THIRTY-NINE

Murray finally stopped shouting into his face and sat back down behind the desk. Looked like he’d worn himself out calling McCoy every name under the sun. Short version of the bollocking was simple. His fate as a polis depended on whether Lomax made a formal complaint. And why wouldn’t he? McCoy had just kicked fuck out of his client right in front of him. And if he did, McCoy was out.

‘Nothing to bloody say for yourself?’ asked Murray.

McCoy shook his head. Wasn’t much he could say.

‘Should fucking think not. I’ve a good mind to suspend you anyway. If half the shop wasn’t off with bloody flu I would. Hear me?’

McCoy nodded. Kept his eyes on Murray’s rugby pictures on the wall behind him, tried to stay calm.

‘You ever, ever do anything like that again you’re out, McCoy – Lomax complaint or no Lomax complaint. Straight out the fucking door.’ He looked vexed suddenly. ‘I know you’d been through hell, probably shouldn’t have let you in that interview room, but still . . . What bloody possessed you?’

‘He did. Sitting there lying through his fucking teeth.’

Murray snorted. ‘Ninety-nine per cent of people in that interview room lie through their bloody teeth! Why was he so different?’

‘Because he really thinks he’ll get away with it,’ said McCoy.

‘Aye well, I don’t, and I’ll make sure the wee cunt—’

A knock on the door.

It opened and Lomax was standing there. ‘Gents, mind if I come in?’

McCoy’s heart sank.

Murray waved him in and he sat down beside McCoy.

‘I suppose you can guess why I’m here?’ said Lomax.

Murray nodded. McCoy waited for the hammer to fall.

‘I’ve known Elaine Scobie since she was a baby,’ he said. ‘And I’ve just read the doctor’s report.’ He turned to McCoy. ‘I now have to continue as that piece of scum’s lawyer just so he can’t ask me to testify about what happened in there. If I could I would walk away right now, but I have no wish to see your career ended by someone like Abrahams. What you did was not advisable but it was understandable. I took him on to show what a big man I was and that’s my mistake, something I’ll have to live with.’

He stood up, held his hand out to McCoy. ‘Until the next time, Mr McCoy.’

McCoy shook it, amazed. Lomax nodded at Murray and left.

Murray sat back in his chair. ‘I wasn’t expecting that.’

‘Me neither,’ said McCoy, relief flooding his body.

‘You’re fucking lucky,’ said Murray. ‘Won’t happen twice. Now fuck off.’

McCoy stood up, headed for the door.

‘Hang on,’ said Murray. ‘I forgot.’

McCoy sat back down.

‘Burgess. The Albany. Definitely something funny going on there.’

‘Aye?’ asked McCoy, fear rising.

‘Gilroy now. Her report’s in. He had Mandrax in his throat. Was pushed down there post-mortem.’

‘Eh?’

‘Exactly. Why would you give someone Mandrax when they were already dead? Doesn’t make any sense.’

‘Maybe Connolly just wanted to do what he always did?’

Soon as he said it McCoy knew how stupid it sounded.

Murray looked at him.

‘Sorry.’

‘Whatever it is, something’s not quite right. I might hand it to Eastern right enough, get them to look at it as a separate case. Can’t do any harm.’

‘No,’ said McCoy. He felt as if he was going to be sick. New investigation. No way they weren’t going to find out about him and Cooper beating him up first.

‘When are you going to decide?’

‘When I decide. That okay with you?’ asked Murray, sounding annoyed.

‘Gonnae be hard with Connolly the way he is, isn’t it?’

Murray sat back. ‘Not if he didn’t do it, it isn’t. Crammond from Eastern’s good. He’ll get to the bottom of it.’

McCoy nodded. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse. Crammond. He was a fucking terrier, good detective. Everyone expected him to be a chief inspector in a few years. If Murray got him on the case he was fucked, truly fucked.

Murray pointed at him. ‘And by the way, I meant what I said. I’m going to get Cooper whatever it takes and if I ever hear you use him to threaten anyone again, even a cunt like Abrahams, I’ll batter fuck out you myself.’

McCoy nodded. Didn’t disbelieve him.