A Taste of Ashes (DI Bob Valentine Book 2)

by Tony Black

  ‘I believe you gatecrashed our press conference, Major.’ He didn’t feel comfortable with first name terms so soon.

  Martin spluttered a polite laugh. ‘Come on, Bob, you weren’t here and we needed someone with authority to head things up. Tom helped out at my behest.’

  He couldn’t confirm it, not just now anyway, but to his ear it sounded like Dino was altering her accent, stretching her vowels. He had certainly never heard her use a word like behest before. West-coast Scots were embarrassed by the way they sounded in wider company, their lack of BBC pronunciation had created the mangled, laughing-stock accents the likes of Lulu, and now Martin, adopted.

  ‘Oh, really, you just helped us out.’ The DI turned to face the major. ‘Bit convenient that you happened to be in the area.’

  Rutherford never got a chance to answer – Martin cut in – ‘Well we’re grateful he was.’

  The major’s thin smile seemed to linger a little too long before he spoke. ‘Perhaps I should make myself scarce, until you two have had a chance to catch up.’

  ‘That won’t be necessary, will it, Bob?’

  ‘Not at all. The Major is pretty near the top of my catch-up list right now, I wouldn’t want to let the opportunity slide.’

  ‘I’ve already informed your superior officer of all I’m prepared to say about our mutual interest.’ The blunt, clipped tone was there to put the DI in his place.

  ‘I don’t think I made myself clear, Tom, this is a murder investigation that I’m conducting. The law is very clear about how we treat the act of killing in civilised society. I’m sure it’s very different in a war zone, but we like to get to the bottom of things here.’

  ‘That’s enough, Bob.’ The CS’s old tone had returned.

  ‘I don’t believe it is, not by a long stroke. Or any kind of stroke, and that was some stroke you pulled coming down here and derailing my press conference.’

  ‘Bob …’

  ‘I’m not finished, yet. Not with Major Rutherford or with Darren Millar or James Tulloch, another Royal Highland Fusilier, though I’m sure you know that, Tom.’

  ‘Right, Bob. Thank you, you can leave us the same way you came in.’ Martin stood up and pointed to the door like she was directing traffic. ‘I’ll speak to you later, Inspector, keep your phone on. And by the way, I haven’t forgotten about the divi commander’s team-building exercise, I’ll see you about that soon too.’

  Valentine rose, nodded to the major, whose smile was now back in place, creeping up the side of his face. It didn’t seem like the time for parting handshakes so Valentine tapped his brow in a mocking salute.

  In the hallway the DI tried to process what he had just been part of. It was like an old-school-tie gathering that he’d worn the wrong colours to. Martin was on instinctual suck-up mode, rank always impressed her but paired to haughty arrogance like Rutherford’s she was helpless. The implications for the investigation worried Valentine, neither of them could get in the way of real justice, but they could both slow it down a great deal. He didn’t think Martin was stupid enough to consciously intervene, but she was vain enough to get caught up in the machinations of an old boys’ network that wanted to serve its own ends. He didn’t know what it was they were hiding but if he was to have any chance of discovering that – and keeping Rutherford out of his investigation – then he’d have to make it a priority.

  ‘Christ almighty.’ He removed his mobile phone, called McAlister.

  ‘Hello, boss.’

  ‘I take it Phil’s driving?’

  ‘Yeah, and if they ever make a Miss Daisy 2 …’

  ‘Tell him to plant the bloody foot. I want you at the barracks yesterday.’

  ‘I presume things didn’t go well with Dino?’

  ‘When do they ever, Ally? She’s surpassed herself this time, though.’

  ‘Meaning?’

  ‘She’s cosying up to our army buddy, half expected him to get his bugle out and let her give it a spit and polish.’

  ‘Oh aye.’

  ‘It was not a pretty sight, let me tell you. And I can tell you this, if it continues we’re going to be the ones suffering.’

  ‘It’s already an uphill struggle, boss.’

  ‘Don’t I know it. Look, I want you to get moving, we’ll have to get this army angle looked into right away; who knows what kind of obstacles Rutherford will start throwing in our way if he thinks he’s got Dino backing him.’

