by Ian Rankin
‘Jesus, John …’ A theatrical sigh. ‘Erik-with-a-k Stemmons, Judd Fuller. I don’t see the point in talking to them.’
‘Me neither, Ludo. I just wanted their names.’ Rebus attempted an American accent. ‘Ciao, baby.’ He was smiling when he put down the receiver. He looked at his watch. Ten past three. It was a five-minute walk to College Street. But would the place still be open? He got out the phone book, looked up Burke’s – the number listed was the same one Gill had given him. He tried it: no answer. He decided to leave it at that … for the moment.
Spinning in a narrowing gyre: Allan Mitchison … Johnny Bible … Uncle Joe … Fergus McLure’s drug deal.
Beach Boys: ‘God Only Knows’. Segue to Zappa and the Mothers: ‘More Trouble Every Day’. Rebus picked his pillow off the floor, listened to it for a full minute, threw it back on to the bed, then lay him down to sleep.
He was awake early and didn’t feel like breakfast, so went for a walk instead. It was a glorious morning. The seagulls were busy hoovering up the night before’s leftovers, but the streets were otherwise uncrowded. He walked up to the Mercat Cross, then left along King Street. He knew he was heading in the vague direction of his aunt’s house, but doubted he could find it on foot. Instead, he came to something looking like an old school building but calling itself RGIT Offshore. He knew RGIT was Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology, and that Allan Mitchison had studied for a time at RGIT-OSC. He knew Johnny Bible’s first victim had studied at Robert Gordon’s University, but not what she had studied. Had she taken classes here? He stared at the grey granite walls. The first murder was in Aberdeen. Only later did Johnny Bible move to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Meaning what? Did Aberdeen hold some particular significance for the killer? He’d walked the victim from a nightclub to Duthie Park, but that didn’t mean he was local: Michelle herself could have shown him the way. Rebus got out his map again, found College Street, then traced a finger from Burke’s Club to Duthie Park. A long walk, residential, nobody had seen them the whole length of the route. Had they taken especially quiet back roads? Rebus folded the map and put it away.
He headed past the City Hospital and ended up on the Esplanade: a long expanse of grass links with bowling green, tennis and putting. There were amusements, all closed this early. People were on the Esplanade – jogging, walking their dogs, morning constitutionals. Rebus joined them. Groynes divided the mostly sandy beach into neat compartments. It was as clean a part of the city as he’d seen, excepting the graffiti – an artist called Zero had been hard at work, making this his or her personal gallery.
Zero the Hero: a character from somewhere … Gong. Jesus, he hadn’t thought of them for years. Pot-head pixies with stoned synths. Floating anarchy.
At the end of the Esplanade, next to the harbour, stood a couple of squares of housing, a village within the city. The squares themselves comprised drying greens and garden sheds. Dogs barked a warning as he passed. It reminded him of the east neuk of Fife, fishermen’s cottages, brightly painted but unpretentious. A taxi was cruising the harbour. Rebus waved it down. The R&R was over.
There was a demo outside the headquarters of T-Bird Oil. The young woman with the braided hair who’d been so persuasive the previous day was sitting cross-legged on the grass, smoking a roll-up, looking like she was on her break. The young man currently on the megaphone didn’t have half her anger or eloquence, but his friends cheered him on. Maybe he was new to the demonstrating game.
Two young woolly suits, no older than the activists, were in consultation with three or four environmentalists in red boiler-suits and gas masks. The policemen were saying that if they took the gas masks off, conversation might be less of a chore. They were also asking that the demonstration move off land owned by T-Bird Oil. Namely, the patch of grass in front of the main entrance. The demonstrators were saying something about the laws of trespass. Legal knowledge came with the territory these days. It was like rules of unarmed combat to a squaddie.
Rebus was offered the same literature as the day before.
‘I already took,’ he said with a smile. Braid-hair looked up at him and squinted, like she was taking a photograph.
In the reception area, someone was videoing the demo through the windows. Maybe for police intelligence; maybe for T-Bird’s own files. Stuart Minchell was waiting for Rebus.
‘Isn’t it unbelievable?’ he said. ‘I hear there are groups like that one outside each of the Six Sisters, plus smaller operations like ours.’
‘The Six Sisters?’
