‘I doubt anybody with eyes and ears was shocked,’ she snapped back. ‘The man was a gangster. There was only ever one way that was going to end. You know his boss has been here? Supposedly helping plan the funeral, but I reckon he’s digging.’
‘Digging?’
‘Bobby Carter was a lawyer, making him privy to people’s secrets.’
‘We’ve not had much luck finding evidence of that.’
Mrs Jamieson shrugged her bony shoulders. Laidlaw scratched at his chin. ‘Did he have much to do with Stella’s real father?’
‘Wouldn’t let him over the threshold. Probably the cause of all the shouting that went on.’ There was a gleam in the old woman’s eye now, and Laidlaw realised she’d been aching to tell someone. He felt like a priest hearing the confession of an over-eager parishioner.
‘Shouting, eh?’ he prompted. ‘Husband and wife?’
‘Most probably. There’s a whole roadway between our houses, you know.’
‘You were hearing two voices, though?’
‘His louder than hers.’
‘To be clear, this was Bobby and Monica Carter?’
‘I couldn’t swear it in a court of law.’
Perhaps not, Laidlaw thought, but you’d like to try it out for size all the same.
‘Arguing about Monica’s ex-husband?’
‘Some marriages are more volatile than others. They thrive on a bit of argy-bargy.’
‘You sound as if you speak from experience.’
‘I threw him out thirty-five years ago.’ They had reached her gate. Laidlaw undid the latch and pushed it open for her.
‘I’m not going to ask the source of discord.’
‘He just bored me, that’s all. Bored me to the back teeth. Being on my own again came as blessed relief.’ She glanced across the street. ‘If Monica knows what’s good for her, she’ll pause for breath before jumping again.’
‘You’re not convinced she will, though?’
‘Between her ex and that man Colvin...’ She shook her head slowly. ‘Not to mention your own colleague. Men seem to have no trouble falling for Monica Carter, so be warned.’ She took two steps up the path before pausing. ‘I’d invite you in for tea, but I’m not feeling particularly sociable.’
‘Another time, then.’ Laidlaw gave a little bow of the head. He knew she had a prior appointment with the bottle of gin in her bag. The memory of its predecessor had been lingering on her breath as they’d talked.
28
‘What are you doing here?’ Bob Lilley asked, a look of disbelief on his face.
‘I thought I worked here,’ Laidlaw answered. ‘I was beginning to have my doubts.’ Lilley slung his jacket over the back of his chair and approached Laidlaw’s desk. ‘Seen this?’ He held out the front page of the Herald. There was a photo of a DCI they both knew. He was crouched by the incinerator in the HQ’s boiler room, disposing of a large haul of cannabis.
‘Somebody’s hopes and dreams going up in smoke,’ Laidlaw commented. He had tipped his chair back, his feet on his desk. Paperwork was piled on his lap, discarded sheets strewn across the floor beneath him. Lilley picked one up and studied it.
‘The victim’s background?’
‘Background and personal life, Bob.’ Laidlaw took the biro from between his teeth and underlined a couple of typed sentences. ‘Why did we give it such short shrift?’
‘I’m not convinced we did, though you might have.’
Laidlaw ignored the dig. ‘Monica was married before, to a guy called Roy Chambers. He’s a decorator. Stella’s his daughter.’
‘I know.’
‘Hardly a year after she split with Chambers, she was with Bobby Carter. Stella would have been three or thereabouts. Then along come two half-brothers for her, Peter and Christopher.’
‘Your point being?’
‘Roy kept in touch, but he was persona non grata as far as Bobby Carter was concerned.’ Laidlaw had picked up a photograph of Monica. ‘She’s handsome rather than beautiful, that’s my opinion anyway. But she’s wearing well. She’s four years older than Bobby — did you know that?’
‘The allure of the older woman.’ Lilley had rested his backside against the corner of Laidlaw’s desk.
‘Where have you been anyway?’
‘Various doorsteps.’
‘Did they get you anywhere?’
‘What do you think? So why the sudden interest in the family? You thinking we need to talk to this Roy character?’
‘Bobby and Monica had arguments — a neighbour heard them. Though it could have been Bobby and Stella, or maybe one of the brothers and Stella...’
‘Or one of the boys and his mum,’ Lilley added. ‘I had a few shouting matches with mine when they were in their teens.’
‘What about?’
‘Just the usual — if they’d been drinking or stayed out past curfew. Those joys are doubtless waiting for you in your future.’
‘My kids are never growing up, not if I’ve got anything to do with it.’
‘Doesn’t work that way, though.’
‘Let’s see. Meantime, this Roy Chambers doesn’t seem to have a record. I’ve not got a photo of him yet, either.’ Another sheet of paper dropped to the floor from Laidlaw’s hand. Lilley noted something missing from the desk.
‘What happened to your books?’
Laidlaw reached into a drawer, pulling one of them out. Its cover had been vandalised with a cock and balls.
‘Nice,’ Lilley commented.
‘I’ve drawn up a list of suspects.’ Laidlaw’s glare took in the whole room.
‘Am I on it?’ Lilley watched Laidlaw shake his head, toss the book back into the drawer and slam it shut. ‘I meant to ask, what did you get out of Matt Mason?’
‘The verbal equivalent of a defaced book jacket.’
‘One of these days, sticking your head in every lion’s mouth you pass is going to end badly.’
‘You’re probably right. Winners and losers, though, Bob — who stands to gain from Carter’s demise? Long term as well as short term.’
Lilley puckered his mouth in thought. ‘Could this guy Chambers want back in his ex-wife’s knickers?’
‘Probably black, silky and lacy. Milligan was sniffing around again, too.’
‘You’ve been out to the house, then?’
‘Happened to be passing through after my chat with Mason.’
‘To go back to your earlier question — Mason definitely stands to gain from any feud between Cam Colvin and John Rhodes.’
Laidlaw nodded. ‘Which doesn’t necessarily mean he’s our man. There’s a goon posted at his front door with what looks remarkably like a gun tucked inside his jacket. What does that tell you?’
‘He’s worried that either Rhodes or Colvin will put two and two together and come looking for him?’
‘Or else he’s jittery because he has no bloody idea who’s behind any of it.’
‘Reading between the lines, though, sounds to me like you think you’re narrowing it down.’
‘I think I am, too. Problem is, it’s almost too narrow for my liking.’
‘What does that mean?’
Laidlaw shook his head. ‘I need to get back to this lot,’ he said, gesturing towards the case notes.
‘Pint later, then?’
‘I could be tempted by some thinking juice.’
‘At which point I’ll become privy to that thinking?’
Laidlaw looked up at him. ‘You’re the second person to use that word in as many hours.’
‘Privy?’
‘I thought you’d be like me, Bob, thinking it only meant shitehouse.’
Lilley looked at the mess of papers on the floor. ‘Don’t be surprised if Ernie Milligan accuses you of living in one when he gets back.’