The reception-room door was shut. Logan keyed his passcode into the pad mounted on the wall beside it, then stepped inside. . .

Sod.

Hissing Sid was sitting at the little grey table, arms folded across his chest. Shirt and suit jacket immaculate beneath the scowl. The lawyer checked his watch. ‘I have been waiting here for precisely twenty-two and a half minutes. Do you have any idea how inconvenient this is? ’ A sniff. ‘There isn’t even a wireless network for visitors.’

Logan nudged the door shut behind him. ‘Reuben’s guilty and you know it.’

‘If you had any evidence to that effect, you wouldn’t have had to let him go, would you? ’

‘He punched me in the face. I was there. I bloody well saw it!’

Hissing Sid brought his chin up. ‘I don’t appreciate your tone, Acting DI McRae.’

‘Think you’ll appreciate my boot up your—’

‘I’d love to sit around listening to threats of police brutality, but thanks to you I’m running behind as it is.’ He reached down beside him and came out with his briefcase. Clicked it open, then pulled out a small brown envelope and placed it on the tabletop. Then went back in for a standard white DL one. He placed it beside the brown one, then pushed them both across the table towards Logan. ‘These are for you.’

Logan backed up a step. ‘A brown envelope, seriously? ’

‘If you’re inferring that it contains a bribe, you’re mistaken. The contents should be self-explanatory, but if you’re feeling challenged by any aspect, you can always contact my office and make an appointment.’ He clicked his briefcase shut again. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, our time is up.’

Logan stared down at the pair of envelopes. ‘What is it then, blackmail? ’

A small smile slithered around Hissing Sid’s mouth. ‘For blackmail to be effective, the target has to have done something wrong. Otherwise there would be nothing to blackmail them about. Have you done something wrong, Acting Detective Inspector? ’

He backed off another step. The door handle pressed into the base of his spine. ‘Of course not.’ At least, nothing that Hissing Sid could have found out about. . . Could he?

‘Then you have nothing to worry about, do you? ’

‘But what—’

‘DI McRae, do you have any idea how much my services cost per hour? While my client had cleared me to brief you on the contents of these envelopes, you kept me waiting so long that the allocated time is now gone. And as my client is an old family friend I am unwilling to charge him more to make up for your tardiness.’

‘But—’

‘Make an appointment with my office.’ Then Hissing Sid stood, staring at Logan with expressionless grey eyes. ‘Now, if you don’t mind. . .? ’

Logan stepped to the side and let him out.

Hissing Sid limped across reception and out through the front doors into the sunny afternoon.