Logan looked at the stainless-steel table, the one with guttering around the edges, and a water supply to rinse away the blood. Im Nah, its OK. Im fine.
Oh come on. She smiled. Never lost a patient yet.
Ever saved one?
A sigh. Thats a good point. She leant the mop against the wall, then crossed to a laptop sitting on its own on an expanse of shining worktop. Little girls between four and eight Her fingers clicked across the keys. Am I allowed to ask why?
Theres no need to sound so dramatic, Sergeant. Where do you think the kidnappers got the thing from, Toes R Us?
Was sitting upstairs, waiting for them to put a dozen stitches in a wee boys feet, and I thought where would you get a dead little girls toe from?
Lovely. She shook her head, Irn-Bru curls swaying. So when you think of dead little girls: Im the one who springs to mind?
Have you had any? Over the last two or three weeks? Theyd have been given morphine and thiopental sodium.
She leant her head closer to the laptops screen. That narrows it down a bit Here we go: female, five-year-old, brought in suffering from abdominal pains. Died on the operating table. A sigh. Poor wee soul.
The song on the stereo changed to All the Time in the World. Logan limped over. Could we do a DNA test? See if the toe they sent us was hers?
I remember her now. Such a pretty little girl. When we opened her up she was riddled with cysts and cancer Five years old.
Youd have tissue samples though, right? We could-
Its not her.
But if we check-
Its not her. The APT stepped back and pointed at the screen.
A photograph filled the right-hand side next to a list of post mortem notes: a little girl, lying on the cutting table, eyes taped closed, the breathing tube still in her mouth. Her skin was the colour of dusty slate, all the blood and life leached out of it.
The APT closed the laptop with a click. Theres no way they could pass a toe from her off as coming from a little white girl.
Thats not what I meant. Deep breaths. Stay calm.
Then what did you mean, Sergeant? Superintendent Napier steepled his fingers, then rested his chin on the point. He smiled, dark eyes wide behind his glasses. His desk was arranged so that his back was to the window, meaning the chair reserved for visitors, supplicants, and sacrificial offerings, faced into the sun. The light made a fiery halo of Napiers ginger hair, his black dress uniform a solid silhouette against the bright blue sky.
Logan squinted. There just didnt seem to be an opportunity to call it in. After I banged my head He reached up and rubbed a spot behind his ear, just to sell the lie.
Ah yes. Of course. Detective Constable Rennie mentioned where are we? The superintendent picked a sheet of paper from his in-tray and peered at it down his long pointy nose. He was acting all confused and had difficulty remembering the end of sentences, when I collected him. I believe he may have been concussed. The paper went back in the tray. A more cynical man might think youd cooked that up between you to deflect the blame, dont you think, Sergeant?
When was the last time you were attacked by a Rottweiler? Or battered to death with your own office chair?
And I suppose it was this alleged concussion that made you twenty minutes late for our appointment? Napier swivelled from side to side, sunlight flaring in Logans eyes: shadow, bright, shadow, bright. Weve not had to deal with you for several months, Sergeant, but I see from Chief Inspector Youngs notes that you were in here only yesterday. Twice in two days. Are you embarking upon some kind of record attempt?
They were trumped up charges by-
Someone allegedly trying to extort drugs from you. Yes, I do actually read the case files of the officers I deal with, Sergeant. And a little birdie tells me that youre having interpersonal difficulties with Chief Inspector Green from SOCA?
Did the bastard hire a publicist? We had a frank exchange of views, yes.
Did you now? Napier swivelled again. We disagreed about what was and wasnt acceptable behaviour when interviewing sex offenders. Green thinks its OK to put the fear of God in them and threaten to tell their colleagues.
I see He sat forward, blocking out the sun. So, would you say that Superintendent Green was less than receptive to Grampian Polices thorough and rigorous approach to offender management? That he disregarded best working practice? Was contemptuous of it? There was that smile again, the one that made him look like a shark, about to tear into a paddling pool full of orphans.
Er Logan was getting set up for something. It was a non-standard situation that may have caused some confusion on his part.
Napier raised an eyebrow. I shall, of course, attempt to smooth out any difficulties in understanding. Its important that we all get on with our colleagues from the Serious Organized Crime Agency, dont you think?
Yes?
The superintendent picked a silver pen from his desktop, rolled it back and forth between his fingers as if it were a shiny joint. Then returned it to its rightful place, lining it up perfectly with the edge of a desk calendar. Well, he stuck out a hand for Logan to shake, thank you for coming in, Sergeant. Its been most informative.
Thats it he was screwed.
It would just take a while to find out why, and exactly how badly.