  ‘Yes, boss.’

  ‘And do not take any bullshit from shiny arses at the barracks, in or out of uniform.’ He injected a threat into his order: ‘Trust me, if you come back empty-handed I’ll have you both re-posted as dog-handlers in John O’Groats!’

  25

  Jade Millar awoke to the sound of a newspaper being rustled by her bed. There was another sound, voices – Niall’s and Darry’s – that seemed to be increasing in volume. She sat up, tried to focus her gaze on the pair of them but they remained a blur. Just two bodies separated by an expanse of white paper. She rubbed her eyeballs, yawned and forced her cold feet into the trainers that sat next to the bed.

  ‘What’s going on?’ she said.

  ‘Oh, you’re finally awake?’ said Niall. ‘This is what’s going on!’ He grabbed the newspaper from Darry and ran to her side of the room. ‘Look, look at this.’

  At first, Jade didn’t want to look. She wanted to stand in the shower, get some breakfast, coffee maybe. If this was the way the day was starting then it was not a good start at all. Just what was Niall doing with a newspaper? She’d never seen him with a newspaper, never known him to read one, they were so last century.

  ‘What am I looking at?’ She took the paper, squinted. The words and pictures on the page became even more of a blur, then started to move in and out of focus.

  ‘There!’ Darry dived behind her on the bed and stuck a finger towards the page. ‘Read it. Sound familiar?’

  There was a picture of a group of men sitting at a desk behind nameplates and a water carafe, they looked a serious lot. As she read the caption beneath the picture she registered that they were police and something inside her chimed with recent events. A constricting panic gripped her chest.

  ‘Oh my God.’

  ‘Exactly,’ said Darry. ‘It’s Jim Tulloch they’re there for, you know the rest so you don’t need to read on, except for the last paragraph.’ Her brother rocked the bed where they sat as he got up, moved to the hallway and reached for his jacket.

  Jade’s stomach was starting to turn over as she read the final comments on the newspaper story, a late addition which had clearly been appended after the reporter had filed the copy. ‘Mum. They’ve found Mum.’

  Niall put an arm around her. ‘She’s in the hospital.’

  ‘What, why? What’s wrong with her?’

  Darry was at the door again, fastening his jacket. ‘That’s what I’m going to find out.’

  ‘But you can’t,’ said Jade, gripping her stomach now. ‘What about me?’

  ‘You’ve got Niall there, and he’s got a baseball bat that nearly stoved my head in to look after you.’

  Niall gripped Jade’s shoulders tighter. ‘We’ll be fine, Darry. Go and see how your mum is.’

  Darry walked towards his sister, removed his hands from his pockets and placed them on either side of her face. There were tears on her cheeks, he rubbed them away with his thumbs. ‘Jade, I know it’s not been easy, but it’s over now, mostly. You just need to keep it together for a little while longer and then we’ll be fine, just like we were before.’

  She looked up. ‘Before he came?’

  Darry nodded. ‘Just like before.’

  ‘It won’t be like when Dad was still here, though.’ She tightened her hold on her stomach.

  ‘No, Jade, Dad’s gone but so’s Tulloch. There’s just you, me and Mum now.’

  ‘And …’ She turned to her boyfriend and flung a hand to her mouth but it wasn’t enough to stem the rapid vomiting.’

&nbs
p; ‘Jade,’ said Niall. ‘You OK?’

  Darry stepped away, cleared a space for his sister to run to the bathroom. ‘Let her through.’

  Niall retreated to the wall, then followed after Jade. Darry held him back. ‘It’s all right, she’s fine.’

  ‘She’s just been sick.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. Just look after her while I’m away, Niall. Stay inside and stay away from the windows, keep the curtains drawn too. And if anyone comes to the door ignore it.’

  The young lad didn’t look too sure, his gaze still locked on the bathroom door. ‘OK.’

  ‘And here, take these for you and Jade.’ He handed over a little plastic bag full of SIM cards. ‘I have all the numbers saved into my phone, they can’t trace us if we keep changing them.’

  ‘But what about you?’

  ‘I have a bunch of them too, we have to keep changing them, after every call. Do you understand?’

