He sat back. ‘So what does all this have to do with me? Don’t tell me: having disposed of Telford’s Japanese partner, I decided to take up fire-raising?’

‘John ...’

The Farmer got up, rested his backside against the desk. ‘The three of us, we know you had nothing to do with that. Tell me, we found an untouched half-bottle of malt under your driver’s seat . . .’

Rebus nodded. ‘It’s mine.’

Another of his little suicide bombs. ‘So why would you be drinking a supermarket blend?’

‘Is that what the screw-top was? The cheap bastards.’

‘No alcohol in your blood either. Meantime, as you say, Cafferty’s in the frame for this. And Cafferty and you ...’

‘You want me to talk to him?’

Gill Tempter leaned forward in her chair. ‘We don’t want war.’

‘Takes two to make a ceasefire.’

‘I’ll talk to Telford,’ she said.

‘He’s a sharp little bugger, watch out for him.’

She nodded. ‘Will you talk to Cafferty?’

Rebus didn’t want a war. It would take Telford’s mind off the Maclean’s heist. He’d need all the troops he could get; the shop might even have to close. No, Rebus didn’t want a war.

‘I’ll talk to him,’ he said.

Breakfast-time at Barlinnie.

Rebus jangling after the drive, knowing a whisky would smooth out his nerve-endings. Cafferty waiting for him, same room as before.

‘Top of the morning, Strawman.’

Arms folded, looking pleased with himself.

‘You’ve had a busy night.’

‘On the contrary, I slept as well as I ever have done in this place. What about you?’

‘I was up at four o’clock, checking damage reports. I could have done without driving all the way here. Maybe if you gave me the number of your mobile . . . ?’

Cafferty grinned. ‘I hear the nightclubs were gutted.’

‘I think your boys are making themselves look good.’

Cafferty’s grin tightened. ‘Telford’s premises seem to have state of the art fire prevention. Smoke sensors, sprinklers, fire-doors. The damage was minimal.’

‘This is just the start,’ Cafferty said. ‘I’ll have that little arsewipe.’

‘I thought that was supposed to be my job?’

‘I’ve seen precious little from you, Strawman.’

‘I’ve got something in the pipeline. If it comes off, you’ll like it.’

Cafferty’s eyes narrowed. ‘Give me details. Make me believe you.’

But Rebus was shaking his head. ‘Sometimes, you just have to have faith.’

He paused. ‘Deal?’

‘I must have missed something.’

Rebus spelled it out. ‘Back off. Leave Telford to me.’

‘We’ve been through this. He hits me and I do nothing, I look like something you’d step around on the pavement.’

‘We’re talking to him, warning him off.’

‘And meantime I’m supposed to trust you to get the job done?’

‘We shook hands on it.’

Cafferty snorted. ‘I’ve shaken hands with a lot of bastards.’

‘And now you’ve met an exception to the rule.’

‘You’re an exception to a lot of rules, Strawman.’

Cafferty looked thoughtful. ‘The casino, the clubs, the arcade ... they weren’t badly hit?’