Logan made it back to FHQ just in time see a line of Grampian's finest disappearing into the boardroom. DI Steel, loitered at the back, scowling at him. 'What did I bloody tell you?' 'Traffic was awful, OK?' She grabbed his arm, speaking in a sharp, smoky whisper,'Listen up: you follow my lead in there - no volunteering information, no verbal diarrhoea, no pointing bloody fingers. We present a united front to these Weegie bastards. Understand?' A voice from inside:'Inspector? We're ready to start.' 'Just a minute.' And back to whispering again,'Everything was done by the book.' 'Thought this was supposed to be a review to help us identify new ways to tackle the case.' 'Oh don't be so sodding naive. What do you think they'll do to Insch if they think he cocked this one up? Give him a pat on his fat arse and a big bag of sweeties?' That voice again:'Inspector?' 'Remember - everything done by the book.' She turned and pulled Logan into the boardroom. 'Sorry, sir, DS McRae was having difficulty tying his shoelaces and I had to supervise.' DCS Bain waved them towards a pair of empty seats. 'When you're quite ready.' Logan settled in beside Steel, and ... oh ...
'Will you sit down? Making me feel sick, pacing about ...' Steel was onto her second stick of nicotine gum, chewing with her mouth open as Logan marched up and down the history room. Pretending to read a witness statement from January 1988. 'Why did it have to be her?' 'Why do you think? She's got a foot in both camps, she knows all our dirty little secrets and-- look either you sit your arse down or I'll twat you one.' 'Didn't look at me the whole meeting, as if I was a bloody stranger.' 'Hell hath no fury like a Ball-Breaker scorned.' Steel puffed out her cheeks and tried to blow a bubble with her gum. No luck. 'What time is it?' 'Twenty to five.' 'Time for one last cuppa before we hit the pub then. Get them in, eh?' Logan started collecting the mounds of dirty mugs. 'Can't tonight, I've got a prior appointment.' 'Oh aye? Hot date? Randy Rachael from the PF's office sniffing around again, is she? Or have you got yourself an eighteen-year-old nymphomaniac like Rennie? Trying to make Watson jealous, are we?' He wasn't rising to that. 'Faulds kept saying we should go see Trinity Hall, speak to someone in the Flesher's Incorporation about the original investigation. I got an appointment with their Boxmaster.' 'What is he, a superhero? Boxmaster and Carton Boy, saving the world from the evil forces of plastic packaging?'
