REBUS The night after the trial, grinning, teflon coated, all the shite’s slid right off him and he’s grinning like he just ate it all with a spoon. Walking about the place, shaking hands, patting backs, soaking up the fake worship of his dark kingdom of fear...
CAFFERTY Oh fucking poetry now is it?... You should have seen this one Siobhan, he was barely standing, swaying and glowering like a drunken prize fighter who doesny know the count’s finished.
REBUS He has a word with the barman... And he’s gone. And there’s a drink in front of me...
CAFFERTY I bought him a drink. And this is what happened, because I bought him a drink...
REBUS ‘Mr Cafferty’s compliments, in appreciation of all you do to protect the citizens of Edinburgh...’
CAFFERTY What was wrong with that?
REBUS So aye, I followed him into the car park... There’s the fucker, no minders for once... He’s just standing there, having a smoke.
CAFFERTY See if I’d only quit sooner in life...
REBUS There’s the building timber. Aye. I picked it up. I swung at him... Walked two streets over. Dumped the two by two. Walked back. First officer at the scene. And there it was. Like a last chance. Like a neon sign flashing ‘Get them both John’ I saw Mordaunt’s van still parked up in the car park...
CAFFERTY If I’d only known then how much whisky he could sink and keep walking...
REBUS And a bar full of witnesses had seen Mordaunt nip through the back when Cafferty came in the front.
CAFFERTY Only way I can figure it is the wee bastard saw this clown roll up and was feart to get done for drink driving so he just ran home and left the van. Ironic, eh?
REBUS Cafferty went down. Mordaunt went down for it. Fucking result!
SIOBHAN What have you done?
REBUS It was done twenty-five years ago, what do you want?
SIOBHAN Steve Cant was lack lustre in court? I bet he bloody was! He knew didn’t he? The whole squad knew what you’d done...
REBUS Cheering me on.
SIOBHAN Were they? All of them? Are you sure there weren’t more than your boss worried about the day a miscarriage of justice might come back and bite us all? Mordaunt’s going to walk John!
REBUS I’m sorry.
SIOBHAN What do you want me to tell Angela’s father? That you’re sorry!? Jesus.
CAFFERTY So. Here’s the deal. He was first officer at the scene. He did inspect the evidence once it was located. A little cross contamination, not totally unbelievable eh? Without my sworn evidence of a clear view of his ugly mug it’s a bit of mud in the water at worst. I’ll withdraw that statement. Concussion, twenty-five years, failing memory, now I think about it I can’t be sure, no, I am sure, sure it couldn’t have been John Rebus, no, it was a much taller man, thinner, fitter, better looking, nothing like this wreck of an old police officer at all, can’t believe I ever made such a stupid mistake. They won’t even put me on the stand. Probably give up on the idea of even bringing the assault evidence into it. Police corruption? No. We’ll just forget about that. Let justice be done. Let Mordaunt burn. That sound like a good deal D.I. Clarke?
SIOBHAN What do you want Cafferty?
CAFFERTY Just... information.
SIOBHAN What kind of information?
CAFFERTY Things I need to know. As and when. The sort of thing a bright D.I. poised for promotion might happen to be able to pass on. I’ll be no bother at all, the odd phone call, the odd favour...
SIOBHAN And if I tell you to take a running jump off your patio there?
CAFFERTY Mordaunt walks and Rebus is up on charges of perverting justice and assault. So. Time to decide what’s most important to you Shiv.
SIOBHAN Don’t call me that!
REBUS is on the move.
REBUS (to SIOBHAN) Come on. We’re out of here.
SIOBHAN No...
REBUS Tell him to fuck off and let’s get out of here. What? You’re seriously thinking about this!?
SIOBHAN (quiet) I have to... don’t I?
REBUS No. No. Not happening. You’re not going to be his puppet. You’re not going to jump when he pulls your strings...
SIOBHAN Mordaunt’s going to walk free because you...! (she can’t go on) Don’t talk to me John. Don’t even... (she can’t speak for another moment. To CAFFERTY) Can I have a moment? I need to think.
CAFFERTY You can have a moment. No more.
REBUS What the fuck is there to think about! Tell him to do his worst! It doesny matter what happens to me now!
SIOBHAN And what happens to justice for Angela?! What happens to twenty-five years of work and hope and trying... I don’t give a fuck what happens to you now John. I seriously don’t give a fuck! (to CAFFERTY) I’m going outside. I’m going to walk round the Meadows. I’ll come back.
CAFFERTY Twenty minutes then. Don’t go wandering off.
SIOBHAN I won’t.
She’s leaving.
REBUS I’ll come with you.
SIOBHAN You’ll leave me alone!
She’s gone.
REBUS looks at CAFFERTY.
CAFFERTY That was worth waiting for. That was almost as good as I ever imagined.
REBUS moves.
CAFFERTY Don’t even try Strawman. There’s not enough breath left in you to hurt me.
REBUS hurls the bottle of wine at him. CAFFERTY lets it fly past.
CAFFERTY Fuck it. I’d rather drink vodka anyway.
REBUS has no attack left. Cafferty is getting a drink.
CAFFERTY Twenty-five years. Fucking flown by eh? You and me, head to head, think we’ve finally got a winner eh? Sweet, but kind of an easy win in the end. Not a contest of equals, but it’s been years since you could really give me a fight, eh Strawman? You let yourself go. No the will power to lay off the fags and booze. No the backbone to keep yourself in shape. It’s a basic thing see? Staying fit, staying ready. Bottom fucking line. There are still places in the world right now, hunners of them, where staying at the top means keeping the power to batter another man to pulp. The first time you do it, it’s terrifying, but after that, well you realise you’re just doing what the whole world does to get rich, only difference is you’re doing it with your own hands. History. Look at history. The guys with power were the ones who could win a battle with a fucking four-foot blade. I’d’ve been a king. Bottom. Line. Aye well, no those days is it? Need to move with the times. I’m a dancer Rebus. I’ve got the fucking moves. You’ve no even got the music. Shall we put on some music? While we’re waiting?