‘That’s how it looks; and he’s dead too.’
‘And Higgins?’
‘There’s no proof and no suggestion that he ever knew.’
‘Do you believe that?’
‘I believe in proof,’ I replied. ‘That’s all I’ll say.’
‘Then I’ll find out for myself.’
I shook my head. ‘No, you won’t. Your wife is going to recover, and you’re going to take care of her, not go crashing off on a vigilante mission. Leave that stuff to people who’re good at it.’
‘That’ll be difficult,’ he snarled.
‘But you’ll manage.’ I paused for a second. ‘Now tell me,’ I continued. ‘Where’s the Princess Alison. I have a personal interest in her that you wouldn’t understand.’
‘They haven’t found her?’
‘No. And every marina in Britain and Ireland capable of holding her has been checked.’
‘You’d been looking in the wrong place,’ Gates retorted, with a twisted, humourless smile.
And then he told me where she was.
‘I need to see Grete,’ he said, as I was still digesting the simple mistake we’d all made.
‘You will,’ I promised, ‘this afternoon. I will take you straight to the hospital. But after that,’ I added, ‘you and I are going on a trip. Go and get your gear.’
He left to do as I’d told him. Once the door had closed on him I dug out my phone and switched it on. As soon as I had a signal, I called Mario.
‘Bob,’ he exclaimed. ‘Where the hell are you? I’ve been trying to call you all day. I asked Sarah where you were but she said she didn’t know either.’
‘I didn’t tell her,’ I laughed. ‘If you’re that fussed you can have my phone triangulated and then you’ll understand why. Where’s the fire anyway?’
‘Under the chief constable,’ Mario retorted. ‘He’s had Eden Higgins’ lawyer making all sorts of threats. He even had a call from the First Minister. You do know, don’t you, that Eden’s a major backer of the SNP?’
‘I didn’t,’ I said, ‘but I don’t give a bugger either. What’s happening in the grown-ups’ world?’
‘You were right,’ he replied. ‘The CSIs found another bullet in Hurrell’s place. But so what? He could have tested the gun. If you’re going to blow your brains out you want to make sure you do it right.’
‘How many bullets were missing from the magazine?’ I asked.
‘Only the one,’ he admitted.
‘So you’re saying that Hurrell fired a test round and then reloaded? Why? Was he planning to shoot himself in the head seven times?’
‘Come on,’ Mario protested. ‘He could have fired the test any time.’
‘He could,’ I agreed, ‘but that’s not what happened. Fuck me,’ I sighed. ‘You really are missing me. Tell Sammy and Lottie to get the scientific team back in there, with Dorward in charge so it’s done right. This is what they’re looking for: there and somewhere else too.’ I spelled out my thinking for him.
‘You serious?’ he asked when I’d told him.
‘Never more so,’ I assured him. ‘Now, in return for the large favour I’ve just done ScotServe, I want one from you in return.’
‘What’s that?’
‘I need to borrow your helicopter.’
Sixty-Four
High noon on Wednesday and the gang were all there.
Where? Gathered on the roadway that led down to Eden Higgins’ boathouse, all of them there on my summons.
Eden had been stroppy when I’d visited him four hours earlier in Moray Place, to advise him that his presence would be required, along with that of his wife and son.
‘I hate unfinished business,’ I told him. ‘In fact I don’t allow it.’
‘I thought I made it clear,’ he snapped, ‘that your input was no longer needed.’
‘I’m not a tap you can switch on and off,’ I barked back at him. ‘Trust me, Eden,’ I added, ‘if Alison was still alive, she’d be standing beside me at this moment, telling you to be there.’
A slap across the chops wouldn’t have brought him into line any more quickly. ‘What’s it about?’ he asked, his usual quiet demeanour restored.
‘Patience, friend,’ I replied. ‘You’ll find out.’
‘I don’t like grandstanding, Bob.’
I smiled. ‘Me neither as a rule, but sometimes . . .’
Rachel Higgins was furious as she stood beside the Bentley; she looked good though, in a fur jacket and hat, her designer jeans tucked into calf-length boots.
Rory Higgins was curious as he locked the car; a light smile played with the corners of his mouth. All the same, his expression suggested that what was coming had better be good or his mood could change very quickly.
Eden was reserved; his outburst that morning had been unusual in a man who was not given to letting his emotions show on the outside.
Rory had driven his parents from Edinburgh. I suspect that it had been something of a treat for him. His father had offered me a seat when finally he’d agreed to come, but I told him I preferred to make my own way.
‘Come on then, Bob,’ he said, in a ‘humouring him’ tone of voice as we stood waiting. ‘Get on with your Poirot moment.’
I held up a hand. ‘Not yet.’ I looked back along the road, towards Rhu. ‘But soon,’ I added, as I saw three cars approach in convoy fashion. The lead vehicle had blue lights on top.
They came to a halt at the entrance gateway and five others stepped out, joining us in the unseasonably warm sunshine: Mario McGuire, in plain clothes, and his four lieutenants, Pye and Haddock, Mann and Provan. Only the DCC knew all of the story; the others were in for something of a surprise.
‘What the hell?’ Eden exclaimed as they walked towards us, looking vaguely like the cast of Reservoir Dogs.
‘You called it my Poirot moment, chum,’ I said, ‘and you were right. Since I seem to have become a consulting detective, I thought I’d wrap this up in the grand manner.’ I dug into my trouser pocket and produced a key that Mario had given me the day before. ‘This was found in Hurrell’s flat,’ I announced as I moved towards the boathouse door. ‘It fits an Abus padlock, which this is. Let’s hope it works on this one or I’m going to look a right twat.’
It did. I slid the newly freed doors apart, letting the others see what was inside. Back, secure in her mooring, was the Princess Alison, all seventy-five feet of her.
‘My God,’ Rory laughed. ‘How big a hat did it take for this bloody rabbit?’
Rachel stared into the boathouse, eyes wide.
Eden smiled. He took a step towards me, extending his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Bob,’ he began. ‘I never thought for one moment . . .’
‘I know you didn’t, so you’ll allow me the grandstanding.’ My own hand stayed by my side.
He nodded. ‘Absolutely. Where did you find her?’
I walked into the great shed, and threw a switch beside the door, turning on the strip lighting, as the others followed. ‘Orkney,’ I replied. ‘The last thing anyone thought, me included, was that she’d have been taken north, but she was. She’s been moored in a marina since the day after she was taken, renamed, as you’ll see from the boards that were covering her original markings. They called her MV Revenge. Appropriate, because that’s what it was.’
‘How did you get her back?’ Rory asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. ‘I drove her back,’ I replied. ‘Well, to be honest, the other guy did most of the driving.’
‘What other guy?’
‘One of the two who borrowed her in the first place.’
‘Who stole her, you mean,’ Eden murmured.
‘No,’ I replied, ‘I mean it. They borrowed her; that’s what it’s going to say on the completed police file, and on the report to your insurers.’
He frowned. ‘I’m not getting this.’
‘You will,’ I assured him. ‘Here,’ I exclaimed, ‘do you fancy testing her out, just to satisfy yourself that she’s okay? My friends here have been working their buns off dealing with the aftermath of her disappearance. They deserve a wee bonus.’
‘I suppose I owe you that much,’ he conceded.