Well, if youd hold still for two minutes I wouldnt have to, would I? Dr Delaney shifted her grip on Logans ankle. She had fingers like pliers, digging into the skin and muscle, the purple nitrile gloves pulling out leg hairs every time she moved.
Ow!
Oh dont be such a baby. She wiped a disinfectant-soaked pad across the dark-red teeth-marks again, rubbing away the scabs. Setting them bleeding again. When was your last tetanus shot?
No idea.
Youre a silly sod. Lucky we dont get a lot of rabies in Scotland the needles are massive.
Sharp, stinging pain tore up his leg. He gritted his teeth, tried not to flinch.
If you dont hold still, youre going to get gangrene and your footll fall off. Is that what you want? She rubbed more disinfectant into the wounds.
Did you do a check-up on Ricky Brown?
Pass me the pack of gauze. She tore the plastic packet open with her teeth. He wasnt exactly the most cooperative of patients.
Dr Delaney laid a square of gauze across the huge gouges in Logans ankle. Barely a scratch, I dont know why youre being such a whinge about it.
He going to be OK?
Nothing a decent meal and a bath wouldnt sort out. Hospital did an excellent job on his stitches. Ive got suits with worse needlework in them. She wrapped a bandage around the ankle, securing it with a claw-toothed metal thing on the end of a bit of elastic. And I bet he made a lot less fuss than you did.
Thanks Doc. Logan hopped down from the desk, then picked up his bloodstained sock and soggy shoe.
One more thing. She took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. Im recommending they take him into permanent care. A family full of drug users is bad enough, but if his mum and this Shuggie person are involved with Yardies
Logan limped back to his desk, popped open the top drawer and stuck his newly-washed coffee mug and teaspoon inside, then locked them away. That was the trouble with working in a police station all the thieving bastards.
Biohazard Bob swivelled his seat around until he was facing the middle of the room. Beer oclock?
Cant. Doreen stayed hunched over her desk. Superintendent Green wants details on every kidnapping in the area, going back five years.
Logie the Bogie?
Logan switched off his computer. Green needs taking out and shot. Hes got me digging out the same info for the last ten. Ive got Rennie doing it now.
Doreen hunched her shoulders, grinding out the words, Why didnt you say that three hours ago?
Biohazard poked the power button on his computer. Well, another day spent hunting the elusive Stinky Tam has left me gasping for a pint. He picked up the slew of paperwork covering his desk, ruffled it into something approaching order, and jammed it in his pending-tray. Anyone seen my stapler?
He hauled open his top desk drawer. The hells this? Bob pulled out the pair of knickers Logan had stuffed in there last week the ones hed found clothespegged to his lamp along with all the socks.
Bob turned them back and forth, flashing the brown streaks that covered the gusset. Aye, aye, someones been a bittie manky.
Doreen straightened her back, pink rushing up her cheeks. Well, dont look at me!
The door banged open and DI Steel grumbled into the Wee Hoose. Sergeant Marshall, why arent She frowned. What are you doing?
He twirled the skidmarked panties around his finger. Just discussing personal hygiene with DS Taylor, here. Superintendent Greens never going to want to jump in her pants if shes left filthy bumscrapes-
Doreen hit him. Detective Sergeant Robert Marshall, Im warning you!
Behave, the pair of you. Steel chucked a manila folder at Bob. General Enquiry Division just turned up a body on Gairn Terrace.
Yeah? He pulled out the paperwork, flipped through it. Ill get on it first thing tomorrow, Guv, itll A sigh. Shite. He held up a photograph a mans face: nose bloated like a pockmarked golf ball, scraggly beard full of bits, unkempt hair, dirty red Aberdeen Football Club bobble hat. Stinky Tam.
Aye, so get your filthy panty-whirling arse out there and bring the poor bastard in.
Bob went pink. Yes, Guv. He hurried out the door, taking the folder with him.
And as for you, she turned and poked Logan with a finger, what the hell were you thinking?
Doreen stood. Well, I guess I should really be off-
No so fast. Steel slammed her hand into the doorframe, blocking the way. You tell your new boyfriend Green, I dont need somebody running around checking my work like Im a bloody probationer. And if I catch him spreading shite around about anyone on my team again, Im going to jam my fist so far up his arse Ill be working him like a fucking Muppet. Understand?
Doreen nodded. Steel lowered her hand and the DS crept out.
Steel closed the door, slowly and quietly. Now it was just her and Logan.
If youre planning on shouting at me, dont bother. Logan picked his jacket off the back of his seat and pulled it on. I got enough of that from Napier and Finnie. I thought I could get the car back before anyone found out.