There’s a scream off.
HEATHER (off stage) Shit! No! Nooooo!
REBUS moves quickly into—
Stairwell, Arden Street
ANDY is crawling down the stairs, bleeding. He collapses. REBUS hurries to him. Checking him. He’s phoning. HEATHER appears further up the stairs, she’s in bits.
HEATHER Look at him! Look!
REBUS (on phone) Police and ambulance... possible assault... 17 Arden Street...
HEATHER comes slowly down the stairs, staring at ANDY in horror.
REBUS (on phone) I don’t know. He’s bleeding out, multiple stab wounds... Just get here!
REBUS is trying to stop the bleeding. It’s too late. HEATHER is backing off down the stairs, horrified.
HEATHER He’s dead isn’t he? He’s dead...
HEATHER is running.
REBUS Heather wait... Heather... Heather!
She’s gone. REBUS crouches over ANDY’S body.
Act Two
Rebus’s Arden Street flat/dream
REBUS puts a record on, ‘Take the Weather’ by Crowded House. He stands looking out the window, listening to it. ANGELA steps out of the shadows, dancing, laughing.
ANGELA You can’t dance to this!
She’s not talking to REBUS but he answers her.
REBUS No.
ANGELA is looking at someone else. MORDAUNT steps out of the dark, smiling at ANGELA. Like the young woman he’s not really there.
MORDAUNT You can. Not many girls with the confidence to dance on their own like that. You know you look good eh?
ANGELA stops dancing.
MORDAUNT Don’t stop. Aw I’ve put you off. Sorry. Didny mean to stare. It’s just you’re a really good dancer. Are you a professional?
ANGELA (laughing) What? No!
MORDAUNT Not many girls with the confidence to dance on their own like that. You know you look good eh?
ANGELA It’s just boring sitting drinking. I’d rather dance.
MORDAUNT I can’t. Bad leg. My sister does though. She’s training to be a dancer. You could get on a course like hers. She started out here and now she’s dancing in London.
ANGELA For real?
MORDAUNT Aye, come and meet her, she’s just outside having a fag.
ANGELA hesitates.
ANGELA I can’t leave my friends...
MORDAUNT Aye come on. She clocked you earlier. She thinks you’re a great dancer too. Just come outside for a quick word.
MORDAUNT is leading ANGELA into the shadows. REBUS moves to stop them. But MORDAUNT is suddenly gone and ANGELA turns on him, attacking.
ANGELA What are you going to do John? Stop him? Save me?
REBUS I can’t.
ANGELA No. You can’t. He already did his worst. It was horrible John. So horrible. I was so frightened, he hurt me so much, and I just prayed and prayed and begged to live... But I didn’t. He killed me. It wasn’t quick and I knew I was dying.
REBUS He won’t get away with it. I won’t let it happen.
ANGELA If he does, it’s on you John. Your fault!
Rebus’s Arden Street flat/dawn
REBUS wakes abruptly in an armchair. ANGELA is gone. A young woman DETECTIVE is sitting opposite him, taking his statement.
DETECTIVE Are we keeping you up, Mr Rebus?
REBUS Sorry, just... long night.
DETECTIVE Sun’s coming up now.
REBUS (looking) So it is.
DETECTIVE So... you believe the deceased, Andrew Lamont to have been dealing drugs...
REBUS Just low key I think, wee packets of skunk to get him better drinking money, maybe pills for the weekend ravers but...
DETECTIVE (cutting in) And you didn’t report this?
REBUS No. I dealt with it.
DETECTIVE Dealt with it?
REBUS I’d moved him on. (as she stares at him accusingly) Look, I don’t know what success rate the drugs squad are getting from busting wee dope heids these days, but when you want to catch the big fish, in my day, you...
DETECTIVE (cutting him off) Aye I’m guessing there’s a lot different from your day.
REBUS Look, you don’t want to believe all the stories you hear about me, I...
DETECTIVE (cutting him off again) What stories? I’ve not heard any stories. I didn’t know you’d ever been a policeman till you told me Mr Rebus.
REBUS When did you join the force?
DETECTIVE Five years ago.
REBUS You don’t look old enough.
DETECTIVE And you don’t know anything else about the other witness, Heather Ross?
REBUS She’s Maggie Towler’s daughter.
DETECTIVE Who?
REBUS A murder. Before your time. Everyone’s forgotten except me. And wee Heather.
The DETECTIVE is on the move.
DETECTIVE Well if you see ‘wee Heather’ again, tell her we’re needing a word. Were you planning on going anywhere this morning sir?
REBUS Don’t know yet.
DETECTIVE Well can I ask you to wait in for a few hours. My boss might want another word.