  He nodded. ‘I’ll make sure Jade knows, too … Shouldn’t you get going?’

  Darry made a final glance around the room, as if making sure he hadn’t left anything, then ran back to the bed and raised the mattress. He patted the divan with his free hand and retrieved a small package, wrapped in a ripped Tesco carrier. ‘I won’t leave this here with Jade the way she is.’

  ‘What is it?’ said Niall.

  Darry opened the bag, removed a filthy oil cloth. Inside was a worn, black pistol.

  ‘Christ, where did you get that?’

  ‘I could tell you,’ he raised the Luger to Niall’s head, ‘but I’d have to kill you.’

  Niall pushed the handgun away. ‘Bugger off. That’s not funny. Is it loaded?’

  ‘Don’t concern yourself with that.’ He tucked the pistol inside his coat and walked through the door.

  It didn’t seem right to be hiding away in Fin’s flat, it made her feel like she was the one in trouble, but what had she done really? Jade didn’t want to feel the way she did, like a criminal. Tulloch had made her feel bad enough, for long enough. He was the one that should feel bad but he couldn’t feel anything now. That didn’t seem right either. Tulloch was gone but they were all still suffering because of him; why should he be the one to get away from all of this?

  Things would be different when Tulloch was out of their lives, surely. She should feel different, but she didn’t, not really. If anything, she felt worse, she hated him more. The problem had increased, spread to more people. Darry and Niall were all wrapped up in it now, and so was her mum. She couldn’t think about her mum without sobbing. It wasn’t right, her mum didn’t deserve any of this.

  As she cried, Jade saw her mum in hospital, wired up to machines with nurses rushing around her. What had happened? Would she ever see her again? It was her fault, wasn’t it? Jade accepted the blame, it was all her doing in the end. She was trapped, the flat was like a prison cell and she wanted her mum. If she was going to die she wasn’t going to die in a hospital bed, with Darry watching over her. The images intensified, grew in her mind. She saw herself getting the news from Darry. ‘Mum’s dead … She asked for you, at the end …’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Jade, what’s up?’ Niall called from inside the bathroom.

  She ran from the bedroom into the hall, yanked the main door open and ran onto the stairwell.

  At the sound of the door smashing into the wall Niall ran into the hall holding a white towel round his waist, ‘Jade … Jade … come back.’ He ran to the window at the front of the hallway and tugged back the blind. ‘Jade … Jade …’ She was bolting down the street, the white soles of her trainers flashing on every step as she made off.

  Niall stood at the window, staring down the street until Jade was out of view. As she disappeared he planted his wet brow on the windowpane and closed his eyes. He had only closed his eyes for a few seconds when he reopened them and found himself returning another intense gaze.

  ‘Who the bloody hell are you?’ he mouthed, trying hard not to permit lip-reading. The man was stout, in his fifties and wearing a black leather jacket that stopped just beyond his waist. Niall looked the man up and down, black trousers and shoes too, and a black shirt. ‘It’s a country and western get-up, surely.’

  Niall laughed as the man walked towards the building, but his amusement subsided the closer the man got. He never once let his stare drop, even as he was falling from view. When he was gone, Niall yanked his hand from the blinds and turned back to the now empty flat. He saw his wet footprints on the lino, following all the way down the hall to where he stood at the window. The main door was still open, swaying on its hinges; the sound of heavy footsteps echoed up the stairwell.

  He started to shiver as a shrill blast of cold blew down the hallway. Niall cradled his chest in his arms, gripped at his elbows. Down the hall, beyond the stand where the coats hung, he saw the baseball bat but the weapon was cut from view when the door burst open. Another man, taller, younger, still in black leather but without hair stood in the open hall.

  ‘Who’re you?’ said Niall.

  The man didn’t speak. He turned away, looked into the flat. ‘You on your own?’

  ‘I am now.’

  ‘Where’s the girl?’

  ‘Gone.’

  ‘Where to?’

  Niall shrugged. ‘She never told me. She doesn’t tell me everything.’

  ‘And you expect me to believe that? What about Fin, the owner of this flat that you’re staying in, where’s he?’

