‘Then there’s the show people,’ he continued, ‘the funfairs, like you had here a couple of weeks ago on the Goose Green for your village games day. You welcome them, as much as you resent us, because your kids like them, yet they’re travellers, just like us. That elderly couple whose dogs you had to walk this morning; chances are they took their grandchildren to the shows, paid them on to the merry-go-rounds and the waltzers, and bought them candyfloss till they had to hose it off them. Did they think anything of it? No. And the irony is that in a different year, for he’s been here with his stall on occasion, my cousin Zak could have been taking their money. Mr Skinner, we are to be used when it suits your community and shunned when it suits you.’
He finished; the DCC sat quiet for almost a minute.
‘Derek,’ he said at last, ‘you’ve given me food for thought. Maybe sometime you’d like to tell the First Minister and her colleagues what you’ve just told me.’
‘I would in a minute. But for now, we’ll still have to move on, again. Once the council has its interdict, you’ll enforce it?’
‘I’m afraid so. I might understand you better now, but that will still be my job.’
Thirty-one
‘I hope I haven’t inconvenienced you, Mr Pye. My diary is full today, and this was the only time I could fit you in.’
The DI nodded. ‘I understand, Lord Elmore,’ he replied, having detected nothing but sincerity in the judge’s apology. ‘And I appreciate you making the effort. But then you’ll understand more than most the importance of a murder inquiry.’
‘Mmm.’ The judge pursed his lips. ‘Indeed.’ He paused, glancing through the first-floor window of his study, watching the neighbourhood postman as he made his way along the narrow, car-packed Ann Street. ‘We’ve encountered each other before, haven’t we?’ he asked.
‘Yes, we have, sir,’ Pye replied. ‘Six or seven years ago, in the High Court, an armed robbery trial; the accused was a guy called McTurk. I was a constable then.’
‘That’s right.’ Lord Elmore, a small, trim, white-haired man, turned to face him, peering over the top of half-moon spectacles. ‘Defence counsel gave you a bit of a going-over, as I recall, but you handled it pretty well.’
‘Well enough for you to give him fifteen years.’
‘Did you think that was too stiff?’
‘You won’t find many police officers complaining about sentencing being too severe, especially when the accused carries a sawn-off and threatens to blow a jeweller’s head off with it.’
‘The appeal court didn’t share your view. They reduced it to ten, so Mr McTurk will be eligible for parole in a couple more years. Mind you, he was unlucky in one respect.’
‘What was that, sir?’
‘His counsel made a complete balls of the trial. If I’d been defending, I’d have got him an acquittal, or worst case a Not Proven verdict, which has the same effect. The conviction hinged on a DNA sample in a balaclava helmet found in a bin, along with the shotgun, a couple of hundred yards away from where the robbery took place. McTurk claimed that he had left the garment in a pub, and there were traces on it from another person.’
‘Yes, but we found traces of lubricant from the shotgun inside his jacket.’
Lord Elmore smiled. ‘You found traces of the same lubricant, that’s all. I’d have established reasonable doubt with that, no question. That said, the thought doesn’t keep me awake at night. The man was as guilty as sin, and I was quite happy to send him down. I only wish my brother judges had been as robust at appeal. The politicians didn’t like the line they took, that’s for sure. Bruce Anderson was particularly scathing.’
‘Do you know Dr Anderson, sir?’ asked Haddock, standing by the door.
‘Ah, it speaks,’ the judge exclaimed. ‘Of course I do. I was appointed to the Supreme Court during his time as Secretary of State, and when Archie Nelson was Lord Advocate. I don’t think Archie. . Lord Archibald, as you will know him. . was too keen on my appointment, but Bruce was persuaded that the bench needed toughening up.’ He looked up at the young DC. ‘I know what you’re going to ask me next. Was I a witness to the spat between him and the late Mr Glover? The answer is yes, I was, well within earshot, in fact. Who started the argument? Ainsley Glover did, beyond a doubt; he had a penchant for mischief. Was Bruce in some way responsible for his death? Of course not; the idea’s preposterous.’ He turned to Pye. ‘I know you’re regarding this death as a homicide, on Hutchinson’s say-so, but to be honest, you have more faith in him than I have. I’ve cross-examined him as defence counsel, I’ve presented him as a prosecutor and I’ve seen him as a witness from the bench. He’s an opinionated little man and when he hits on a theory, nothing will shake it loose. Whatever tale he’s fed you, if I were you I’d be looking for an alternative to murder as an explanation. Drunk diabetics run a risk.’
‘Forgive me, sir,’ said the DI, ‘but you don’t seem to have been too fond of Mr Glover from the way you speak of him.’
‘I confess that I wasn’t. For a start I disagree profoundly with his politics. This country needs Trident if it is to continue to punch above its weight internationally, as we always have done. We’re a force for good in the world, gentlemen. We and the Americans shoulder the responsibility of keeping anarchy at bay. Without us. .’ He frowned. ‘You’re aware that I’m now a member of the Hague Tribunal?’ Pye nodded. ‘Well, if you saw some of the cases that are brought to us for trial. Ten years on and we’re still rounding up these Balkan butchers. When we do manage to bring them to trial, their influence is still such that the witnesses. . Ah!’ he broke off, exasperated. ‘Without us and our military strength they’d still be out there, killing people by the thousands, yet the bleeding hearts like Glover would have us throw that strength away. It’s the nuclear deterrent that gets us to the top table; damn fool didn’t realise that.’
‘Dr Anderson professes to be anti-Trident as well.’
‘That’s the political coat he wears at the moment, that’s all. Bruce is an opportunist, but sometimes there’s no harm in that. He’s an outspoken individual, politically, and that’s the most important thing. I hear he’s talking about fighting the parliamentary seat left vacant by Glover’s death. If he does, I expect him to win it. Once he’s at Holyrood, sparks will fly, I tell you.’
‘You’re saying that he stands to benefit from Mr Glover’s death, sir?’ asked Haddock. ‘Have I got that right?’
The little judge smiled at him, gently, without condescension. ‘Young man,’ he replied, ‘in my opinion, all Scotland stands to benefit from Glover’s death, so that line of questioning will get you precisely nowhere.’
Pye intervened hastily. ‘If I can bring us back to the subject, sir. When was the last time you saw Mr Glover?’
‘When Leona, that’s Lady Elmore, and I left the party, at eleven twenty-five; I checked my watch and decided that enough was enough. I’d had a long day, starting with a meeting with Denzel Chandler. I’m retiring soon and will be doing a book. It’ll be a retrospective of my career as a lawyer,’ he explained, ‘with emphasis on the judicial years, and he’s my collaborator. When we abandoned ship, Glover was still there. As a matter of fact, now that I think of it, Bruce left at the same time. We walked home. . no hope of a casual taxi pick-up in the city on a Saturday night. . and saw him heading down North Charlotte Street, just ahead of us. We went our different ways and we were home by midnight, as my wife will confirm if you feel the need to ask her.’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ said the DI. ‘In fact, that just about covers it, sir, unless there’s anything else you can tell us you think might be useful.’
The former Claus Blackman frowned. ‘Useful? I don’t know whether it is or not, but Ainsley was up to something.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m not sure exactly, but he’d been asking around.’