Rebus checked his watch. Fuck it: it was time.

9

There was just the CC Rider himself, Colin Carswell, waiting for Rebus in the comfortable and carpeted office.

‘Take a seat, won’t you?’ Carswell had half-risen to welcome Rebus, now sat down again. Rebus sat opposite him, studying the desktop, looking for clues. The Yorkshireman was tall, with a body that sagged towards a beer drinker’s gut. His hair was brown, thinning, his nose small, almost flat like a pug’s. He sniffed. ‘Sorry, can’t oblige with your request for biscuits, but there’s tea or coffee if you want it.’

Rebus remembered the phone call: Will there be tea and biccies? I’m not coming otherwise. The remark had been passed along.

‘I’m fine, thanks, sir.’

Carswell opened a folder, picked something up, a newspaper clipping. ‘Damned shame about Lawson Geddes. I hear he was an exceptional officer in his day.’

The story concerned Geddes’ suicide.

‘Yes, sir,’ Rebus said.

‘They say it’s a coward’s way out, but I know I wouldn’t have the guts.’ He looked up. ‘What about you?’

‘I hope I never have to find out, sir.’

Carswell smiled, put the cutting back, closed the folder. ‘John, we’re getting flak from the media. At first it was just that TV crew, but now everyone seems to want to join the circus.’ He stared at Rebus. ‘Not good.’

‘No sir.’

‘So we’ve decided – the Chief Constable and myself – that we should make an effort.’

Rebus swallowed. ‘You’re reopening the Spaven case?’

Carswell brushed invisible dust off the folder. ‘Not straight away. There’s no new evidence, therefore no real need to.’ He looked up quickly. ‘Unless you know some reason why we should?’

‘It was cut and dried, sir.’

‘Try telling the media that.’

‘I have, believe me.’

‘We’re going to open an internal inquiry, just to satisfy ourselves that nothing was overlooked or … untoward … at the time.’

‘Putting me under suspicion.’ Rebus could feel his hackles rising.

‘Only if you’ve got something to hide.’

‘Come on, sir, you reopen an investigation, everyone begins to look dirty. And with Spaven and Lawson Geddes dead, I’m left carrying the can.’

‘Only if there’s a can to carry.’

Rebus leapt to his feet.

‘Sit down, Inspector, I’ve not finished with you yet!’

Rebus sat down, made his hands grip the sides of the chair. He felt if he let go, he might fly clean through the ceiling. Carswell was taking a second to regain his own composure.

‘Now, to keep things objective, the inquiry will be headed by someone from outside Lothian and Borders, reporting directly to me. They’ll go through the original files …’

Warn Holmes.

‘… do any follow-up interviews deemed necessary, and compile their report.’

‘Is this going to be made public?’

‘Not until I have the finished report. It can’t look like a whitewash, that’s all I’ll say. If any breach of the rules has taken place anywhere down the line, it’ll be dealt with. Is that clear?’