'You expect me to go huntin' through three years worth of pish, and you're no' gonnae tell me anythin'?' 'Look we--' 'Exclusive. I get the scoop on whatever it is, or I'm no' liftin' a finger.' 'I'm just trying to put the original investigation into context.' 'No exclusive, no deal.' Logan said he'd see what he could do. 'It's up to the inspector.' 'Which one: Fatty or Wrinkly?' 'Steel. Insch is on compassionate leave. His daughter--' 'Fuck - sorry, man, I forgot. Look, I'll do what I can, but I've got to go interview some scientist at the Rowett this afternoon. 'Hepatitis C in the food chain: how safe is your dinner?' kind of thing.' Just what they needed, the papers stirring up more panic. 'Tell you what: the Howff, eight o'clock, buy us a pint and we'll talk about that exclusive.' 'OK, we ...' Logan closed his eyes and swore quietly. 'I can't tonight, I've got a thing. Tomorrow?' 'Fine, but you're buying.' 'Deal.' Logan hung up and went back to the McLaughlin case file - putting off the inevitable, until guilt and hunger got the better of him. Like it or not, he had to go see the parents of the little girl he'd got killed.
Logan pulled the CID pool car up to the kerb and killed the engine. Then sat there, looking out at the night- shrouded countryside. Psyching himself up. Two deep breaths. Count to ten. Count to ten again. 'Come on ...' Logan grabbed the plastic bag from the passenger seat. There were no lights on at the front of the house, but a dented Renault Clio with'I'M DRIVING COURTESY OF TAM'S TURRIFF MOTORS!' emblazoned down the side, was parked in the drive where the inspector's Range Rover usually sat. Logan tried the bell. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringggggggggggg ... It was cold out here. The faint yellow glow of streetlights filtered through the trees, making the autumn leaves shine like reptile skin. A gust of wind sent a couple swirling to their death, adding to the greasy slick that littered the front garden. He pressed the bell again. One more time, then he was going to give up and go home. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringggggggggggg ...
