He called the hospital first. Rhona said something about a new scan to assess the amount of damage done to the brain.

‘Then why the hell didn’t they give her that scan straight away?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Did you ask?’

‘Why don’t you come down here? Why don’t you ask? Seems like when I’m not here, you’re happy enough spending time with Samantha, even sleeping in the chair. What is it - do I scare you off?’

‘Look, Rhona, I’m sorry. It’s been a rough day.’

‘For you and everyone else.’

‘I know. I’m a selfish bastard.’

The rest of their conversation was predictable. It was a relief to say goodbye. He tried Patience, got her answering machine, and told it he’d be happy to accept the invitation. Then he called Bobby Hogan.

‘Hiya, Bobby, what’ve you got?’

‘Not much. I had a word with Telford.’

‘I know, he told me.’

‘You’ve been speaking to him?’

‘Says he never knew Lintz. Did you talk to The Family?’

‘The ones who frequent the office. Same story.’

‘Did you mention the five thou’?’

‘Think I’m stupid? Listen, I thought you might be able to help me.’

‘Fire away.’

‘Lintz’s address book, I found a couple of addresses for a Dr Colquhoun. Thought at first it must be his GP.’

‘He’s a Slavic Studies lecturer.’

‘Only Lintz seems to have been keeping track of him. Three changes of address, going back twenty years. First two addresses have phone numbers with them, but not the most recent. I checked, and Colquhoun’s only been at this latest address three years.’

‘So?’

‘So Lintz didn’t have his home phone number. So if he wanted to speak to him ...’

Rebus twigged. ‘He’d phone the university.’

The call on Lintz’s bill: twenty-odd minutes. Rebus was remembering what Colquhoun had said about Lintz.

I met him at a few social functions ... our departments weren’t that close ... As I say, me weren’t close ...

‘They weren’t in the same department,’ Rebus said. ‘Colquhoun told me they’d barely met ...’

‘So how come Lintz has been keeping up with Colquhoun’s various moves around the city?’

‘Beats me, Bobby. Have you asked him?’

‘No, but I intend to.’

‘He’s lying low. I’ve been trying to talk to him for a week.’

Last seen at the Morvena: did Colquhoun link Telford to Lintz? ‘Well, he’s back now.’

‘What?’

‘I’ve an appointment with him at his office.’

‘Count me in,’ Rebus said, getting to his feet.

As Rebus parked in Buccleuch Place - he was in an unmarked Astra, courtesy of St Leonard’s - he saw the car in the neighbouring bay make to leave. He waved, but Kirstin Mede didn’t see him, and by the time he’d found the horn, she’d pulled away. He wondered how well she knew Colquhoun. After all, she’d been the one to suggest him as a translator ...

Hogan, standing by the railings, had seen Rebus’s attempts at communication.

‘Someone you know?’

‘Kirstin Mede.’

Hogan placed the name. ‘The one who did those translations?’