‘We appreciate that, sir. Meantime, DC Ormiston will run you back into town.’

‘My pleasure,’ Ormiston said, all charm. They needed Colquhoun, after all. They had to keep him sweet.

‘One thing,’ Colquhoun said. ‘There’s a refugee family in Fife. From Sarajevo. They’d probably take her in. I could ask.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ Claverhouse said. ‘Maybe later on, eh?’

Colquhoun seemed disappointed as Ormiston led him away.

Rebus walked over to Claverhouse, who was shuffling his photos together.

‘Bit of an oddball,’ Claverhouse commented.

‘Not used to the real world.’

‘Not much help either.’

Rebus looked towards Candice. ‘Mind if I take her out?’

‘What?’

‘Just for an hour.’

Claverhouse stared at him.

‘She’s been cooped up here, and only her hotel room to look forward to. I’ll drop her back there in an hour, hour and a half.’

‘Bring her back in one piece, preferably with a smile on her face.’

Rebus motioned for Candice to join him.

‘Japanese and golf courses,’ Claverhouse mused. ‘What do you think?’

‘Telford’s a businessman, we know that. Businessmen do deals with other businessmen.’

‘He runs bouncers and slot machines: what’s the Japanese Connection?’

Rebus shrugged. ‘I leave the hard questions to the likes of you.’

He opened the door.

‘And, John?’

Claverhouse warned, nodding towards Candice. ‘she’s Crime Squad property, okay? And remember, you came to us.’

‘No bother, Claverhouse. And by the way, I’m your B Division liaison.’

‘Since when?’

‘With immediate effect. If you don’t believe me, ask your boss. This might be your case, but Telford works out of my territory.’

He took Candice by the arm and marched her from the room.

He stopped the car on the corner of Flint Street.

‘It’s okay, Candice,’ he said, seeing her agitation. ‘We’re staying in the car. Everything’s all right.’

Her eyes were darting around, looking for faces she didn’t want to see. Rebus started the car again and drove off. ‘Look,’ he told her, ‘we’re leaving.’

Knowing she couldn’t understand. ‘I’m guessing this is where you started from that day.’

He looked at her. ‘The day you went to Juniper Green. The Japanese would be staying in a central hotel, somewhere pricey. You picked them up, then headed east. Along Dalry Road maybe?’

He was speaking for his own benefit. ‘Christ, I don’t know. Look, Candice, anything you see, anything that looks familiar, just let me know, okay?’

‘Okay.’

Had she understood? No, she was smiling. All she’d heard was that final word. All she knew was that they were heading away from Flint Street. He took her down on to Princes Street first.

‘Was it a hotel here, Candice? The Japanese? Was it here?’

She gazed from the window with a blank look.

He headed up Lothian Road. ‘Usher Hall,’ he said. ‘Sheraton ... Any of it ring a bell?’

Nothing did. Out along the Western Approach Road, Slateford Road, and on to Lanark Road. Most of the lights were against them, giving her plenty of time to study the buildings. Each newsagent’s they passed, Rebus pointed it out, just in case the convoy had paused there to buy cigarettes. Soon they were out of town and entering juniper Green.