‘I blocked his number.’
Gilchrist’s smile turned to a chuckle. ‘He’ll be jumping up and down.’
‘Not in my house, I hope. He’d go through the floorboards.’
When Gilchrist pulled up to the kerb at Canongate, Jessie said, ‘It doesn’t look like he’s here.’ She opened the door. ‘Back in a jiffy.’
Gilchrist waited until she slipped inside, then called the Anstruther Office and asked if they had managed to secure the search warrant for Cauldwood Cottage. He was convinced the BMW had not been lent out. It had to be in the barn. But when the news came back that the warrant had been denied because of insufficient evidence, he cursed and killed the connection.
Next he called Stan. ‘We’ll be with you in another five minutes.’
‘Okay, boss. I’m back in the Office, at my computer.’
Something in the tone of his voice had Gilchrist pressing the mobile hard to his ear. ‘You sound concerned, old son.’
‘You need to see this, boss. I’m not sure.’ A pause, then, ‘I haven’t shown it to anyone else. But I think we’ve got trouble.’
Gilchrist gave Stan’s words some thought. ‘Trouble?’ he said. ‘As in, el shito is about to hit el fano?’
‘Got it in one, boss.’
‘Good,’ said Gilchrist. ‘I’m in the right mood for that.’
CHAPTER 26
Jessie climbed back into the Merc and slammed the door shut with a force that should have broken its hinges.
‘Couldn’t find a clean pair?’ Gilchrist tried.
She glared at him for a hard moment, then said, ‘If anyone threatens my son, I swear to God I’ll have them. I really mean it. I don’t care how high up the police tree they are.’
‘Or how fat they are?’
She paused for a second. ‘That fat prick. He’s really done it this time.’ She clicked her seat belt into place, then looked to the upstairs bedroom window and blew a kiss.
Robert looked down at her, gave a wave in response, then slipped from view.
Gilchrist pushed into gear. ‘Is he okay?’
‘He’s fine. Now. But he was worried earlier.’
‘What happened?’
‘You know I’ve blocked Jabba’s number. But oh, no, he still doesn’t get it. So he came round this morning looking for me. When he found out I was at work, he was not happy. Then he tried to play the big Mick with Robert, show him how good a dad he could be, telling him that he wanted to take him to the new flat that he thinks we’re going to move into.’
‘Does Jabba know sign language?’
‘You know, Andy, you can be a right plonker at times.’
Well, he wasn’t going to argue about that.
‘No, he doesn’t know sign language. He wrote it down.’ She had her mobile out and was scrolling through her Call Log. ‘Look at this,’ she said. ‘Four numbers I never answered. I knew they would be from him, trying to call me from someone else’s phone. Maybe I need to block these-’
‘What did Robert do?’ Gilchrist interrupted.
‘Nothing. He just let Jabba know that I would be back later. Then Jabba sees Robert’s mobile lying on the table, so he picks it up and tries to call me using that. He knows I’ll always answer a call from Robert. Anyway, he’s fiddling with it and Robert tries to grab it off him. Well…’
Gilchrist accelerated on to Bridge Street. ‘Well what?’
‘He pushed Robert away, and Robert tripped and banged his head on the floor.’
‘Is he all right?’
‘He’s a bit shaken, but nothing’s broken. That’s not the point. I can’t have that fat prick entering my home and laying hands on my son.’ She scrolled through her Contacts, found a number, and pressed the mobile to her ear.
Gilchrist stared at the road ahead. This was not good. Having an affair – albeit a short-lived one – with a fellow detective was one thing. Harassing her to go out with him, despite being told in no uncertain terms to piss off, was another. But entering her home uninvited, when she was not there, and pushing her son around was beyond a joke.
‘Lachie. It’s me. No, no, you listen. I am not having you-’ Gilchrist glanced at her – lips pressed tight, eyes glistening with tears. The tinny echo of Lachie’s rattling voice left him in no doubt that he was telling her off.
‘No, Lachie, listen… No, that’s not true… No, no, it’s not. Will you listen-’
Gilchrist eased the car on to North Street and accelerated up the hill.
‘Okay, Lachie, you do what you have to do. But I’m telling you, that’s it. You just stay away from me. You hear? Just stay away.’ She stared at the mobile in her hand for a long moment, then looked at Gilchrist. ‘He hung up. Can you believe that?’
‘Would you like some help?’ Gilchrist said.
‘If you’re any good at dumping body parts in the middle of the ocean, big fat ones, then, yeah, I’d like all the help you can give me.’
Gilchrist frowned as he drove on while Jessie glared out the window. Minutes later, he pulled off North Street and drove through the pend into the Office car park. He switched off the engine, but neither of them made any effort to move.
‘Want to talk about it?’ he said.
She sniffed. ‘I don’t know.’
‘If he’s threatening you, or harassing you, or bullying your son, you can take legal action against him.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t want to do that to him.’
‘Why not?’
‘What’s wrong with me?’ She turned to look at him. ‘I mean, as fat as he is, he’s got a good heart, and he’d do anything for me. It’s just…’ She shook her head, then startled Gilchrist by grabbing hold of her breasts and wobbling them. ‘I mean, look at me. What do I have to offer? Big tits and a deaf son and a family you’d run a hundred miles from.’
Gilchrist let several silent seconds pass. ‘You shouldn’t put yourself down, Jessie. You’re a good detective, one of the best. And I’ve seen you with Robert. You’re a great mum, too.’
Jessie sniffed again.
‘In fact, you’re probably the best mum Robert’s ever had.’
She chuckled. ‘You’re a right charmer.’
‘Other than Jabba, has anyone ever told you how attractive you are?’
Her brown eyes glistened at that, almost pleading, and he saw in their reflection the hurt and pain she had suffered at the hands of others. Her fine nose and clear skin, and lips that could flash a ready smile, could be the dream of any model. But somewhere along the way, she had let herself go, to the point where she no longer had any confidence in her looks.
She turned away and grabbed the door handle.
He reached for her. ‘Look at me, Jessie.’
But she swatted his hand away. ‘Come on. We’ve got work to do.’
They entered the Office and walked up the stairs in silence.
Stan almost jumped when he caught sight of them approaching his desk.
‘Steady on, Stan. You look nervous.’
He ran a hand across his lips. ‘Anne Mills doesn’t know I have these.’
‘I thought you went to the bank and-’
‘We did, boss, but then she had a change of heart. She wouldn’t say why, but I think someone must have told her about Linda James’s murder. So now she’s thinking if Magner finds out she’s given the police these, then dying of cancer is the least of her worries.’
‘So you stole them?’ Jessie said.
‘Copied them.’
‘I’m not sure whether to say naughty boy or well done,’ said Gilchrist.
‘Don’t say anything until you’ve had a look.’ Stan clicked the mouse.
Gilchrist watched the screen over Stan’s shoulder, conscious of Jessie standing on the other side, but keeping her distance. The speed with which her emotions could change – from madder than hell to insecure in a matter of seconds – never failed to amaze him.
‘The quality’s not the greatest,’ Stan said. ‘Our IT guys can try to improve them, but I think they’ll be on a loser. Right, here we go.’