Oh. She stared at the hole in her pie for a moment, then tore the top off a sachet of tomato sauce and squirted it inside.
Logan frowned. Unless we get the back shift to do some? A nod. Sort it out with Ding-Dong. Sooner we get a result the better.
Have you been to the scene? The pasty was filled with savoury napalm, almost too hot to eat. He brushed pastry flakes from his fingertips as he chewed. I was thinking of paying a visit later. Get a feel for the ground.
A lump-faced constable stuck her head around the meeting room door. Guv? She waved at DI Steel. Thats the next bunch arrived downstairs, you want me to get them up to the rooms, or let them stew for a bit?
Fuck em, were eating pies. Steel took another bite and the tomato sauce shed so carefully squirted in squirted out in a blood-spatter, all over her hand. Bastard She licked at her wrist. Wheres the napkins?
I mean, they mustve checked out the house before the abduction, they went straight to Jennys room and- Logan swore, his phone was ringing. He hauled it out with greasy fingers and checked the display: UNKNOWN.
Hello?
Hello?
Whos-
Hello? Can you hear me? Doc Fraser must have been fiddling with the buttons at his end, because a series of bleeps sounded in Logans ear. Followed by, Logan? You there? Ive just got the tox screen back from the lab. Thought youd want an update before I went and spilled the beans to Finnie and his fellow wankers.
Logan opened his mouth, then shut it again. Er, Doc, are you sure you should be-
Now pay attention: we scraped every little vein in that toe for blood cells and found trace amounts of morphine. The fatty tissue contained a minuscule quantity of thiopental sodium. And I mean a tiny, tiny quantity. Damn lucky we detected anything at all.
He dug his notebook out of his pocket, pinned the phone between his ear and his shoulder, and scribbled it all down Taking a rough stab at the spelling, THIGH-O-PENTHAL (SP?). Care to hazard a guess?
You buggers never change, do you? At a guess and this is just a guess she was given the morphine to keep her quiet. Compliant. It would work pretty well as a sedative. Thiopental sodium, on the other hand, is a general anaesthetic. They probably planned to put her under before removing the toe, but something went wrong. An allergic reaction maybe, or shed eaten too recently, threw up, and choked Either way, it was quick if thats any consolation otherwise thered be more of the drug laid down in the fatty tissue.
Logan closed his eyes. When?
Nearly impossible to tell. But from the look of it, Id say it was severed at least six hours after death, then kept in a fridge. Maybe up to a week?
So Bob was right Jenny was dead before theyd even received the first ransom demand.
The amputations pretty good, certainly done by someone with medical training using a thin, fi ne blade. And thiopental sodium is used to knock people out before they go in for surgery before they put you on the air and gas. So youre looking at hospitals: operating theatres, in-house pharmacy, neurology, the ITU Or maybe a vet? I think they use it on animals too.
What about doctors surgeries, GPs, people like that?
They dont get anything stronger than lidocaine. Same with dentists.
Thanks, Doc. Deep breath. Can you do me a favour?
Depends.
When you tell the wankers, dont call them that, OK? Just because youre retired doesnt mean they wont take it out on us. Logan pressed disconnect, then looked up to see Steel staring at him.
Well?
He told her about the drugs and a smile broke across her face.
Right. She banged her hand against the table. Listen up you shiftless bunch of jessies when youre interviewing your mongs and stots this afternoon, I want to know if anyones got connections up the hospital or at a vets, OK? Job, volunteer work, friend, family the lot. She stuck two fingers up. Hospitals, vets.
Rennie frowned. How come?
Cos I say so. Laz, call Ingram tell him we need everyone weve seen today back tomorrow morning. She beamed, then punched Logan in the arm. Weve finally-
Ow! Bloody hell, that stung! He wrapped a hand around his deltoid, trying to squeeze the pain away. What was that for? The skin underneath throbbed and burned.
Oh stop moaning, you big girls blouse. Barely touched you. Were actually going to catch the bastards.
That hurt!
Jesus, and I thought Rennie was a wimp.
The constable paused, halfway through a huge sausage roll. Hey!
Logan rubbed at his arm. I dont go around hitting you, do I?
Inspector? The lumpy constable hooked a thumb over her shoulder at the corridor outside.
Aye, I know. Steel wiped her fingers down the front of her red satin shirt, leaving little greasy smears. Come on, Laz, carpe pervertum.
Chapter 13
Bruce Preston (46) Possession of Indecent Images; Animal Cruelty; Obstructing, Assaulting, Molesting or Hindering an Officer in the Course of their Duty; Bestiality
Well, I suppose Bruce Preston shifted in his seat, squiggling his bum left and right, as if he had worms, or an unreachable itch. He was slightly chubby, slightly balding; completely unremarkable in every way, except for the huge collection of photos of people having sex with dogs the IB had found on his computer. Apparently Bruces home-made snaps all featured next doors Cairn terrier.