‘The big North Sea players. Exxon, Shell, BP, Mobil … I forget the other two. So, ready for the trip?’
‘I’m not sure. What are my chances of getting a kip?’
‘It might be pretty bumpy. Good news is, we’ve a plane heading up, so you’ll be spared a budgie – at least for today. You’ll fly in to Scatsta. It used to be an RAF base. Saves the hassle of changing at Sumburgh.’
‘And it’s near Sullom Voe?’
‘Right next door. Someone’ll be there to meet you.’
‘I appreciate this, Mr Minchell.’
Minchell shrugged. ‘Ever been to Shetland?’ Rebus shook his head. ‘Well, you’re probably not going to see much of it, except from the air. Just remember, when that plane takes off, you’re not in Scotland any more. You’re a “Sooth-Moother” heading for miles and miles of bugger all.’
15
Minchell drove Rebus to Dyce Airport. The plane was a twin-propeller model with seats for fourteen, but today carrying only half a dozen passengers, all men. Four of them wore suits, and were quick to open their briefcases, disgorging sheafs of paper, ring-bound reports, calculators, pens and laptops. One wore a sheepskin jacket and lacked what the others would probably call ‘proper grooming’. He kept his hands in his pockets and stared out of the window. Rebus, who didn’t mind an aisle seat, decided to sit beside him.
The man tried to stare him elsewhere. His eyes were bloodshot, grey stubble covering cheeks and chin. In reply, Rebus fastened his seat-belt. The man growled, but shifted upright, allowing Rebus half an arm-rest. Then he went back to window-watching. A car was drawing up outside.
The engine started up, propellers turning. There was a stewardess at the back of the cramped compartment. She hadn’t closed the door yet. The man in the window-seat turned to the assembly of suits.
‘Prepare to shite yourselves.’ Then he started laughing. Whisky fumes from the night before wafted over Rebus, making him glad he’d skipped breakfast. Someone else was boarding the plane. Rebus peered down the aisle. It was Major Weir, dressed in a kilt, sporran attached. The suits froze. Sheepskin was still chuckling. The door slammed shut. Seconds later, the plane began to taxi.
Rebus, who hated flying, tried to think himself into a nice Intercity 125, speeding along terra firma, no intention of suddenly pushing skywards.
‘Grab that arm-rest any harder,’ his neighbour said, ‘and you’ll uproot the fucking thing.’
The ascent was like an unpaved road. Rebus thought he could feel fillings popping loose and hear the plane’s various bolts and soldered joins snapping. But then they were levelling out, and things settled down. Rebus started breathing again, noticed sweat on his palms and brow. He adjusted the air-intake above him.
‘Better?’ the man said.
‘Better,’ Rebus agreed. The wheels retracted, covers closing. The sheepskin explained what the sounds were. Rebus nodded his thanks. He could hear the stewardess behind them.
‘I’m sorry, Major, if we’d known you were coming we’d have arranged for coffee to be served.’
She got a grunt for her trouble. The suits were staring at their work, but couldn’t concentrate. The plane hit some turbulence, and Rebus’s hands went to the arm-rests again.
‘Fear of flying,’ sheepskin said with a wink.
Rebus knew he had to get his mind off the flight. ‘Do you work at Sullom Voe?’
‘Practically run the place.’ He nodded towards the suits
. ‘I don’t work for this lot you know. I’m just cadging a lift. I work for the consortium.’
‘The Six Sisters?’
‘And the rest. Thirty-odd at the last count.’
‘You know, I don’t know a damned thing about Sullom Voe.’
Sheepskin gave him a sidelong look. ‘You a reporter?’
‘I’m a CID detective.’
‘Just so long as you’re not a reporter. I’m the relief Maintenance Manager. We’re always getting grief in the press about cracked pipes and spills. I’ll tell you, the only leaks around my terminal are the ones to the fucking papers!’ He stared out of the window again, as if their conversation had reached a natural end. But a full minute later he turned to Rebus.
‘There are two pipelines into the terminal – Brent and Ninian – plus we offload from tankers. Four jetties in near-constant use. I was here from the start, 1973. That’s only four years after the first exploration ships chugged into Lerwick. By Christ, I’d have loved to’ve seen the looks on the fishermen’s faces. They probably thought it was the start of bugger all. But oil came and oil stayed, we got to fuck with the islands, and they screwed every penny they could out of the consortium. Every last penny.’
