As he fought himself over which to choose, he thought of his partner inside, hardly recognizable in those clothes, painted up like he’d never seen her before.

Without help she would likely pay the price for his mess.

The boss’s words rang in his ears. If some other mad bastard challenges you to a fight . . . get out of there, and fast, Sergeant.

His retreat through the alley was twice as fast as his entry, his intention being to get inside the front door by whatever means and make sure Janice was okay. Behind him he heard his opponent roar his fury as he swiftly followed.

McNab exited seconds ahead, crashing into what he thought would be Hugo’s rearguard.

Lucky for him, it wasn’t. Pushed to one side, he watched, gasping for breath, as Hugo ran into a roadblock of waiting officers, backed up by a couple of police vans.

Standing next to his own vehicle, the door hanging open, was the boss.

‘Clark?’ McNab said, still fighting for breath.

‘Fine, and we have our mark. And Willis too.’

‘I fucked up, sir. Judgement on how we dealt with this—’

DI Wilson held up his hand to stop him. ‘You missed a call from DI Winters?’

McNab looked at his mobile, still lying on the passenger seat where he’d cast it as he’d taken off.

‘He’d already called me to warn us that they’d had a tip-off Hugo Radcliff was headed for Glasgow. It didn’t take much to wonder if word had got through to Radcliff about all of this.’

‘Willis had a direct line to him after all?’ McNab said.

‘Maybe Willis thought Hugo was a better bet to save him, or else he just wanted to give him a prize. That prize being you. I’ve a feeling Willis will be keener to talk now.’

‘What about our mark?’ McNab said.

‘The suspect’s name is, we believe, Joe Hill. As for who fathered him, that’s yet to be established.’

‘Are the Met talking to Cleverly?’ McNab demanded.

‘According to DI Winters, he’s gone missing.’

‘Some bastard tipped him off,’ McNab said angrily, then apologized for swearing.

DI Wilson dismissed his apology. ‘Exactly what I was thinking myself, Sergeant.’

‘So what now?’

‘You go home and get some well-earned sleep, and we discuss this further tomorrow.’

‘Not before I speak to my partner, sir,’ said McNab, seeing the painted version of Janice emerge from the crowd and come towards him.

83

Janice handed Rhona her phone.

‘This is what I looked like last night,’ she said. ‘You should have seen McNab’s face when he got into the car and saw me.’

‘Who did your make-up? Those lips, and the eyebrows!’ Rhona said, both impressed and slightly horrified at the same time.