holds good for a while. Like the girl whose 141 job I'l be taking in Falkirk, I want to have a baby too, before it's too late. And I want to have it with you.
'I know this might be breaking an unwritten rule between us, but I have to say it. Anyway, you're a smart guy, you must have figured it out: I love you.'
He stared down at her.
'Taken your breath away, copper, have I?' she whispered.
He nodded. 'Just a bit. I'l tell you what. Tonight, let's ditch our minders, and let's go somewhere different, a hotel, maybe; somewhere down in the Borders. Peebles Hydro, if we can get in. Let's do that, and let's talk about long-term, and what it means.'
'Agreed. I've never been to Peebles Hydro.'
'Okay. Be ready to leave at six. By then, I'l have found out what the bloody hell my ex-boss wants.'
44
Skinner walked into the entrance hall of St Andrew's House at five minutes to ten. It faced north and, even in the height of summer, always extended a cold welcome to visitors to the building. He showed his official pass to the black-uniformed guard who gave him a brisk salute and a 'Good morning'.
The policeman knew that he should have surrendered the pass on the morning before, but he had kept it out of devilment, as a personal security check.
He stepped into one of the waiting lifts and rode it to the fifth floor. David Hewlett, looking as serious as ever, was in his office, with his assistant and his clerk. He was a thin man, in his middle thirties, with receding fair hair and a domelike forehead.
'Morning, Dave,' said Skinner. 'I thought I'd paid my last visit here. Any idea yet what the panic is?'
Hewlett shook his head. 'I haven't been told. Bob,' he replied, sounding concerned and more than a little offended at having been left in the dark. 'S of S came in this morning from Bute House at eight fifteen, a little later than usual. He instructed me to call you, and two other people, and to ask you in particular to be here at ten sharp.'
'Two others?' Skinner repeated, curious.
'They've been here since nine fifteen, with a fourth person.'
'Who are they?'
Hewlett's natural frown deepened even more. 'I'm not allowed to say, Bob. I'm even disobeying orders by having this conversation. S of S told me to say nothing to you when you arrived, but to send you down to Committee Room One, on the third floor.'
'Fucking nonsense!' Skinner growled, exasperated. 'Time I sorted this lot out. Thanks, Dave. I think I'l go and paper the walls with your boss. I've half a mind to charge him with wasting police time.'
He left the small office and took the stairs down to the third floor.
He thought about knocking on the door of Committee Room One, but with a muttered 'Bugger it!' under his breath he opened the door and strode inside.
Four people were waiting, seated with their backs to the window, facing the door, and a single empty chair. The detective scanned them, from left to right.
Council or MarciaTopham: the usual slightly overawed expression worn by the Police Board Chair had been replaced by one of pure fright.
Lord Archibald ofAlva, the Lord Advocate, Scotland's senior law officer: Archie Nelson, QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates until his ennoblement, and an old friend, now sat staring at him impassively as he entered.
Dr BruceAnderson: the Secretary of State for Scotland sat staring grimly at a folder on the desk before him.
Sir James Proud: the Chief Constable sat ashen-faced, more shocked than his deputy had ever seen him.
As he stared across the table Skinner felt a mixture of apprehension and anger wel ing up within him. As usual, anger won.
'What the bloody hell is this, Dr Anderson?' he said: not quite a shout, but close to it. 'You and I severed our links yesterday, I think.'
The Secretary of State looked up and shook his head. 'Not quite,' he replied. 'I still have certain powers and responsibilities over police officers of executive rank. Until now, I've never had to use them. I hoped it would never be necessary.'
He stopped. 'Oh sit down, Bob, please. This is difficult enough for us al, without you eyeing us up as if you're deciding who you're going to set about first.'
Skinner took hold of his temper, and sat in the vacant chair.
'Right,' he retorted. 'But I warn you now, if this is about my private life…'
The Secretary of State shook his head. Lord Archibald sighed.
Marcia Topham whimpered slightly. Proud Jimmy moaned.
'It isn't, Bob,' replied Anderson. 'I only wish it was.
'At quarter to eight this morning, an envelope was delivered to Bute House, my official residence in Charlotte Square. It contained a serious al egation against you, and documents pertaining to it. As soon as I had read them, I cal ed the Lord Advocate.'
Skinner's eyes narrowed. 'What is this al egation?' he asked quietly.
'It concerns corruption.' The Secretary of State turned to Lord Archibald. 'Archie, would you, please?'
The Law Officer nodded. 'Bob, we've al discussed this prior to your arrival. We're shocked by the al egation which has been made, and every one of us is loath to believe it. But if there is anything in it, we feel that it is only right to give you an opportunity to explain it at this stage.
'Consequently, I have to ask you one question. Do you admit to having a personal account in the Guernsey branch of the JZG Bank?'
The policeman stared at him across the table. 'What the hell is the JZG Bank?'
'It's a smal private bank based in Liechtenstein, with branches in Guernsey and in the Cayman Islands. Now please give me a direct answer to my question.'
Skinner drew a hard, deep, snorting, impatient breath. 'No, Archie, I do not have a personal account there or in any other Channel Island bank.'
'Then we have a problem, Bob, because the Secretary of State has been given evidence that you do, and that you have a significant amount of cash there.'
'That's preposterous,' Skinner protested. 'I'm reasonably well off, but I don't have bank accounts that I've forgotten about. I demand to be told the detail of the al egation made against me and to be shown the evidence that's been presented.'
'In due course, Deputy Chief Constable,' said Bruce Anderson, suddenly formal in tone. 'However, in the light of the information which has been put before me, I must first formal y suspend you from duty. I must advise you also that I shal be requesting senior officers from a force outside Scotland to conduct an independent enquiry into these matters.'
Skinner felt the blood drain from his face.
'Secretary of State,' he interrupted, 'did your information come from an anonymous source?'
The Minister looked across at him. 'No. The donor of the material identified himself
'Would I be right in supposing that your source is Noel Salmon, of the SpotlightT
'Yes, you'd be correct.'
'And you're putting a senior police officer's career and reputation on the line on the word of that disreputable wee man, are you?'
Lord Archibald replied. 'Bob, you know that we wouldn't do that.
I'm sorry, but they have given us material in support of the al egation.'
'Then let me see it, please, Archie.'
