REBUS You’re going to the trial?
CAFFERTY Beats daytime television. Have you seen ‘Homes under the Hammer’?
REBUS I know where I’d like to put the hammer.
CAFFERTY What are you doing with yourself all day, when you’re not looking for me?
REBUS I keep busy.
CAFFERTY Talking to ghosts. So what did you want to ask me?
REBUS Have Mordaunt’s defence team contacted you?
CAFFERTY Now. Why would you be asking that? Mordaunt dunts me on the heid in 1992 and you think his defence might want to talk to me? Prosecution maybe... but the defence? What would put an idea like that in your head?
REBUS Have they?
CAFFERTY Maybe they have. How did you guess that?
REBUS Maybe I’m still a detective after all.
CAFFERTY In which case you shouldn’t be talking to me, should you?
REBUS What are you playing at Cafferty? Why would you help Mordaunt? What’s in it for you?
CAFFERTY I can think of almost nothing on this earth I’d enjoy more than seeing that piece of filth nailed down so he canny get up for the rest of his shrivelled wee life.
REBUS So what are you doing?
CAFFERTY Almost nothing I’d enjoy more.
REBUS realises.
REBUS It’s you isn’t it? Shit it’s you. You’re the mystery witness for the defence!
CAFFERTY How could I help Mordaunt, the man who attacked me?
REBUS By saying it wasny him that attacked you at all! This is your idea of a game is it? You know this is the conviction half of Police Scotland have wanted for twenty-five years and you’re going to piss on our bonfire, just for the hell of it?
CAFFERTY I never saw who attacked me. Did I? He was a cowardly piece of shite that whacked me when my back was turned. But I don’t like the idea the wrong cowardly shite took the rap for that John. That offends my sense of justice.
REBUS Your sense of what?
CAFFERTY is on the move.
CAFFERTY Listen. This is a bigger conversation. I’m running late. Places to go, people to see, you know how it is. Keeping busy. Why don’t you come over to my place tonight? Come and see the view. Let me repay your extravagant hospitality. Spot of dinner at mine.
REBUS Dinner parties? What’s next? Saga cruises and National Trust membership?
CAFFERTY There’s a working lift, no worries about getting your old legs up to the seventh floor. Home delivery from a Michelin starred chef...
REBUS Stop fucking playing with me and tell me what’s going on!
CAFFERTY I hope you’ve got someone keeping an eye on your blood pressure John, you’ve gone a terrible colour there. Come round tonight. I’ll explain the deal then.
REBUS What deal? I’m not making deals with you.
CAFFERTY You don’t have to. Seven for seven thirty. Alright? You know where I am, no need to bring a bottle. I’m well sorted.
REBUS Aye and you’ll be well sorted out when I fill the defence team in on the quality of their witness. I don’t think a man who’s never knowingly embraced the truth in any court of law is going to make much of a star witness. Do you?
CAFFERTY See, the way I heard it... there’s some suspicion the police have a habit of getting a bit creative with evidence, in their natural eagerness to see Mordaunt go down. The defence is going to ask for a reexamination of the DNA evidence from the attack on me. But you knew that, didn’t you? It’s an amazing thing, isn’t it an amazing thing? They’ve still got the stick of wood the guy whacked me with. Stupid bastard kicked it under a car two streets away. Careless, might have been pissed. Do you think he was maybe pissed John? They’ve got tiny tiny traces from that stick, wee scales of skin, that’s all they need now — wee scales of skin from whoever held that bit of wood twenty-five years ago, and then they’ll know who he is. And if it wasn’t Mordaunt that’ll raise a few questions about the quality of all the forensic evidence eh? Most dust is actually human skin scales. Did you know that? You should buy a hoover John, you’re choking on DNA in here.
CAFFERTY is almost gone.
REBUS A court’s already decided who hit you Ger, it was Mordaunt.
CAFFERTY That’s no who I saw.
REBUS You didny see anyone.
CAFFERTY How do you know?
REBUS You said you couldn’t see your attacker.
CAFFERTY I couldny remember at first. I was laid up in the Royal Infirmary with a crack in my heid.
REBUS But now it’s all coming back to you. It’s a miracle.
CAFFERTY Think what you like but basically I’m an honest man John. I don’t have to lie my way out of trouble. Always thought that was a sign of weakness.
REBUS So be honest. You never saw his face. Did you?
CAFFERTY No.
REBUS Then stop playing your games and let us get a clear shot at Mordaunt...
CAFFERTY I didny need to see his face. I saw his shoes. Last thing I saw before it all went dark. Beautiful polished shoes. Shoes buffed to a shine only a man with the army in his DNA could ever bring off. I saw my dying face in those shoes John. Or I thought I did. I’m prepared to swear I would have recognised them anywhere.
He’s looking at REBUS’S shoes.
CAFFERTY Let’s have a look at your shoes John? No quite as shiny these days. Ah well. Standards are slipping. Nothing’s quite what it was in 1992 but the memories live on. As we started so we’ll finish. But I think it’s my turn to give the killer blow. Eh John? I’ll see you tonight and I’ll tell you the deal. Smart casual, what you’re wearing’s fine. Don’t even need to buff up your shoes.
CAFFERTY leaves. REBUS is frozen. ANGELA walks out of the dark and looks at him, reproachful.
ANGELA You weren’t paying attention John, were you? You’ll have no time for me and Maggie now, will you? It’s all about your secrets now eh? Poor wee dead Maggie. No justice for her today. No justice for her or me any day.