To be born again.

Side one had finished; Rebus turned the record over, switched off the lights and went to sit in his chair. He felt a chill run through him. Because he knew how events like Villefranche could come to be. Because he knew how the world’s continuing horrors could come to be perpetrated at the cusp of the twentieth century. He knew that mankind’s instinct was raw, that every act of bravery and kindness was countered by so many acts of savagery.

And he suspected that if his daughter had been that sniper’s victim, he’d have run into the bar with his trigger-finger already working.

Telford’s gang ran in a pack, too, trusted their leader. But now he wanted to run with an even bigger gang ...

The phone rang and he picked up.

‘John Rebus,’ he said.

‘John, it’s Jack.’

Jack Morton. Rebus put down his can.

‘Hello, Jack. Where are you?’

‘In the poky one-bedroomed flat our friends at Fettes so graciously provided.’

‘It has to fit the image.’

‘Aye, I suppose so. Got a phone though. Coin job, but you can’t have everything.’

He paused. ‘You okay, John? You sound ... not all there.’

‘That just about sums me up, Jack. What’s it like being a security guard?’

‘A dawdle, pal. Should have taken it up years ago.’

‘Wait till your pension’s safe.’

‘Aye, right.’

‘And it went okay with Marty Jones?’

‘Oscars all round. They were just heavy enough. I stumbled back into the shop, said I had to sit down. The Gruesome Twosome were very solicitous, then started asking me all these questions ... Not very subtle.’

‘You don’t think they twigged?’

‘Like you, I was a bit dubious about setting it up so fast, but I think they fell for it. Whether their boss goes along is a different story.’

‘Well, he’s under a lot of pressure.’

‘With the war going on?’

‘I don’t think that’s the whole story, Jack. I think he’s under pressure from his partners.’

‘The Russian and the Japs?’

‘I think they’re setting him up for a fall, and Maclean’s is the precipice.’

‘Evidence?’

‘Gut feeling.’

Jack was thoughtful. ‘So where do I stand?’

‘Just ca’ canny, Jack.’

‘I never thought of that.’

Rebus laughed. ‘When do you think they’ll make contact?’

‘They followed me home - that’s how desperate they are. They’re sitting outside right now.’

‘They must think you’re a good thing.’

Rebus could see the way it was going. Dec and Ken getting panicky, needing a quick result - feeling vulnerable so far away from Flint Street, not knowing if they’d be Cafferty’s next victims. Telford, pressure applied by Tarawicz, and now with the Yakuza boss in town ... needing a result, something to show he was top dog.

‘What about you, John? It’s been a while.’

‘Yes.’

‘How are you holding up?’

‘I’m on soft drinks only, if that’s what you mean.’

And a car doused in whisky ... he could taste it in his lungs.