place had changed, he thought. Was it progress? Possibly, though if he was back in this country, there couldn’t have been that much progress.
He eschewed the Avis and Hertz car rental desks and made for the bus stop that took tourists to the city centre. It was a short ride, twenty minutes. There was still daylight when he got on the vehicle, but by the time he alighted at St Andrew Square the sky had darkened and a gaudy, bright moon was up. He followed the late-evening crowds onto York Place and made for the pub McArdle had mentioned on Broughton Street. As he walked, Killean remembered why it had been so long since he’d been in Scotland. He didn’t like the place. Edinburgh especially was a strange city — too English; he didn’t trust a Celtic town that had given away so much of its identity. Then there was the smell. Dublin could blame the Liffey, but what was Edinburgh’s excuse? He wanted to get his visit over with quickly, and get out.
In the bar, Killean ordered an orange juice and stood with his bad leg resting on the foot rail. A squat man with a shaved head and a nervy manner approached, spoke: ‘You must be my visitor.’
Killean collected his change from the barman, nodded. ‘Let’s take a seat in the corner.’
As they walked Killean tried to get the measure of the Scotsman. He was hard, but what did he have to back it up with? And what was with the swagger? Those bloody Scots always had to wear their status on their sleeve, he thought. In Ireland, people knew you were hard by reputation. You never needed to advertise; if you did, you weren’t that hard. Killean had earned his status in the Cause and had no call to parade himself. If anyone doubted it, it would be easy enough to prove them wrong.
McArdle took a seat. He was drinking lager — some spilled over the brim as he placed the pint on a beer mat. ‘You come highly, eh, recommended.’
Killean wasn’t there to talk about himself. ‘You have something for me.’
McArdle nodded; a roll of flesh quivered beneath his neck as he reached into his back pocket and removed a copy of the Racing Post. He placed it on the table. Killean raised his glass to his lips, quaffed a large draught of orange juice then returned the drink to the table.
McArdle opened the cover of the Racing Post — inside was a padded envelope. ‘Don’t you want to count it?’
Killean shook his head. ‘Why would I need to do that?’
‘You wouldn’t.’
There was a gust of wind as the door to the pub was opened and jammed on its hinges; a middle-aged woman with overdyed blonde hair rose and wrestled the door shut. Killean watched her as she moved — her arse must have been a yard across.
‘Have you put the details I need in there like I said?’
McArdle nodded. His hands seemed to be jittering as he spoke: ‘They’re in a flat I’ve got down in Dean… Told them to wait until dark, then make their way along the water to Canonmills for the car.’
A nod, confirmation. Killean picked up the Post and put it under his arm as he finished his drink.
McArdle started to rub his fingers on the table. ‘The cunts have got it coming,’ he said.
Killean put down his glass, pointed to McArdle’s mouth. ‘Keep that fucking shut. I don’t want to hear.’
McArdle settled further back into his seat, shook his head. Killean rose from his chair and walked for the door. As he left the pub he didn’t look round to farewell McArdle.
In the street he transferred the Racing Post to his bag. He walked a few more steps and hailed a taxi — he had another appointment on the other side of town. As the driver turned into Leith Walk Killean transferred money from the padded envelope into another smaller envelope. He made sure to do this within the confines of the bag resting on his lap, out of sight of the taxi driver. When the cab reached the Shore, Killean passed the driver the fare and left a tip of one pound; he always left a tip of one pound. Any more was ostentation; any less could be deemed parsimonious.
Killean swung his good leg from the black cab’s bay and followed with his other, allowing the first to take the weight of his frame. He crossed to the other side of the road and made his way to the edge of the car park where a silver Toyota was waiting. As he closed in on the car he saw a man with a beard in the driver’s seat. He avoided eye contact and made his way to the passenger door; as he turned the handle the bearded man started the engine. The car pulled out.
There was no talk between the pair until they reached the first set of traffic lights on Commercial Street. ‘Your bag’s in the boot.’
Killean nodded.
‘It’s all there, like you asked for.’
Killean kept his eyes front as the driver engaged the clutch, proceeded to first gear. He didn’t want to engage in conversation, that had been one of his requests, but the driver seemed to be relaxing now, getting curious.
‘That ammo took some getting hold of. Make much of a difference, does it?’
Killean felt a nerve twitch in his temple. ‘Can you please keep your ignorant fucking mouth shut.’
The bearded man turned towards him. His lips were parted, on the verge of words, but he held them in. Killean sensed the man’s fear — there was no mistaking the emotion.
On Ferry Road the car stopped at more traffic lights but the driver kept his head facing forward and jerked quickly through the gears as the lights changed. By the time they reached Dean Village a full ten minutes of silence had passed. When the car came to rest, Killean opened his door and made for the boot. He removed an oversized black bag and closed the boot up, walked away. He did not speak again to the driver as he headed for the Water of Leith.
Killean balanced the bag on his left shoulder, the other side being unable to bear that amount of weight. When he reached the water’s edge he looked down towards the first bend, a copse of trees. He glanced back and forth, tried to estimate the distance between the point he occupied at present and the spot where the trees provided cover. He thought it must be two hundred yards at most — that was a good distance, an easy distance.
Killean set out for the copse, the bag cutting into his shoulder. His left leg dragged on the pavement and his thigh burned. The moon had gathered some cloud covering now and the sky darkened, but the water still reflected enough light to make the job easy, thought Killean. As he stationed himself behind a sycamore he lowered himself towards where the bag rested on the ground, unzipped. Inside he removed the rifle covering and attached the scope-mount. He seized the barrel and looked down the stock, tested the sights to see they were clean and then he lowered the rifle.
He opened the box of ammunition and checked it was as he’d specified, then he loaded the gun.
Killean rested the rifle against the sycamore, removed his overcoat and turned it inside out. He took the coat to the slightly elevated edge of the copse and lowered it onto the ground, outside facing up, then returned to collect the rifle.
As he settled onto the ground, on top of his overcoat, Killean raised the rifle’s scope-mount to his right eye and put the water’s edge in his sight. He had a clear view of the path and enough light to identify anyone who came into view. He rested in that pos ition for a few seconds, making minor adjustments to his shoulder and elbow position, and then he held himself steady, firm.
Killean waited for approximately fourteen minutes, then fired his first shot. The second followed within seconds.
Chapter 36
Three bodies in two days — that was all DI Rob Brennan needed. He closed the car door and took the road towards the twisting path that led down to the Water of Leith. Uniform had been out with the blue-and-white tape, sealed off the entrance. It hadn’t kept out the reporter from the News; Brennan caught sight of a young WPC leading her by the arm towards the brow of the hill. She hadn’t seen Brennan; he was grateful for that. He hadn’t caught the morning’s paper yet, but he knew it wasn’t going to include hearts and flowers for Lothian and Borders Police. He had ordered McGuire to keep the latest find from Galloway until she arrived at the office. She had her promotion board interview this week and that made her unpredictable. Brennan knew the Chief Super might choose to take the case off him, hand it to someone else. She could also make good on her promise to transfer him to