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘You’re not sure?’

  ‘Not exactly. I mean, he’s moving about.’

  The second man strolled through the door, hands in the pockets of his jacket. ‘What about my money, I take it that’s on the move with him?’

  ‘What money?’

  The men stared at Niall, his thin shoulders white against the dark wall. He was still shivering. A small pool of water had gathered at his feet.

  ‘I hope you’re not going to play silly buggers with us, son.’

  ‘Tell me what you want.’

  The two men looked at each other, then turned away without speaking.

  The bald man closed the door, started to remove his jacket. ‘You’re going to tell us where Finnie and the money are but first I’m going to have a wee bit of fun finding out.’

  26

  Valentine eased open the door of the incident room and called out to DS McCormack. She was seated in front of a computer, staring at the screen as she wagged a pencil beside her ear. She looked deep in thought, but snapped out of it when she heard the DI’s voice.

  ‘Sylvia, grab your coat,’ said Valentine. ‘And can you grab mine for me too?’ He let the door swing closed and as he was turning, a rushing DI Harris halted in his stride and put out a hand. ‘How goes it, Bob?’

  The detective’s expression, especially the glowering gaze, said it all. ‘Do you really want an answer to that, Eddy?’

  ‘Probably not, judging by the kip of you.’ He placed a palm flat on the wall, exposing a chunky gold watch. ‘Not got the building blocks down on the murder case, then?’

  ‘Not got the blocks delivered, yet.’

  Harris drummed fingers on the wall, the watch rattled in accompaniment. ‘I was hoping to grab five minutes with you.’

  ‘Not now Eddy, I have the victim’s partner in Ayr Hospital just coming round after a hit and run.’

  ‘Oh, yeah, the scrambler on the High Street. Another daft wee boy racer who’s going to find himself in more grief than he bargained for.’

  ‘He’ll not be playing Kick Start in this town again, put it that way. Look, what were you after anyway?’ He glanced into the office, McCormack was picking up his jacket, folding it over her arm.

  ‘Norrie Leask, some very strange goings on with him at the moment.’

  ‘Really? Is there another kind of goings on with that nut-job?’

  Harris eased away from the wall and smoothed the edges of his moustache, as if he was trying to aff
ect a more serious look. ‘Even by Leask’s standards he’s hyper. You might say, jumpy.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘Has been rattling a lot of cages in the town, putting the big threat about here and there, which in itself isn’t unusual for Leask but nobody’s saying why, and that is unusual.’

  Valentine listened to the DI but was puzzled why the normally cagey Harris was being so open with the details of his case. ‘There’s been a crime, a serious one. Nobody wants to be involved, that’s how it works,’ said Valentine; he retrieved his coat from McCormack as she appeared in the hallway.

  ‘Who are we talking about?’ said McCormack.

  ‘Norrie Leask. Local psycho-cum-club owner. Runs a place called the Meat Hangers.’

  The DS’s expression altered, she pointed back to the incident room. ‘I’ve just been reading about that place on James Tulloch’s file.’

  Harris switched his attention from Valentine to McCormack. ‘Isn’t Tulloch your victim?’

  ‘Yes, he’s ex-army,’ said McCormack, ‘but he was working as a jumped-up bouncer recently, some sort of nightclub security. I’m sure the file said he was employed at the Meat Hangers.’

  Valentine pushed open the office door, stamped back towards the PC that McCormack had just been sitting at. He started to scroll down the screen. ‘Where did you see this, Sylvia?’

  ‘Just there!’ she pointed on the screen. ‘Yeah, there it is … Employer name, Leask, Meat Hangers nightclub.’

  Harris had joined them. ‘Jesus …’

  ‘He’s not going to help Norrie Leask when I get hold of him.’

  ‘We should bring him in, sir,’ said McCormack. ‘See if he feels talkative.’

  ‘I know where he is,’ said Harris. ‘We’ve been keeping a shadow on him temporarily.’

  ‘Only temporary?’

  ‘You know how Dino is with budgets just now, Bob. We could only follow his movements in office hours, there’s no time-and-a-half going this weather, especially when we don’t have anything on him.’