An Ultimatum

‘Thanks for coming,’ Jimmy Craigmyle gave an embarrassed smile. ‘My nerves are that shot, I didn’t want to take another chance on being seen in town.’

‘You’re right.’ Maggie regarded her late husband’s former colleague. ‘Holburn Street’s too close to your place of work and,’ she sat down opposite, ‘we neither of us want to be caught in the other’s company. Not until I’ve assembled all the evidence I need and George’s case has been reopened.’

‘That’s why I asked for this meeting.’

‘Oh.’ Maggie’s face lit up. ‘Have you found something out?’

Craigmyle scowled. ‘Nae chance. Since they re-branded the club, new management has been drafted in, procedures tightened up. There’s no access, now, to that back room. Not for the likes of me, anyhow. Plus, I reckon Gilruth’s moved his drugs operation elsewhere.’ His mouth turned down. ‘He’d be mad not to, not after…’

With a heavy heart, Maggie cut him off. ‘I suppose.’ She looked around. They were in a country restaurant on the back road to Banchory. Well, more of a tearoom, really. Renowned for its home baking, it was a popular stopping off point for commuters needing a reviving cuppa or families out for a weekend drive. On this late midweek afternoon, customers – one elderly couple sat by the window and what looked like a rep totting up his sales – were thin on the ground.

‘No,’ Craigmyle’s voice broke her train of thought. ‘It’s the other thing I wanted to talk about: holding my hands up to the interview tape. Have you heard anything back on Brannigan from Queen Street?’

‘Not a word. I chased it up with Chisolm the other day. All he could tell me was what we already know: that they’re working towards getting a formal statement out of Bobby. But you know how it is: the wheels turn at a snail’s pace.’ She drew a deep breath. ‘It might put a pin up their backsides if you were to come clean right now.’

‘That’s just it.’ Craigmyle toyed with his teaspoon, wouldn’t meet her eyes. ‘For as long as I’m in James Gilruth’s employ, there’s no way I can give the police that statement. Bottom line is, if I help you out now, I can forget about Gilruth. For good and all.’ Grim face. ‘Man like that doesn’t forget folk who grass.’

‘But I thought you just said he’d shut down his drugs operation.’

‘I said he’d moved it elsewhere. And it just so happens I’ve been offered a job at the “elsewhere”, no doubt in consequence of keeping my nose clean all these months. And,’ his face darkened, ‘my mouth firmly shut.’

‘So does that mean…?’

Craigmyle finished the sentence for her. ‘I’d still be working on the inside, mebbe get closer to the action now I’ve served my apprenticeship, help nail the bugger for money-laundering if the police can’t get him on drugs. But I’m between a rock and a hard place, Maggie. Either I take the job and get personal gratification by going after Gilruth, or I do as you ask.’

‘Mmm,’ Maggie’s mind tumbled with conflicting thoughts: sympathy for Craigmyle, anger towards James Gilruth, frustration that her quest for justice was getting nowhere.

‘Added to which,’ Craigmyle ran on, ‘I’ve had a call from the wife. Wants me to move back in. At least,’ he set the spoon down, ‘the kids are wanting their dad home. I guess Vera’s fed up getting pestered. Anyhow,’ he offered a shy grin, ‘I’m hoping to move once we sort out the practicalities.’

‘That’s great news.’ Maggie beamed. Although she’d never entirely trusted Jimmy Craigmyle, she was genuinely happy for the man.

‘But that gives me another problem.’

Her brow puckered. ‘I don’t see why.’

He shifted uncomfortably. ‘Vera’s given me an ultimatum.’

‘Oh?’ Perplexed look.

‘No unsocial hours or I can forget about the whole thing.’

‘How does that…?’ Maggie hesitated. Then, ‘Oh, I get it. If you take up Gilruth’s job, Vera will withdraw her offer.’

‘Aye.’ The man sitting opposite looked wistful all of a sudden. ‘That’s it in a nutshell.’

‘What are you going to do, Jimmy?’

‘I’ve been mulling it over all night, ever since the subject of the new job was raised. It would be a promotion. More money. Easier access to the inner circle.’ He grimaced. ‘Plus, I’m desperate to nail the bastard. Forget about George. I owe that to myself. And, besides, I can hold my hands up to that tape anytime. You said yourself the wheels turn slowly. But I have to let them know about the job by the end of the week. That’s why I wanted to bounce it off you.’

Maggie’s heart hung heavy in her chest. Jimmy Craigmyle’s admission to turning off Bobby Brannigan’s interview tape was integral to her campaign to vindicate her dead husband. If Craigmyle were to take Gilruth’s job it could take months, even years, of working undercover before he achieved a result.

‘Where does that leave your kids?’ She felt bad playing that card, but bringing Gilruth to justice could wait, whereas clearing George’s name… Too much time had already passed, and interest at force HQ was cooling, that’s for sure.

Craigmyle scratched his head. ‘There is that.’

‘So…’ Maggie braced herself. ‘Which way are you going to jump?’

He grinned. ‘What do you think?’