As sheepskin talked, his mouth began to relax. Rebus thought he might still be drunk. He spoke quietly, mostly with his face to the window.
‘You should have seen the place in the seventies, kiddo. It was like the Klondike – trailer parks, shanty towns, the roads churned to mud. We had power cuts, not enough fresh water, and the locals fucking hated us. I loved it. There was about one pub we could all drink in. The consortium were choppering in supplies like we were at war. Fuck, maybe we were.’
He turned to Rebus.
‘And the weather … the wind’ll strip the skin off your face.’
‘So I needn’t have brought a razor?’
The big man snorted. ‘What takes you to Sullom Voe?’
‘A suspicious death.’
‘On Shetland?’
‘In Edinburgh.’
‘How suspicious?’
‘Maybe not very, but we have to check.’
‘I know all about that. It’s like at the terminal, we run hundreds of checks every day, whether they’re needed or not. The LPG chilldown area, we had a suspected problem there, and I stress suspected. I’ll tell you, we had more men on standby than God knows what. See, it’s not that far from the crude oil storage.’
Rebus nodded, not sure what the man was getting at. He seemed to be drifting off again. Time to reel him in.
‘The man who died worked for a while at Sullom Voe. Allan Mitchison.’
‘Mitchison?’
‘He might’ve been on maintenance. I think that was his speciality.’
Sheepskin shook his head. ‘Name doesn’t … no.’
‘What about Jake Harley? He works at Sullom Voe.’
‘Oh aye, I’ve come across him. Don’t much like him, but I know the face.’
‘Why don’t you like him?’
‘He’s one of those Green bastards. You know, ecology.’ He almost spat the word. ‘What the fuck’s ecology ever done for us?’
‘So you know him.’
‘Who?’
‘Jake Harley?’
‘I said so, didn’t I?’
‘He’s off on some walking holiday.’
‘On Shetland?’ Rebus nodded. ‘Aye, sounds about right. He’s always on about archaeology and whatsit, bird-watching. The only birds I’d spend all day watching don’t have fucking feathers on them, let me tell you.’
Rebus to himself: I thought I was bad, but this guy redefines all the terms.
‘So he’s off walking and bird-watching: any idea where he’d go?’
‘The usual places. There are a few bird-watchers at the terminal. It’s like pollution control. We know we’re doing all right as long as the birds don’t suddenly start turning up their toes. Like with the Negrita.’ He almost bit off the end of the word, swallowed hard. ‘Thing is, the wind’s so fierce, and the currents are fierce too. So you get dispersal, like with the Braer. Somebody told me Shetland has a complete change of air every quarter hour. Perfect dispersal conditions. And fuck it, they’re only birds. What are they good for, when it comes down to it?’
He rested his head against the window.
‘When we get to the terminal, I’ll get a map for you, mark some of the places he might go …’ Seconds later, his eyes were closed. Rebus got up and went to the back of the cabin, where the toilet was. As he passed Major Weir, who was seated in the very back row, he saw he was deep in the Financial Times. The toilet was no smaller than a child’s coffin. If Rebus had been any wider, they’d have had to starve him out. He flushed, thinking of his urine splashing into the North Sea – as far as pollution went, a mere drop in the ocean – and tugged open the accordion doors. He slid into the seat across the aisle from the Major. The stewardess had been sitting there, but he could see her up front in the cockpit.
‘Any chance of a keek at the racing results?’
Major Weir lifted his eyes from the newsprint, swivelled his head to take in this strange new creature. The whole process couldn’t have taken longer than half a minute. He didn’t say anything.
‘We met yesterday,’ Rebus told him. ‘My name’s Detective Inspector Rebus. I know you don’t say much …’ he patted his jacket … ‘I’ve a notepad in my pocket if you need one.’
‘In your spare time, Inspector, are you some sort of comedian?’ The voice was a cultured drawl; urbane just about summed it up. But it was also dry, a little rusty.
‘Can I ask you something, Major? Why did you name your oilfield after an oatcake?’
Weir’s face reddened with sudden rage. ‘It’s short for Bannockburn!’
Rebus nodded. ‘Did we win that one?’
