thought there’d be a bloodbath.’

‘I was trying to remember my first aid training.’

Rebus laughed, releasing tension. He had a headache.

‘Aspirin in the glove compartment,’ Jack told him. Rebus opened it. There was a little plastic bottle of Vittel there, too. He washed down three tablets.