But Rebus had a question. ‘Did you see Tony El jacking up?’

‘No, but I knew he was doing it. When we were following the kid, first bar we went in, Tony went to the bog. He came out, and I knew he was on something. Living where I do, it gets so you can tell.’

Tony El a shooter. It didn’t mean he wasn’t killed. All it meant was, maybe he’d made Stanley’s job easier. Tony El sky-high easier to murder than Tony El with defences up. Drugs to Aberdeen … Burke’s Club a magnet for them … Tony El using – and selling? He wished he’d asked Erik Stemmons about Tony El.

‘I need the toilet,’ Shankley said.

‘We’ll get a uniform to take you. Stay here.’ Rebus and Morton left the room.

‘Jack, I want you to trust me.’

‘How far?’

‘I want you to stay here and take Shankley’s statement.’

‘While you do what?’

‘Take someone to lunch.’ Rebus checked his watch. ‘I’ll be back here by three.’

‘Look, John …’

‘Call it parole. I go to lunch, I come back. Two hours.’ Rebus held up two fingers. ‘Two hours, Jack.’

‘Which restaurant?’

‘What?’

‘Tell me where you’re going. I’ll phone every quarter of an hour, you better be there.’ Rebus looked disgusted. ‘And I want to know who your guest is.’

‘It’s a woman.’

‘Name?’

Rebus sighed. ‘I’ve heard of driving a hard bargain, but you’ve got your HGV.’

‘Name?’ Jack was smiling.

‘Gill Templer. Chief Inspector Gill Templer. OK?’

‘OK. Now the restaurant.’

‘I don’t know. I’ll tell you when I get there.’

‘Phone me. If you don’t, Chick gets to know, OK?’

‘It’s back to “Chick”, is it?’

‘He gets to know.’

‘All right, I’ll phone.’

‘With the restaurant’s number?’

‘With the number. Know what, Jack? You’ve put me right off eating.’

‘Order plenty and bring me a doggie bag.’

Rebus went in search of Gill, found her in her office. She told him she’d already eaten.

‘So come and watch me.’

‘An offer I can’t refuse.’

There was an Italian restaurant on Clerk Street. Rebus ordered a pizza: he could take anything he couldn’t eat back to Jack. Then he phoned St Leonard’s and left the pizzeria’s number, told them to pass it on.

‘So,’ Gill said when he was seated again, ‘been busy?’

‘Plenty busy. I went to Aberdeen.’

‘What for?’

‘That phone number on Feardie Fergie’s pad. Plus a few other things.’

‘What other things?’

‘Not necessarily connected.’

‘Tell me, did the trip pass without incident?’ She picked up a piece of the garlic bread which had just arrived.

‘Not exactly.’

‘You surprise me.’

‘They say it keeps a relationship on its toes.’

Gill took a bite of bread. ‘So what did you find out?’

‘Burke’s Club is dirty. It’s also where Johnny Bible’s first victim was last seen alive. The place is run by two Yanks; I only spoke with one of them. I think probably his partner’s the grubbier of the two.’