“I’m wondering if you think there might be a connection. Dean Grant sells drugs to Forbes McCuskey. He’s also one of the last people to see Billy Saunders alive. Saunders and Forbes’s father both end up dead.”

“And Summerhall?”

“Ties to Saunders but not to Pat McCuskey—unless I’m missing something.”

“Stefan Gilmour,” Fox stated.

“You mean because he was on the opposing team in the independence fight?” Clarke nodded slowly while she chewed. “But I don’t sense any animosity between the two men—far from it. People we’ve talked to say they had a lot of respect for one another.”

“Maybe a facade.”

Now she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“You want to amalgamate with DCI Ralph? Turn the two cases into one?”

“I don’t know. Your money would still be on Summerhall, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes. But in the meantime, I’d probably want Nick Ralph to know that Forbes McCuskey’s father was sleeping with Forbes’s good friend Alice.”

“Could the wife have suspected?”

“She might need to be asked that.”

“I should phone Nick?”

“I would.”

“And if Alice Bell denies it?”

“Then she denies it.”

“How did John get her to own up?” Clarke asked, eyes narrowed in thought.

“The man does have his qualities,” Fox said, reaching for his tomato juice as the table of theatergoers began singing a chorus from Oliver! He saw that Clarke was worried, unable to relax. “It’s a big case, Siobhan, but you couldn’t be handling it any better.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m not just buttering you up.”

“I’m sure you’re not.”

One of the women from the very vocal table squeezed by them on her way to the toilets.

“Love’s young dream,” she clucked.

“If only she knew,” Malcolm Fox commented.

“John,” Maggie Blantyre said, eyes widening as she recognized him. He was standing on the doorstep of the bungalow, collar up against a sudden flurry of sleet.

“Mind if I come in?” he asked.

It took her a moment to decide. “I was just tidying away the dinner things…” She stood back and opened the door a little more. Rebus stepped into the hallway.

“Do you get any help?” he asked.

“Help?”

“With Dod.”

“Someone comes in at bedtime, and again first thing in the morning.”

“And that’s it?”

“It’s as much as he’ll allow. Here, let me take your coat. Is anything wrong?”

“Just thought I’d drop by.”

“If I’d known you were coming.” She dabbed her fingers to her face.

“You look fine,” he assured her, while she draped his coat over the banister. “Dod’s not in bed, is he?”

“In his chair.” She motioned towards the sitting room door. “Watching TV while I wash up. Do you want a cup of tea?”

“Tea would be great. I’ll just go say hello.”