MAX ARRIVED BACK at the apartment in Leith to find Ross, Janie and Norma at their desks.
‘Max?’ Janie said. The question hung in the air as everyone stopped what they were doing to listen.
‘He’ll live, it seems. Although what his life will look like, who knows?’ Max described Niall’s injuries.
Max poured a coffee from the pot and sat down heavily at his desk. He blew out a sigh and took a long sip.
‘Some sleep may be a good idea, no?’ said Ross.
‘I’m fine. We need to progress and finish this, guys. Who knows what she’ll do next?’
‘Aye, about that …’
‘What?’
‘Chief’s coming under some pressure. Met want to know how Niall got into this position, and the IP commissioners are none too happy about the evidence we have to justify intrusive surveillance and property interference. They weren’t too happy about the key imprint. I’m presenting again to them in the morning.’
‘So, we’re not signed off to do the tech attack?’
‘Not yet. Gives us more planning time, I guess.’
Max’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the mug. ‘Ross, that’s bullshit. Who knows what they could get up to in that time? It’s twenty-four hours, for God’s sake. All we have is fucking screenshot malware on her phone.’
‘Anything on that?’
‘Just the one message we all know about.’
‘Anything from the accident inquiry?’ asked Max.
‘Not much. Only one witness made themselves known. Definite full-on attempt. Mounted the pavement, accelerated, and went straight into Niall. Captured on CCTV.’ Ross paused. ‘Want to see it?’ he said after a moment.
Max wondered if he did. He thought about the stack of images already in his memory bank.
‘Yes,’ he said.
Ross nodded at Norma, who swivelled her screen around and clicked on the keyboard. The CCTV was local authority.
The image seemed to have been recorded from high up on a lamppost. It began with Niall, his phone clamped to his ear, bags in his other hand, crossing the road. A big Ford Mondeo then appeared, its headlights blazing. It sped up and swerved onto the pavement. They all stood in silence for a long time after the video clip had finished.
‘Anything on the registration?’ Max broke the impasse.
‘Registered to an identical car with a similar registration in Bolton. I suspect the tape-on-the-number-plate trick again. Car’s not been recovered, yet – everyone’s looking for it,’ said Norma.
‘Replay it.’ Max’s expression didn’t change.
Norma shuffled her mouse a touch and the image replayed.
‘Focus on the driver,’ said Max, concentrating intently on the grainy image.
‘Can’t make anything out. Whoever it is has a cap pulled down low and a scarf over their face,’ said Ross.
‘You can see one thing, though,’ said Janie.
‘What?’ said Ross.
‘I’ve met Marnie Gray. What’s the first thing you notice about her?’
‘Her height. She’s almost six feet tall. No way is that driver that tall. Whoever drove that car at Niall, it wasn’t Marnie Gray. We need to get the footage in for image analysis.’
‘This won’t help me with the IP commissioners, you know that, right?’ said Ross, gravely.
No one said anything. The only noise was the whirring fan from Norma’s computer.
‘We already knew there’s someone else involved in this. It changes nothing,’ said Max.
‘I’m not sure his lordship will see it that way.’
‘How about the chief?’
‘His hands are tied. If we don’t have the evidence to present, he can do nothing without the say-so of the commissioners. I’m going to see him shortly,’ said Ross.
‘We’re wasting too much time. We need to act now.’
‘Aye well, that’s as maybe, sergeant, but there’s shit called the law, which we’re encouraged to fucking adhere to, you get me?’
Max turned his eyes to his computer and started booting it up.
‘Max?’ said Ross.
‘Aye?’
‘I hope you’re not thinking of doing anything daft. Remember there’s still the small issue of an ongoing shooting in London, and things like this wouldn’t help your cause, would they?’
‘Naturally, sir.’
‘Don’t you fucking “sir” me. I know you only say that when you’re being a sarky bastard.’
Max said nothing.
Ross glared at him, and then turned back towards his screen, muttering under his breath.