‘Yes, sir.’

‘Now, is there anything you’d like to tell me?’

‘Just between us, or do you want to bring the strongarm in?’

Carswell allowed this as a joke. ‘I’m not sure you could call him that.’

Him.

‘Who’s in charge, sir?’

‘An officer from Strathclyde, DCI Charles Ancram.’

Oh dear Jesus fucking Christ. His goodbye to Ancram: an accusation of graft. And Ancram had known, all that day he’d known this was coming, the way he’d smiled, like he had secrets, the way he’d studied Rebus, like they might well become adversaries.

‘Sir, there may be some bad blood between CI Ancram and myself.’

Carswell stared at him. ‘Care to elucidate?’

‘No, sir, with respect.’

‘Well, I suppose I could get Chief Inspector Flower instead. He’s the bee’s knees just now, nabbing that MP’s son for cannabis growing …’

Rebus swallowed. ‘I’d prefer CI Ancram, sir.’

Carswell glowered. ‘It’s not your bloody decision, is it, Inspector?’

‘No, sir.’

Carswell sighed. ‘Ancram’s already been briefed. Let’s stick with him … if that’s all right with you?’

‘Thank you, sir.’ How did I get here, Rebus thought: thanking the man for putting Ancram on my tail … ‘Can I go now, sir?’

‘No.’ Carswell was looking in the folder again, while Rebus tried to get his heart-rate down. Carswell read a note, spoke without looking up.

‘What were you doing in Ratho this morning?’

‘Sir?’

‘A body was hauled out of the canal. I’ve had word you were there. Not exactly Craigmillar, is it?’

‘I was just in the area.’

‘Apparently you ID’d the body?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You’re a handy man to have around.’ Heavy with irony. ‘How did you know him?’

Blurt it out or clam up? Neither. Dissemble. ‘I recognised him as one of our snitches, sir.’

Carswell looked up. ‘Whose in particular?’

‘DI Flower’s.’

‘Were you looking to poach him?’ Rebus kept his mouth shut, letting Carswell draw his own conclusions. ‘On the very morning he took a tumble into the canal … strange coincidence?’

Rebus shrugged. ‘These things happen, sir.’ He fixed his eyes on Carswell’s. They stared one another out.

‘Dismissed, Inspector,’ Carswell said.

Rebus didn’t blink until he was back in the corridor.

He phoned St Leonard’s from Fettes, his hand shaking. But Gill wasn’t there, and nobody seemed to know where she was. Rebus asked the switchboard to page her, then asked to be put through to CID. Siobhan answered.

‘Is Brian there?’

‘I haven’t seen him for a couple of hours. Are you two cooking something up?’

‘The only thing cooking around here is my fucking goose. When you see him, tell him to call. And pass the same message along to Gill Templer.’

He broke the connection before she could say anything. Probably she’d have offered to help, and the one thing Rebus didn’t want right now was anyone else involved. Lying to protect himself … lying to protect Gill Templer … Gill … he had questions for her, urgent questions. He tried her home number, left a message on the answering machine, then tried Holmes’s home number: another machine, same message. Call me.