The big detective sighed. ‘There’s something else that’s come back to me,’ he said. ‘Things got pretty acrimonious between my ex and me when we split up, after I found out how she swung. During one of our last discussions she said she fancied my sister more than me. I never read anything into that either. But oh yes, Chief, you’re right. I was angry.’
‘That’s why you never told Alex about your marriage, isn’t it?’
Montell nodded. ‘Maybe she’ll understand now.’
‘She’d have understood before, if you’d trusted her enough to tell her, but you were afraid she’d let it slip to me, weren’t you?’
‘Just a bit. What a bollocks, eh?’ He looked Skinner in the eye. ‘Where do I go now, Chief? You say I’ve still got a career, but I’ve just committed a public order offence. What happens to me?’
‘Officially, nothing. Unofficially. . you were about two weeks away from making detective sergeant. That has to go on hold for a while, until tonight has gone to the back of people’s minds, and until the force gossip mill has run out of steam. But nobody’s going to get your slot.’
‘Thanks, sir. I don’t deserve any of that.’
Skinner smiled. ‘I’ll grant you that another chief constable might take a different view; but you got my daughter out of a very nasty situation once. I owe you, Griff.’ He paused. ‘Now get the fuck out of here, lad, go on. You know what you’ve got to do; I’ll give you a head start.’
Montell nodded. He opened the door and stepped back into the hall. The chief constable stayed behind, listening. After around a minute, the music stopped in mid-track, and crackling sounds came through the speakers as a microphone was picked up. ‘Can I have your attention, please?’ a South African voice asked, then waited until the buzz stilled. ‘Most of you here tonight know me,’ it continued. ‘For the rest of you, I’m a complete wanker who’s just proved the fact in the most embarrassing way possible. I’d like to apologise to all of you for chucking cold water all over your evening, and I’d like to pick out three people to express my deepest regret. The first is Alice, who doesn’t deserve to be alongside the likes of me. The second is Mary, Superintendent Chambers, who’s as good a cop as there is in this room, and as good a person too. And the third is my sister, who I’ve just learned has been walking on eggshells around me for years, when in truth she never had to, because I love her above all other considerations, and because whatever she’s for is OK with me. Finally I’d just like to say that I’m going to leave you to enjoy the rest of the night.’ Skinner could hear a few calls of ‘No!’ from the floor, then a few more, until finally they became general. ‘Ah but I have to,’ Montell called out, through the mike. ‘Alice has just told me that she’s never been to the Pompadour Restaurant in the Caley Hotel, and that the only thing that’s going to stop her from taking my balls home in her handbag is if she goes there tonight; that’s assuming they let me in with this shirt on. So we’ll love you all and leave you. Sorry again.’
The chief constable made a mental note to knock a few weeks off the penitent’s period of purdah, then stepped back out into the hall. Alex was waiting outside the door. She looked him up and down, as if for signs of dishevelment. ‘Did you have to beat that out of him?’ she asked. ‘Pops, he’s twenty years younger than you and bigger. Jack and Ray could have handled him.’
‘I doubt if they could, the mood he was in. But even if they had, all they could have done was bounce him, and it would have become a disciplinary thing. As it is, it’s history. Come on, let’s get back to the bar. This is a police do; some bugger will have nicked our drinks.’
Sauce and his girlfriend, in the middle of a group of dancers, watched them as they skirted the floor. ‘She’s quite a looker, your boss’s daughter,’ Cheeky commented. ‘I reckon she could pull any bloke in here, if she wanted.’
‘Not this one.’
‘Aw, that’s nice.’ She glanced around the room, looking towards the main door, just as Montell and Cowan were leaving, then laid her head on his chest. ‘I’ve got a confession to make,’ she murmured.
‘What’s that?’ he asked, a little anxiously.
‘That business has put a bit of a damper on the night for me. I don’t like upsets, Sauce.’
‘Then we’ll go somewhere else. What do you fancy?’
‘You, big boy. Let’s just go back to yours and take up where we left off the other night.’
‘Suits me.’ He frowned. ‘I’ve got a golf tie tomorrow, midday; fancy pulling my trolley?’
She grinned up at him. ‘That’s the best piece of innuendo I’ve heard in a month of Sundays. I’ll pull anything you like, lover. Come on, let’s head.’
Alex watched them, over her father’s shoulder, as they headed for the door. ‘She’s a nice kid,’ she remarked, as she raised her Budweiser bottle towards her lips. ‘Young Sauce has done all right for himself.’
Bob grinned. ‘That takes a bit of getting used to, you know.’
‘What does?’
‘Hearing you refer to somebody as a kid.’
‘Hey, I’m a long way off being the youngest person in this room,’ she pointed out, glancing towards the entrance, just as Sauce and Cheeky made their way out, his arm around her shoulders. And then her expression changed. The laugh left her eyes and the smile left her lips, as her gaze locked on to a man who stood just inside the door. He was in conversation with Ray Wilding, but had the look of someone who wanted to escape. He was around six feet tall, heavy-shouldered, with blond curly hair and green eyes that she knew only too well. ‘Oh fuck,’ she hissed, as he left the detective sergeant and headed in their direction. ‘Just when the night was taking a turn for the better. Pops, I’m out of here.’ Bob stared at her, dumbstruck, as she laid the bottle on the bar and slung her bag over her shoulder.
‘What. .’ he began, as she started to leave. . only to be forestalled by the newcomer’s arrival.
‘I’m sorry, Alex,’ said Andy Martin. ‘I’d no idea you’d be here, but I need to speak to your dad.’
‘Sure,’ she snapped. ‘Well, the last thing I need is to be the sandwich filling between you two.’ She glared up at Bob. ‘Did you know he was coming here?’
Skinner turned to face the new arrival. ‘I promise you I didn’t,’ he said, grimly. ‘You wouldn’t have been here if I had, but neither would he. Who told you about this?’ he demanded.
‘A source who will remain nameless,’ Martin replied. ‘But it isn’t exactly a secret, is it? Bob, I’m sorry, but I really do need to talk to you. Since you’re never available when I try your office, I haven’t been left with much option but to waylay you.’
The chief constable looked him in the eye, as he weighed up the situation. ‘OK,’ he decided. ‘There’s a table in the corner. Let’s go over there before we draw too much attention and you can say what you have to. Alex, this won’t take too long. Hang around and I’ll take you home when we’re done.’
She shook her head. ‘You take as long as he needs, Pops. Don’t worry about it; I’ll grab a taxi. See you, Andy. How’s the baby, by the way?’ She turned and walked away before he could answer.
‘I don’t reckon what’s broken between you will ever be repaired, Andy,’ said her father, looking after her. ‘Nor should it be.’
‘I’m not trying,’ Martin told him, as he led the way towards the empty corner table.
Mary Chambers started towards them as they sat, but a quick look from the chief constable warned her off. ‘So,’ he said, coldly. ‘Why do you need to talk to me? Are you going to tell me who tipped you off that I’d be here, so that I can gut the bastard?’
‘First off, thanks for the gift you sent for Robert. I appreciated it.’
‘It has fuck all to do with you. It’s for the boy, just as Danielle’s investment bond is all hers. They’re tied up till each of them turn eighteen. Now stop prevaricating; what’s this about?’
‘Bob, I’m sorry, heart sorry, about what happened between me and Alex, and the way it all went public.’
‘It didn’t go public, remember. My kid doesn’t work for the best law firm in Scotland for nothing. And the guy who took those candid camera snaps is in a place where he can’t try to flog them to anyone else.’