Three days with that wee boy at this nutter's mercy. 'At my disposition,' he said. It chills my blood, to think what might be happening to him.'
She stood up, took the tray from him, laid it on the floor, and tugged at his arm. 'Bob, enough,' she said. 'You look knackered and you sound depressed. It's almost eleven. Let's go to bed, even if it's only to sleep.'
He nodded. 'Yes, okay.' He rose, wearily, taking her hand as she led him through to the bedroom.
The bedside lamp was stil on as she slipped in beside him, naked.
'Of course,' she said. 'We don't have to sleep.' He reached across, without a word, and switched the light off. They made love silently.
Pamela, inventive as always, took the initiative, allowing him time to settle his mind and drawing his attention towards her. And yet, even as he climaxed, with his lover bucking and writhing astride him, there was a part of his mind that was somewhere else.
She knew it, too. She was barely finished, before she rolled away and lay with her back to him in the dark. 'That was a new twist,' she said. 'It's usually the woman who fakes it!'
He was moved by the hurt in her voice. 'No, Pam, I didn't, honest.
It was good, great, like always. I just wasn't real y in the mood. I'm sorry, honey.' He put a hand on her hip, and leaned over her, kissing her neck. She turned on to her back, and looked up at him.
'What is it, then?' she asked. 'Second thoughts?'
He shook his head. 'Nothing to do with you and me,' he promised.
'I just can't get this man out of my mind. He's singled me out to be contacted. He kil ed Leona, and she was my friend. He kidnapped her son, the wee boy I rescued last year. It's as if he's speaking directly to me, and there's a taunt in it. He even came to my home village to call me.
'It's as if he's chal enging me to guess where he's hiding the kid.'
He stopped short, and she could see his eyes, gleaming in the light from the window. 'Can you imagine how angry that makes me?
And how frustrated?'
Pamela propped herself up on her elbows, the edge of the duvet fal ing around her waist. 'Yes,' she said softly, 'I can imagine. I'm sorry I'm such a petulant bitch.'
He laid a hand on the flat of her stomach, rubbing it gently. 'You're not,' he murmured. 'Not at al. You're under pressure too, with the Spotlight article, and those appal ing photos. With one thing and another, it's as if we're drowning, you and I.'
She laid her hand on his, half a second before it suddenly clenched, tightening on her belly. 'Drowning!' he hissed, suddenly.
30
When the telephone rang, Alex and Andy were watching a video.
One of the Batman series with interchangeable heroes and big-name villains, was reaching its conclusion.
'Damn,' said Skinner's daughter, freezing the frame and picking up the telephone, to find her father on the other end. 'Pops, really,' she said. 'We were just getting to the good bit.
'Of the movie, I meant!' She passed the phone to her fiance.
'Yes, Bob,' said Martin. 'What's the panic?'
'No panic, but a sudden thought. Quite clearly, this guy is thumbing his nose at me, with a cal to my private line from my home vil age. This guy doesn't want to get caught, but he does want to show us how clever, resourceful and daring he is. You agree with me?'
'Yes, I'l go along with that.'
'Good, now try this one for size. If this guy is an expert on me, and knows about my connection with Mark, don't you think he's bound to know where I first encountered the child?'
Martin whistled. 'You think he might be hiding him up on the moors, where the plane went down?'
'I don't think, I wonder. Let's postpone the press briefing tomorrow, and take a look up there.'
'Okay,' said the Head ofCID, shifting his position against the back of the sofa, as Alex stood up to go into the kitchen. 'I'l do that, first thing. I'l put men on al the roads, then get a helicopter to take a look at al the sheds and bothies scattered about up there.'
'It makes sense, Andy,' Skinner stressed. 'We're pretty certain that he took the laddie out of the city, yet he wouldn't have risked being too long on the road, not with him in his car. Those moors aren't much more than half an hour from the McGrath house.'
'Sure, I agree. We'l do it, first thing. Now you get some sleep and let us finish our video.'
He replaced the phone just as Alex came back into the living room, carrying two cans of Diet Coke. 'What did Pops want?' she asked.
Andy grinned. 'He's had a hunch. You know what he's like when he gets one of them.'
'Do I! Is it a good one?'
'Could be. They usual y are.'
Alex handed him his Coke, and sat beside him once again. He picked up the video control, but she put her hand on his before he could press the play button. 'Andy,' she whispered. 'Do you think my dad's losing it?'
He looked at her, surprised. 'Bob? Never. He's stil firing on al cylinders. What made you ask that, anyway?'
She leaned her head on her shoulders. 'Oh, I don't know,' she said, sadly. 'He just seems like such a lost soul just now.'
Andy touched her chin, gently, and tilted her face towards him.
'Love, you can see how much he's missing Sarah and Jazz. So can I.
So can the Chief. Your dad's the only one who doesn't realise it.'
'No.' She was suddenly indignant. 'Because he's shacked up with this Pamela woman!'
'Maybe. She was there for him when he had his bust-up with Sarah.
She helps him ward off the loneliness. Maybe he does the same for her.'
'Is she a gold-digger, d'you think? Does she have an eye for the main chance?'
He shook his head, after a few seconds' thought. 'No. I wouldn't say so. I don't think she sees herself as your next stepmother, if that's what you mean.'
'Do you like her, Andy?'
He pondered her question again. 'Yes, I reckon I do. She's bright, intelligent and she seems to care for Bob a lot. She had nothing to do with his marriage break-up, remember.'
'Maybe not, but with her around there's no chance of it being mended.'
Andy sighed. 'That, my darling, is something your dad's got to figure out for himself. Always assuming that he wants to mend it, that is.'
'And his judgement, in sleeping with this woman? What do you think of that? Honestly?'
He looked her in the eye. 'We're all entitled to make mistakes, love.'
Alex grunted. 'Let's hope the Police Board take that view tomorrow,' she said, gloomily.
31
The press benches in Edinburgh's ornate Victorian council chamber had never been more ful for a meeting of the Joint Police Board, made up of elected members of the local authorities whose areas the force covered.
The Chair of the Board, MarciaTopham, a Labour council or from Midlothian, was regarded by Sir James Proud as a moderate, and someone with whom he could work. Or as Bob Skinner often put it in private, someone whom he could twist round his little finger.
