He was thoughtful. ‘You wouldn’t go to Telford ... Cafferty?’

His eyes widened. ‘Is that it, John?’

Rebus turned his head away.

‘Christ, John ... what’s the deal here? He hands over the driver, what do you hand him?’

‘It’s not like that.’

‘I can’t believe you’d trust Cafferty. You put him away, for Christ’s sake!’ ‘It’s not a question of trust.’

But Pryde was shaking his head. ‘There’s a line we don’t cross.’

‘Get a grip, Bill. There’s no line.’

Rebus spread his arms. ‘If there is, show me it.’

Pryde tapped his forehead. ‘It’s up here.’

‘Then it’s a fiction.’

‘You really believe that?’

Rebus sought an answer, slumped against the desk, ran his hands over his head. He remembered something Lintz had once said: when me stop believing in God, me don’t suddenly believe in ‘nothing’... me believe anything.

‘John?’ someone called. ‘Phone call.’

Rebus stared at Pryde. ‘Later,’ he said. He walked across to another desk, took the call.

‘Rebus here.’

‘It’s Bobby.’

Bobby Hogan.

‘What can I do for you, Bobby?’

‘For a start, you can help get that Special Branch arsehole off my back.’

‘Abernethy?’

‘He won’t leave me alone.’

‘Keeps phoning you?’

‘Christ, John, aren’t you listening? He’s here.’

‘When did he get in?’

‘He never went away.’

‘Whoah, hold on.’

‘And he’s driving me round the twist. He says he knows you from way back, so how about having a word?’

‘Are you at Leith?’

‘Where else?’

‘I’ll be there in twenty minutes.’

‘I got so pissed off, I went to my boss - and that’s something I seldom have to resort to.’

Bobby Hogan was drinking coffee like it was something best taken intravenously. The top button of his shirt was undone, tie hanging loose.

‘Only,’ he went on, ‘his boss had a word with my boss’s boss, and I ended up with a warning: co-operate or else.’

‘Meaning?’

‘I wasn’t to tell anyone he was still around.’

‘Thanks, pal. So what’s he actually doing?’

‘What isn’t he doing? He wants to be in on any interviews. He wants copies of tapes and transcripts. He wants to see all the paperwork, wants to know what I’m planning to do next, what I had for breakfast ...’

‘I don’t suppose he’s managing to be helpful in any shape or form?’

Hogan’s look gave Rebus his answer.

‘I don’t mind him taking an interest, but this verges on the obstructive. He’s slowing the case to a dead stop.’

‘Maybe that’s his plan.’

Hogan looked up from his cup. ‘I don’t get it.’

‘Neither do I. Look, if he’s being obstructive, let’s put on a show, see how he reacts.’

‘What sort of show?’

‘What time will he be in?’

Hogan checked his watch. ‘Half an hour or so. That’s when my work stops for the day, while I fill him in.’

‘Half an hour’s enough. Mind if I use your phone?’

29

When Abernethy arrived, he didn’t manage not to look surprised. The space put aside for the investigation Hogan’s space - now contained three bodies, and they were working at the devil’s own pace.