‘These men must cease their labour at once,’ he said.
Garvie waved over to the workmen who were only too glad to call a halt and await the outcome arising from the deliberation of their betters.
The insurance adjuster gave the floor of the warehouse a swift appraising glance then shook a stern head.
‘Interfering with evidential artefacts can affect the outcome of a claim, Mister Garvie. I assume, since your policy is with the Providential, that you will be making such a demand?’
‘Unfortunately, I fear that is so,’ replied the bold Oliver, seeming to perspire a little.
‘Then you would have done better to ensure that nothing was remotely disturbed until the arrival of an inspecting authority.’
‘My thought entirely!’ boomed McLevy.
Forbes favoured the inspector with the briefest of nods then fixed his gimlet-eyed stare once more upon Garvie who realised that some explanation might be in order.
‘There was fear of a secondary fire and, of course, I wished to find out if any of my goods were recoverable, but it was hopeless.’
He raised his arms disconsolately, and then let them fall to his side.
‘All gone. Up in smoke.’
‘I understand your motive, sir,’ said Forbes dryly, ‘but the outcome is to be deplored. However the damage is already done, let us hope it is not irreparable.’
Although Mulholland was gloating inwardly at the apparent discomfiture of Oliver Garvie, he was also conscious of the fact that one day he might also be standing before Forbes to make a claim. Not a prospect to be relished, judging by the acerbic manner of the adjuster.
Perhaps Forbes would be easier over a daughter’s hand, or perhaps, as the constable feared to be the more likely outcome, the man would be a damned sight harder.
Robert Forbes had remarked a small ledge where he might carefully lay his case and, while doing so, issued further instruction.
‘If you would be so kind, Mister Garvie, to inform your workmen that nothing is to be further tampered with until I have finished examination, I should be obliged.’
‘At once!’ cried Garvie. ‘I shall effect it so.’
‘And, sir?’
This interjection stopped Garvie somewhat comically in mid-stride.
‘I shall require you to deliver to my office all contracts, bills of landing and any other papers which appertain to, and confirm, the financial cost and certified quality of the imported cargo.’
‘Rest assured,’ was the firm reply, ‘the matter will be dealt with, as soon as I have a moment.’
As Garvie strode off to do as he was bid, glad, by the look of it, to get out of range, Forbes opened his case.
It contained different-sized tweezers, and various other instruments for taking samples from the ashes.
There were also some sealed jars for storage, and a large magnifying glass wrapped in a white cloth, strapped into the lid of the case.
As he gazed down at the assembly, Forbes became aware of a presence at his elbow.
‘Aye now, Robert,’ said McLevy peering in also. ‘I had no idea the adjusting was so scientific.’
In fact the inspector took good care to keep himself up to date with all the latest twists and turns of forensic investigation from published science papers to the various tomes he found in the medical bookshops, but preferred to hide his analytic light under a bushel. The simpler folk thought him, the better.
‘All part of the process,’ said Forbes who knew McLevy of old and was not remotely taken in. ‘How are you, James?’
‘Still upright.’
Forbes nodded solemnly. ‘I can see that.’
‘How about yourself?’ asked the inspector.
‘I live to serve.’
This brief assertion made, he frowned as for the first time his eyes fell upon the charred cadaver.
‘Is that a body?’
‘It is indeed,’ said McLevy. ‘But don’t trouble yourself, I doubt he had a policy with your company.’
‘That’s good to hear.’
There was obviously some history and a measure of respect between the two men about which Mulholland, who was loitering on the periphery of this exchange, made a note to quiz the inspector further, when opportunity arose.
McLevy smiled, though his eyes, as always, were watchful.
‘I had not realised you were still in the field, Robert. I thought you nowadays to be a worshipful commander from the confines of the office desk, like my own esteemed Lieutenant Roach. Let others do the dirty work, eh?’
The response was somewhat elliptical.
‘Mister Garvie is highly regarded in business circles, a young man of entrepreneurial vigour, respected by his peers –’
Forbes broke off here as an audible sniff from Mulholland brought his attention momentarily to the constable. He waited but Mulholland had no more to offer, other than an attempt to resemble trustworthy son-in-law material, and pull his wrists back into his sleeves.
The adjuster therefore continued.
‘But this will be a considerable claim. Best investigated by myself.’
‘Ye don’t trust your underlings, Robert?’
‘I run the department, inspector. I’ll take the accountability.’
‘I’m sure you’ll do a better job than any other man, sir,’ Mulholland suddenly volunteered.
‘That would be boastful. I’ll do the best I can.’
During this exchange, the eyes of Forbes had kept flicking back to the tarry, blackened corpse that crouched like some sort of Caliban, near to their feet.
He registered McLevy’s thoughtful gaze, and smiled somewhat thinly.
‘What is your opinion of this unfortunate event, inspector?’
Mulholland, eager to display his previous forensic interpretations, butted in like a horned goat.
‘It looks like a break-in and incidental arson, sir.’
‘What do you think, James?’ repeated Forbes as if the constable’s words had vanished into the ether.
‘It has that appearance, Robert,’ said McLevy slowly. ‘But appearances can be deceitful.’
And that was it for the nonce.
They left the adjuster to his appointed task and, having poked amid the burnt offerings to no more avail, departed with a warning from McLevy to all and sundry, that nothing of or near the corpse was to be disturbed in any way until the police waggon arrived to convey the body back to the station where it would lie upon the cold slab to await further examination. The remnants of the hammer and fused fragments would also be collected in an evidence bag after Forbes had examined them.
Both policemen were silent for very different reasons as they emerged from the warehouse on to Commercial Street to witness the old docks spreading out before them in an untidy tangle of ropes and tackle. Boats, all shapes and sizes, jostled each other as they lay at anchor, while now and then could be seen the stumpy figure of an old seaman, sucking inevitably at a clay pipe as he stood on the deck to survey his world.
For a moment the air was still, then a misty rain came swirling in to make ghosts out of the larger steamers and sailing ships as they waited patiently in harbour.
At distance could be heard the noise of the steam navvie, a machine capable of doing the labour of eighty men, as it dug up and inwards, to aid the construction work on the walls of the Edinburgh Dock, due to be opened in the next year. This dock would dwarf all the other basins and advance Leith to a high position amongst the seaports of the United Kingdom.
