Hogan’s notion: five in cash was just Telford’s style. Blackmail? But where was the connection? Something else ...? Hogan’s play: he’d talk to Telford.

Rebus’s notion: five was a bit steep for a hit-man. All the same, he wondered about Lintz ... paying five thou’ to Telford to set up the ‘accident’. Motive: give Rebus a fright, scare him off? It put Lintz back in the frame, potentially.

Rebus had fixed up another meeting, one he didn’t want anyone knowing about. Haymarket Station was nice and anonymous. The bench on platform one. Ned Farlowe was already waiting. He looked tired: worry over Sammy. They talked about her for a couple of minutes. Then Rebus got down to business.

‘You know Lintz has been murdered?’

‘I didn’t think this was a social call.’

‘We’re looking at a blackmail angle.’

Farlowe looked interested. ‘And he didn’t pay up?’

Oh, he paid up all right, Rebus thought. He paid up, and someone still took him out of the game.

‘Look, Ned, this is all off the record. By rights I should take you in for questioning.’

‘Because I followed him for a few days?’

‘Yes.’

‘And that makes me a suspect?’

‘It makes you a possible witness.’

Farlowe thought about it. ‘One evening. Lintz left his house, walked down the road, made a call from a phone-box, then went straight back home.’

Not wanting to use his home phone ... afraid it was bugged? Afraid of the number being traced? Telephone bugging: a favourite ploy of Special Branch.

‘And something else,’ Farlowe was saying. ‘He met this woman on his doorstep. Like she was waiting for him. They had a few words. I think she was crying when she left.’

‘What did she look like?’

‘Tall, short dark hair, well-dressed. She had a briefcase with her.’

‘Wearing?’

Farlowe shrugged. ‘Skirt and jacket ... matching. Black and white check. You know ... elegant.’

He was describing Kirstin Mede. Her phone message to Rebus: I can’t do this any more ...

‘There’s something I want to ask you,’ Farlowe was saying. ‘That girl Candice.’

‘What about her?’

‘You asked me if anything unusual had happened just before Sammy got hit.’

‘Yes?’

‘Well, she happened, didn’t she?’

Farlowe’s eyes narrowed. ‘Does she have anything to do with it?’

Rebus looked at Farlowe, who started nodding.

‘Thanks for the confirmation. Who was she?’

‘One of Telford’s girls.’

Farlowe leaped to his feet, paced the platform. Rebus waited for him to sit down again. When he did, there could be no doubting the fury in his eyes.

‘You hid one of Telford’s girls with your own daughter?’

‘I didn’t have much choice. Telford knows where I live. I ...’

‘You were using us!’ He paused. ‘Telford did this, didn’t he?’

‘I don’t know,’ Rebus said. Farlowe leaped to his feet again. ‘Look, Ned, I don’t want you –‘

‘Quite frankly, Inspector, I don’t think you’re in any position to give advice.’

He started walking, and though Rebus called after him, he never once looked back.