Nancy thought for a second and then nodded. ‘OK, but as soon as those cases are linked, then we’ll need a new SIO. She glanced round the room, her gaze landing on the only other occupant, DC Compo. With a faint shake of her head, she said, ‘Well, there’ll be nothing else for it, I suppose. If push comes to shove and you two are off the cases, I’ll just have to…’
‘Compo’s not experienced enough, Nancy. You can’t have a DC as SIO.’
‘For goodness’ sake, Gus. Do you really think I’d thrust Compo in that role? No, what I was going to say, before you so rudely interrupted, was that I’d take on the role myself.’
Gus glanced at Compo who looked confused and relieved in equal measure. Gus winked at him, and he promptly ducked his head down and put his headphones on. Compo was a wise chicken – he knew when to become invisible.
‘Now, McGuire. What’s this I hear about you swanning off up to Scotland to talk to Rory Robertson?’
Seeing his chance to get out of an uncomfortable journey with his mum and Sadia, Gus attempted to look forlorn. ‘Oh, don’t worry about that, Nancy. I’ve already decided that my place is here in Bradford investigating the Hopkins’s murder. I’ll cancel, don’t worry.’
But Nancy looked horrified. ‘You bloody well will not cancel and leave your poor mum to go there on her own.’
As Carlton opened his mouth no doubt to say he was also going to be there, Nancy glared at him and his mouth snapped shut. ‘I fancy dipping my toes in the pool, Gus, so bring me up to speed and I’ll step in for you, for now.’
Seeing his chance to extricate himself from the Scottish trip disappearing, Gus played his last card. ‘I wouldn’t dream of it. You’re far too busy. Acting DCS, and all that. No, I know where my place is, Nancy.’
But Nancy was not to be dissuaded. Rubbing her hands together, she plopped herself down on a chair and smiling widely, said, ‘Nonsense. I need a bit of a break from the paperwork – it’s driving me batty. This will be just the thing to keep me sane – besides it’s not like you’re a million miles away. They have phones and Internet and all sorts in Scotland, you know? Now, bring me up to speed.’
Chapter 50
Bradford
The previous evening, Gus and Alice had remained at The Fort, trying to focus on work and then, despite Gus’s early start to head up to Scotland the following day, had gone home to a share a bottle of whisky. Alice explained how she and Hopkins had stayed in touch, even when she’d been in prison. She liked him, had fun with him, and although it hadn’t been a serious relationship, she was shocked and distraught at his death. At one point she’d gazed into her whisky tumbler. ‘Seems like everyone I get close to, dies.’
Gus had his own demons on that score, so he didn’t utter the meaningless platitudes that would have angered Alice. Instead he got up and put the kettle on. ‘Black coffee and then bed for you, Cooper. You’re on your own tomorrow with Nancy to contend with, so you need to be in tip top shape, not hung-over with breath like a dog’s arse.’
Alice leant over and stroked Bingo who had nestled with his head resting on her lap as they talked. She snuggled her face into the dog’s fur. ‘Tell Gussy dad not to be rude. Your arse smells of roses doesn’t it, Bingo?’
With a sleepy tail wag, Bingo blinked at her and then promptly fell back asleep. ‘So, Scotland for you tomorrow? It’ll be good to spend some time with your mum – even if the good professor is there with you.’
So much had happened during the day that Gus hadn’t got round to telling Alice about his mum’s latest betrayal. Sighing, he handed her her cup, shoved a half open packet of Rich Tea onto her lap and settled back in his own chair, wishing he hadn’t made them both coffee. He could certainly have done with another nip of whisky.
Attuned as ever to Gus’s moods, Alice looked over the rim of her cup. ‘OK, what’s up? You’ve been a bit off all day, but I put it down to being worried about me – but clearly that’s not all that’s up.’
Where to start? Gus didn’t want to talk about it, but it would provide a bit of a distraction for Alice. ‘You know that Police Scotland officer my mum contacted to speak to her foster brother?’
‘The one Taffy spoke to, said she didn’t manage to get anything from Rory, that’s why I agreed that you and Carlton could go up and try your hand at getting something useful from him – off the record like.’
‘Well, what Taffy failed to mention was the name of the officer my mum had reached out to.’ He shrugged before continuing, his voice bitter. ‘And, lo and behold, my mum also failed to divulge the name – and me being the idiot I am, didn’t think to ask, once she’d given the number to Taffy.’
‘I didn’t ask either – I don’t know anybody in Police Scotland, so it would just have been a name to me – what’s the problem?’
Gus snorted. ‘That’s where you’d be wrong, Al. We both know this officer. Me quite intimately…’
Jumping to his feet, Gus began pacing the room as Alice’s quizzical expression changed to one of understanding. ‘No … It can’t be…’
‘Oh, but it fucking is, Al. My mum reached out to Sadia.’
‘How did she know Sadia was working for Police Scotland? How could she?’
Flinging