‘Don’t you know your history, laddie?’ Rebus shrugged. ‘I swear, sometimes I despair. You’re a Scot.’
‘So?’
‘So your past is important! You need to know it so you can learn.’
‘Learn what, sir?’
Weir sighed. ‘To borrow a phrase from a poet – a Scots poet, he was talking about words – that we Scots are “creatures tamed by cruelty”. Do you see?’
‘I think I’m having trouble focusing.’
Weir frowned. ‘Do you drink?’
‘Teetotal is my middle name.’ The Major grunted his satisfaction. ‘Trouble is,’ Rebus went on, ‘my first name’s Not-at-all.’
He got it eventually and grudged a frowning smile, the first time Rebus had seen the trick.
‘The thing is, sir, I’m up here —’
‘I know why you’re up here, Inspector. When I saw you yesterday, I had Hayden Fletcher find out who you were.’
‘Can I ask why?’
‘Because you stared back at me in the elevator. I’m not used to that sort of behaviour. It meant you didn’t work for me, and since you were with my personnel manager …’
‘You thought I was after a job?’
‘I meant to see to it you didn’t get one.’
‘I’m flattered.’
The Major looked at him again. ‘So why is my company flying you to Sullom Voe?’
‘I want to talk to a friend of Mitchison’s.’
‘Allan Mitchison.’
‘You knew him?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. I had Minchell report to me yesterday evening. I like to know everything that’s going on in my company. I have a question for you.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Could Mr Mitchison’s death have anything to do with T-Bird Oil?’
‘At the moment … I don’t think so.’
Major Weir nodded, lifted his newspaper to eye level. The interview was over.
16
Welcome to the Mainland,’ Rebus’s guide said, meeting him on the tarmac.
Major Weir had already been installed in a Range Rover and was speeding from the airfield. A row of helicopters stood
in repose nearby. The wind was … well, the wind was serious. It was flapping the helicopters’ rotor blades, and it was singing in Rebus’s ears. The Edinburgh wind was a pro; sometimes you walked out your front door and it was like being punched in the face. But the Shetland wind … it wanted to pick you up and shake you.
The descent had been rocky, but before that he’d had his first sighting of Shetland proper. ‘Miles and miles of bugger all’ didn’t do it justice. Hardly any trees, plenty of sheep. And spectacular barren coastline with white breakers crashing into it. He wondered if erosion was a problem. The islands weren’t exactly large. They’d crossed to the east of Lerwick, then passed some dormitory towns, which, according to Sheepskin’s commentary, had been mere hamlets in the 1970s. He’d woken up by then, and had come armed with a few more facts and fancies.
‘Know what we did? The oil industry, I mean? We kept Maggie Thatcher in power. Oil revenue paid for all those tax cuts. Oil revenue paid for the Falklands War. Oil was pumping through the veins of her whole fucking reign, and she never thanked us once. Not once, the bitch.’ He laughed. ‘You can’t help liking her.’
‘Apparently there are pills you can take.’ But Sheepskin wasn’t listening.
‘You can’t separate oil and politics. The sanctions against Iraq, whole point was to stop him flooding the market with cheap oil.’ He paused. ‘Norway, the bastards.’
Rebus felt he’d missed something. ‘Norway?’
‘They’ve got oil, too, only they’ve banked the money, used it to kickstart other industries. Maggie used it to pay for a war and a bloody election …’
As they swung out to sea past Lerwick, Sheepskin had pointed out some boats – bloody big boats.
‘Klondikers,’ he said. ‘Factory ships. They’re busy processing fish. Probably doing more environmental damage than the whole North Sea oil industry. But the locals just let them get on with it, they don’t give a bugger. Fishing’s a heritage thing with them … not like oil. Aah, fuck the lot of them.’
Rebus still hadn’t learned the man’s name when they parted on the runway. There was someone waiting for Rebus, a slight grinning man with too many teeth in his head. And he said, ‘Welcome to the Mainland.’ Then explained what he meant in the car, during the short trip to the Sullom Voe terminal. ‘That’s what Shetlanders call the main island: Mainland, as opposed to mainland with a small m, which means … well, the mainland.’ A snort for a laugh. He had to wipe his nose on the sleeve of his jacket. He drove the way a kid would when seated in its father’s car: bent forward, hands overly busy on the steering-wheel.