Chapter 13
Bruce Preston (46) Possession of Indecent Images; Animal Cruelty; Obstructing, Assaulting, Molesting or Hindering an Officer in the Course of their Duty; Bestiality
Well, I suppose Bruce Preston shifted in his seat, squiggling his bum left and right, as if he had worms, or an unreachable itch. He was slightly chubby, slightly balding; completely unremarkable in every way, except for the huge collection of photos of people having sex with dogs the IB had found on his computer. Apparently Bruces home-made snaps all featured next doors Cairn terrier.
He gave a huge, overacting shrug, arms coming out to forty-five degrees. The bitter-oniony stench of stale armpits got even worse. But its not really the same thing, is it? Besides, I dont really watch the TV any more. Not since that cow on Channel Five did that Britains Secret Sex Shame show.
And youre sure you dont know anyone at the hospital, or a vets?
Preston rubbed his fingers along his thighs, cheeks flushing pink. Told you Im not allowed within a hundred metres of a veterinary surgery or dog-walking park.
Logan logged the end of the interview, thanked Bruce Preston for his time, then told him he could see himself out.
As soon as the door clunked shut, Logan sprawled in his chair, hanging over the edges; arms dangling, fingertips brushing the carpet. That was fun.
Rennie gagged. Bloody hell Mind if I open the window?
Oh, God, please!
Clunk. And the sound of traffic filtered in from the nearby dual carriageway, the rumble of a plane fading into the distance, the tweet and whitter of birds.
Do you think Steels right?
Logan checked his watch nearly twenty to four. He stretched, then flopped back again. Been rumours doing the rounds about the livestock market for years. Kids, women, snatched to order, sold in secret auctions All we need to do is catch one of these bastards and the whole thing falls apart. There was a creaking noise. He looked over to see Rennie slumped in the other seat, arms hanging over the edges, fingertips brushing the tartan carpet.
Will you stop doing that?
Rennie raised an eyebrow. What?
The bloody monkey-see-monkey-do routine. Its getting on my nerves.
NLP, my dear Sergeant McRae. Did it when I was on the Interviewer Accreditation Course last month. Got top marks, by the way. He slumped back, just like Logan. It puts the subject at ease subconsciously, makes them think they have a connection, an ally in the room.
Theres going to be a bloodstain in the room if you dont cut it out.
Rennie sat up straight. What mark did you get?
None of your business. Sixty-five percent. How many more on the list for today?
Three. Then its DI Bells turn. He smiled. Hey, maybe well get lucky and crack the case before the end of the day? Interview Superstar Rennie and his sidekick: Sergeant McRae.
Youre a dick, you know that, dont you?
Henry MacDonald (24) Assault, Possession of a Controlled Drug, Drunk and Incapable, Breach of the Peace, Public Indecency
Yes, but only on the TV. Henry sat completely still in the hotel chair, knees firmly clamped together, hands clasped in his lap. Someone had dressed him up in his Sunday best a shiny grey suit that looked like a charity shop special. Didnt really fit him. Hair that he must have cut himself, probably with garden shears.
Rennie crossed his arms, then uncrossed them again. Rearranged himself into Henrys mirror image. It didnt take a perfect score in Neuro-Linguistic Programming to see the technique wasnt going to work this time.
Not that it made any difference. No one was admitting to knowing anyone at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Albyn, Wood End, Cornhill, or any of the other hospitals in the north-east. And it was the same story with the areas fifty-eight veterinarian practices.
Mind you, they were only a third of the way through Grampians Sex Offenders Register, not to mention the six or seven dozen more on DI Ingrams unofficial list.
But at least they were doing something
Silence.
It took Logan a moment to realise both Rennie and MacDonald were staring at him. Hmm He cleared his throat. In what way?
Well, Rennie shifted in his chair, I mean, its not likely, is it? Nope, still no clue.
Logan shrugged. You never know. Checked his clipboard. Erm your social worker says youve applied for chemical castration?
MacDonald shrugged, the barest twitch of his shoulders. I dont like feeling I A long, hard frown. I dont want to be like this any more. Inside He clapped a bony hand to his chest. You understand?
Not really.
Logan nodded. Well, if youre sure. And youre sure youve not heard anything about the McGregors?
Its like being broken all the time.
OK
Brian Canter (41) Attempted Abduction of a Child, Possession of Indecent Images of Children, Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice Im sorry if that makes me an unsympathetic character, Canter licked his lips it was like watching a slab of liver slither across a rubber band, but my therapist says I have to be honest about who I am if Im ever going to get better.
Rennie cleared his throat. So youre saying, given the opportunity-