34
‘What the hell does Andy want?’ Skinner asked the question aloud, but to no one in particular. He looked up at Mackie from his swivel chair. ‘Okay, tell them to put him through here.’ Mackie disappeared, and a few seconds later, the telephone rang.
Skinner picked it up on the first tone. ‘Hello, Andy, what’s up? Was the Pakora too spicy for you?’
‘I didn’t get that far, boss.’ Skinner could tell from the booming tone that the call was coming from Martin’s car.
‘Look, I can’t explain over the phone, but I’ve had a message from an outside agency. They ask that there should be no further questioning of our guest at this time.’
In the car, Martin felt awkward, and on the spot. He had never heard anyone give Skinner an order before; now he was doing it himself. The message was second-hand and courteously phrased, but it was an order, and they both knew it.
Haggerty and Bell saw Skinner frown. ‘I hear you, Andy. The request, he leaned heavily on the word, ’is academic.’ Now Martin was puzzled. ’However, we will comply. See you when?’
‘Ten minutes, tops.’
‘Okay.’ Skinner replaced the receiver, slamming it into the cradle. Haggerty cast him an enquiring look.
‘What’s up?’
‘Dirty work at the bloody crossroads, perhaps. It seems that our silent pal might have friends in high places watching over him. Whatever it is, it’s too secret for an open telephone line. Andy’ll explain when he gets back. In the meantime, if you need to brief your gaffer, there’s the phone.’
‘Bugger that, sir, have we got time for a pint?’
‘You Glasgow boys get your priorities right, don’t you. Come on. Andy can wait!’
When they returned, the two psychiatrists were waiting in the CID office, drinking bad coffee and completing their assessment of Yobatu.
Kevin O‘Malley looked up as Skinner came into the room. ’Hello, Bob, how are you?’
‘I’m in better shape than Yobatu, I reckon. What d’you think?’
‘Complete withdrawal. The man’s had a massive shock. It could be guilt. It could be the fact of his daughter’s death getting through to him at last. As far as fitness to plead is concerned, let me have him in hospital for a week and I’ll give you a considered view.
‘On the face of it, from the information that your man Mackie gave us, we think he’s probably a psychopathic personality with two extremes of behaviour, huge energy or total depressive introspection. When the top end reaches a critical point, a mental fuse blows and he collapses into the state he’s in now.’
‘Can you fix the fuse?’
‘Maybe we can, maybe we can’t. But we’ll begin by putting him to sleep for a few days, with your agreement.’
‘I might not have a choice. There’s something funny about this one. In fact, Kevin, there’s a lot funny about it. I’m a guy who’s suspicious by nature of things that fall into place too easily.’
35
Martin was waiting in Skinner’s office. He rose as the Chief Superintendent rose as he entered the room. ‘Hi, Andy. You don’t know our Strathclyde colleagues, do you?’ He introduced Haggerty and Bell.
For Andy, the new title still had an awesome ring. ‘Good evening, gentlemen. Pleased to meet you. My message has implications for you too, so it’s as well that you’re here.
‘Just over an hour ago, my office had a “most urgent” call from a bloke called Allingham. He’s a Superintendent in the Met, but on secondment to the Foreign Office. I suppose you’d describe him as part of the Diplomatic Service. His job is to deal, as quietly as possible, with awkward incidents involving foreign embassies and nationals.
‘It must keep him busy, for he was in his office this evening, when he had a call from the Japanese Ambassador. According to him, the Ambassador was well upset. He had just been told by Madame Yobatu of her husband’s arrest, of the things we found, and of the likelihood of murder charges. The Ambassador’s on the spot, boss, and so are we all.
‘What we didn’t know, and what Yobatu and his wife didn’t choose to tell us, is that the guy has vice-consular status.’
He paused only for breath, but that was time enough for Skinner to explode, ‘Jesus Henry Christ! You know what that means don’t you.’
‘Exactly, boss. Yobatu has diplomatic immunity!’
‘Marvellous, just fucking marvellous!’ It was one of the few times that Martin had heard Skinner really raise his voice in anger. He decided, very quickly, to wait for the storm to blow over. Even the case-hardened Haggerty looked awed.
‘So what does Mr bloody Allingham want us to do? Turn this murderous lunatic back out on the street?’
‘No, boss. He hasn’t asked that, not yet anyway. The Ambassador wants to talk to you, face-to-face, before deciding what should happen. But he can’t order Yobatu to waive immunity, nor can he sack him retrospectively. Anyway, the Ambassador, whose name is Shi-Bachi, is flying up himself, tonight. He’ll be on the 8.40 British Midland, arriving here about ten o’clock. Allingham is coming with him, and it was him who asked that there should be no further questioning until they arrive.’
Skinner laughed, a short laugh without humour. ‘That’s no problem at all.’
‘What do you mean, boss?’
‘The man’s a vegetable, Andy. He’s had a complete mental collapse. Kevin O’Malley’s just gone off to arrange for his admission to the Royal Edinburgh, and Brian Mackie’s away to get Madame Yobatu, so that she can sign him in.’
Martin whistled. ‘That could be dicey. What if Madame decides to cut up rough, and starts denying everything on her old man’s behalf. Could we wind up being the bad guys here?’
The hard edge had gone from Skinner’s voice. He laughed that odd laugh once more. ‘She can say what she likes, Andy. But there’s one thing, or rather two, that she can’t talk her way round. Remember what was in that toffee box in her old man’s garage!’
He turned to Haggerty. ‘Willie, you’ve got an interest in this. You’d better stay here to see the Ambassador. Get your boss through if you think it wise. Don’t worry, though, if the shite does hit the ventilator over this, I’ll make sure that none of it splatters on you.’
He looked over to Martin. ‘I want you here too, Andy. Allingham’s your pigeon. I’m going to talk to the Ambassador directly, not through him. So you be here to look after him. I won’t have time. Besides, it’ll be worthwhile experience for you; might teach you to store the names of all resident diplomats, honorary or not, in that photographic memory of yours.’
He picked up the telephone and called Sarah. ‘It looks like being a long night, love.’
‘Can I still expect you?’
‘Yes, but I’ve no idea when I’ll be through here. Things concerning our Japanese guest have taken an unusual turn. If I’m not there by midnight or so, you can start without me.’
36
Martin returned to the Fettes Avenue office at 9.45 p.m., after failing to make peace with Joanne. Skinner, Haggerty and Bell were still there. Three empty pizza boxes and three plates with cutlery lay on the table.
‘You didn’t see Proud Jimmy on your way in, did you?’ Skinner asked. ‘I called him earlier on. Ambassadors are right up his street.’
‘No sign when I came in. Who’s collecting the Ambassador and Allingham?’
‘Brian’s gone to pick them up. I gather the plane was on time. They’ll be brought here, then we’ll go up to the Royal Edinburgh. Yobatu’s there now, under guard, with his wife. I’ve asked Kevin O’Malley not to sedate him until the Ambassador’s had a chance to look at him.’