`Thursday evening. I think I packed the box at about ten past nine. It was another late night.'

`Did Joseph see you pack the box?'

After you locked it and before you gave it to Maurice, was it ever out of your sight?'

`No. Not for a moment.'

And what did Maurice do after he took it from you?'

`He went home, and so did I, in a Government pool car. That was it. Even we finish work sometimes.'

And the box went with you?'

`Yes. On the seat between us.'

`Was there anything in it that he would have had to work on?'

She shook her head. 'No. We'd been through it all.'

Arrow leaned back in his chair, nodding his satisfaction, Donaldson, on cue, stood up.

'Thank you, Ms Mirzana. That'll be all for now.' He made to show her to the door but Arrow beat him to it. As he ushered her out, his hand brushed her hip, close enough for him to drop a note, unseen by the others, into the pocket of her jacket, close enough to whisper, unheard by the others in her ear.

THIRTY-TWO

As always, there was a pile of paper in the in-tray. Skinner attacked it, working mechanically, initialling document after document and passing it across the desk to Maggie Rose. She sat opposite him, taking each item and sorting it by subject.

Abruptly, the DCC tossed his pen on the desk, picked up the phone and dialled a number.

'ACC Elder, please. Mr Skinner here,' he said to the officer who answered the telephone.

He heard her call across the command vehicle; a few seconds later Elder came on line.

`Hi, Jim. Just thought I'd give you a call to see how it's going up there on the moors.'

'Painstaking' just about sums it up. All the bodies have been moved down to Haddington now. Charlie Radcliffe's there, dealing with the relatives as they turn up. We've got a name to nearly all the remains now: one or two of the foreign nationals are unaccounted for, that's all. We're waiting for photos and dental records from Japan and the Czech Republic.'

`So what's happening on the moor?'

`We're gathering in the cabin baggage. I've had quite a few calls this morning from businesses, trying to recover papers and the like. There was one bloke from a Japanese electronics firm. he went on for ten minutes about this bloody briefcase and what was in it about how many million dollars it was worth, until eventually I told him that if he'd get his arse down here and help us identify the poor bastard who'd been carrying it, then I'd start to worry about his bloody case.’

`The Air Accident Investigators have started work in earnest, too. They're gathering in all the pieces of wreckage. The woman in charge said they'd take it down South to their HQ and try to put it all back together as best they can. When something like this happens, they look at the way the aircraft reacts to the stress, to see if there's any way they can build them stronger.'

`That's good,' said Skinner, 'but remind her as tactfully as you can that we have our own investigation under way, and that anything she takes away, we could want back at some stage. Ask her, too, if she'd give us a full report on the location and nature of the explosion, to back up Major Legge's findings. From the sound of things, Jim, you're going to be up there for quite a while. Any problems?'

Elder gave a long, deep sigh. 'Yes. Human nature. The place is crawling with ghouls. The Longformacus Road is still closed off to private traffic, but that hasn't stopped them. It's a grey, misty, miserable day up here, yet they're hiking across the moor in their droves just to see what they can see. My people and the soldiers are turning them back as soon as they arrive, but there are so many that they're interfering with the recovery process. I'm thinking of telling the Press Office to put out a statement from me saying that anyone else who turns up here without a valid reason will be charged with obstructing the police. What d'you think?'

I'd do that like a shot. Look, Royston's still here. I'll put Maggie on the line. You tell her exactly what you want to say and she'll make it happen within ten minutes. I've just told the world that we have a murder investigation under way, so we'll have quite a few media people still on the premises.'

He handed the phone across the desk to Maggie Rose. She listened attentively to Elder, making notes on a pad. When he had finished his dictation, she offered the phone back to Skinner, but he shook his head, and she rang off.

Okay, Mags, go and grab Royston. Once you've done that, well…His voice tailed off, and he slumped back into his chair.

She stared at him, concern showing in her face. This was a Bob Skinner she had never seen before.

`Boss, there's nothing else you can do,' she said gently. `Mr Elder's in charge and coping out there. You've got interviews proceeding in London, and Brian Mackie and Mario off on another line of investigation.'

`Don't tell me how to do my job, lady!' he barked at her suddenly, and in spite of herself, she flinched. 'You just go and do yours!'

`Very good, sir,' she said, in little more than a whisper, and left the room.

Skinner swung round in his swivel seat and stared out of the window at the grey afternoon, raging inwardly against his feeling of being becalmed, and against the indefinable sensation which had gripped him since the previous morning that somehow, he was not completely in control.

A loud stage cough behind him brought him back to the present. He turned to see Sir James Proud standing in front of his desk. As the most junior Constable would have done, he stood to acknowledge his Chief Constable, noticing as he did so that Proud Jimmy had closed his door behind him.

`Bob, son,' said the Chief. 'Are you all right?'

Skinner felt himself flare up again, but checked it. 'Of course I am, Jimmy. What makes you ask that?'

It's bloody obvious what makes me ask it. I was across the corridor with my door shut, yet I still heard you shout at Maggie Rose. When I went to see what was up, the lass brushed past me, nearly in tears. And that's not like Maggie. I've never heard you rip into someone like that, man. You're a hard bugger but bullying junior officers isn't your style.

Come to think of it I thought for a moment, yesterday on the Lammermuirs, that you were going to take a pop at me. Or was I wrong?'

Skinner smiled wryly and looked at the carpet. No Jimmy you weren't. I admit it, I was steaming mad that you had called Sarah out to that thing, and I was ready to tackle you about it. I'm sorry.'

Ahh,' said Sir James knowingly, 'I wondered if that was it. Look, Bob, I'm sorry, but when I got the message yesterday I never had another thought but to call Sarah. She's far and away the best we've got.'

I know. You did the right thing.'

I still felt guilty about it for most of yesterday. It must have been a dreadful job for her.

How did she react?'

`She had a bad night last night, but I think she cried it out. She seemed okay this morning, anyway.'

`That's good,' said Proud Jimmy kindly. 'But you, my friend, can I worry about you now?

That was a hellish job you had too, especially, from what I hear, out at that second crash-site. I spoke to Legge afterwards. He told me all about it — said it turned his stomach, and he's seen plenty.

`You're not Superman, Bob Skinner. You're as entitled to be affected as anyone else, if only you'll admit it. Go easy on yourself, and on the people around you, eh? Look, it's Saturday afternoon. Get yourself home to your family and try to enjoy what's left of the day.'

Skinner sighed, and shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly he felt horribly tired. 'Aye okay, Jimmy. The girl Gower said that Joe Doherty'll be up on the nine o'clock plane tomorrow.

Until then, I'll do what you say. We're dining out with Andy and Alex tonight, so I'll have to try to be decent company for them. But I’ve something to do before anything else.'

'What's that?'

'I've got to get down on my knees and offer Maggie Rose a heartfelt apology!'

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