Cavalier looked down at Leni’s arm. He carefully peeled back the shirt. It revealed several deep scars on the forearm and the back of the hand.

‘That’s Mac’s killer,’ Cavalier said.

Haut’s hand went to his mouth.

‘Dear God,’ Haut whispered, his eyes welling. ‘I think you’re right.’

‘Leni must have been checking out the place. Remember the doctor said he patched up a skinny guy who stank of cigars?’

‘I prayed for God to judge Mac’s murderer,’ Haut said softly, ‘and he has.’

36 BURIAL PARTY

36

BURIAL PARTY

They were distracted by a van backing into the garage in front of the house.

‘It’s Ken,’ Haut said.

Cavalier put on his black-rimmed glasses and casual jacket. Haut introduced them. Sixty-two-year-old Pringle had the wiry build of an ex-SAS man who kept in good condition, as much as he could after suffering in Iraq when he was blown up and had many bones broken. His long black ponytail was a concession to another life outside the disciplines of Special Services. Opioids, including Kratom, the natural pain-relieving drug found in Thailand, had gone some way to ease the pain of a body and life disrupted.

Pringle didn’t recognise Cavalier. He was distracted by the sight of the bloodied bodies.

‘Jesus!’ Pringle exclaimed. ‘What happened here?’

‘Just a wee party, where these three became dead drunk,’ Cavalier said lightly.

‘The shits came to kill me,’ Haut said, with emotion.

‘Deadshits,’ Cavalier corrected.

Pringle returned to the van and brought in ten large garbage bags and tape. The three men slid two of the bags over each body, one bag from each end. They rolled up the plastic on the staircase, making a careful attempt to avoid smearing any of the blood on the woodwork underneath. They slipped it into the bags. Cavalier noticed blood spots on the stairs and said, ‘Must get rid of that.’

‘I’ll do that later,’ Haut said.

‘No, better now.’

Haut hurried to the kitchen, filled a bucket with hot water and threw in detergent and a scrubbing brush.

Cavalier took them, cleaned the floor and tipped the water down the kitchen sink.

‘That bloody smell,’ Haut said.

‘Breathe through your mouth,’ Cavalier said. ‘I can tell you, you’ll never forget it.’

‘That’s right,’ Pringle agreed as they wrapped the bodies, ‘horrible!’

Cavalier walked up the staircase and examined bullet indentations.

‘You’ll have to remove all the fragments,’ he said, pushing his finger under splintered wood on the bannister.

‘Ken and I will do that later.’

‘Polyfilla and paint will do it. But make sure it’s a thorough job.’

Haut taped the bags together. Cavalier guarded the street while Pringle and Haut loaded the three bodies into the van. Haut disappeared down the side of the house and returned with two spades. He tossed them in the back of the van and then jumped in front with Cavalier.