Midnight and Blue - Inspector Rebus Series 25 (2024) by Rankin Ian

Author:Rankin, Ian [Rankin, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12

Malcolm Fox was at the office in Gayfield Square. He’d asked where Esson and Mulgrew were, but no one seemed to know. He was studying the footage from the prison for the umpteenth time, but focusing on the cells of Harrison and Christie from before lock-up on the night of the killing. He was looking for interactions with officers or signs that either prisoner was more nervous or excited than usual. There was nothing obvious. Same went for the aftermath of the body’s discovery. No officer looked unsurprised, while Harrison and Christie were their usual selves. Then again, whoever had been involved would have known they were being watched and recorded. They’d have been primed to act naturally. When he looked at the queue for supper the previous evening, he was pleased to see Rebus so low in the pecking order, over a dozen inmates ahead of him. Darryl Christie was, of course, first in line. The victim, Jackie Simpson, looked relaxed, three ahead of Rebus. When he was served, Fox could see nothing amiss, no tells from any officer or fellow con.

Fox stretched and cracked his vertebrae back into place. Next to his computer sat a printout detailing every recorded minute of the night shift, gaps marked where officers’ whereabouts could not be verified. The toilet break taken by Novak and Watts was the most conspicuous, since there was no evidence of either officer entering or leaving the lavatory. But as the interview transcripts showed, they were sticking to their story. Fox’s eyes felt gritty from time spent peering at the camera footage, looking for any signs of shadow play, indicating activity just out of shot. He checked the printout again, its granular level of detail impressive without being in the least bit helpful.

When Jason Mulgrew walked in, hauling off his coat as if intending to do it actual physical harm, Fox got to his feet.

‘What’s happened?’ he asked.

Mulgrew had come to a halt between the desks of Zara Shah and Paul Allbright.

‘Our victim’s son Marcus was pally with a local celeb called Zak Campbell. Campbell’s just turned up dead and it seems he might be connected to that schoolgirl who disappeared. They’ve swiped Christine from us until further notice.’ He looked at the two seated figures. ‘They’ll probably want to talk to you about your interview with Marcus Simpson. Make sure you’re happy with whatever notes you took.’

He waited until Shah and Allbright had nodded their understanding, then went to the kettle and switched it on. Fox joined him.

‘You’re angry,’ Fox stated.

‘Should have been me, not Christine,’ Mulgrew muttered, spooning coffee into a mug.

‘I can see that – you’re the senior officer. But you’re in charge of this case, Jason, and I’m glad you are. You’re a proper detective, and Christ knows this place could do with one of those. Judging by last night, Christine might’ve picked up too many bad habits from the likes of Siobhan Clarke.’

‘Christine’s a decent cop too, you know.’

‘If you say so.’

Mulgrew seemed to be calming a little.

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