Dyed in the Wool (11 page)

"Young DC by the name of Eva Law. Just brought her in from Haddington in the summer after she got her fixed tenure in CID. Sounds like she was another of your conquests."

"She wasn't." Cullen swapped hands as he put his foot up on the desk. "Besides, I'm settled down now. I've had a serious girlfriend for fourteen months."

"Fourteen minutes is a record for you, isn't it?"

"Aye, very good."

"What can I do for you?"

"I'm fishing. Wondered if you had any DS jobs going."

"Same old Cullen, obsessed with the number of stripes on your sleeve."

"Well?"

"There might be. You'd need to have been an Acting DS for three to six months before we'd consider it, though."

"I've pretty much been Acting DS."

"What do you mean by 'pretty much'?"

"Well, my DS is a twat and I've been doing his job for him."

Davenport laughed again. "So if I called up Jim Turnbull, he'd say the same?"

"He might. He said I'm one of his rising stars."

"Might isn't good enough, Cullen. I need a proven DS to even consider bringing them in." Davenport paused for a few seconds. "I seriously don't think that's you yet."

"Oh, come on, we worked well together."

"We did, I'm just saying that I don't think it's you yet. Give yourself another year, get that Acting DS activity formally on your CV and then we can talk."

"Right."

"Besides, all these changes that are happening in April, who knows - you might be my new boss by then."

"Cheers."

"We should have a chat in a few months, okay? And get the Acting DS experience."

"Will do." Cullen ended the call, before staring into space for a few minutes. His options were shrinking around him, restricting him to surviving in the current environment.

*
*
*

Sharon returned to the table - a glass of Rioja for her and a pint of Staropramen for him. "Here you go."

Cullen held up his glass in mock toast. "As my gran would say, your face is tripping you."

The corner of Sharon's mouth turned up ever so slightly. "It's been a shite day."

"You've barely said a word to me since we left the station."

She took a big drink of her wine. "That's better." She drummed her fingers on the table, looking distracted. "Having Cargill as my boss again hasn't exactly been a great experience."

Cullen took a sip of lager. "It's just for this case, though."

"Even so, any meetings that I'm in with her, I just want to smash her face in."

"Why is she so bad?"

Sharon shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe she had a DI like Bain."

Cullen smiled. "I meant why do you find her so bad?"

"It's just the way she carries herself. She's a nightmare. Her attitude is so tunnel vision. She's ignorant of how people feel or what they're thinking."

"What happened between you two?"

Sharon took another drink of wine. "We were pretty close to start with, then one day she just threw me under the bus. I can't even remember what it was now, but she made me take blame for some fuck-up she'd made. I was a DC and she was a DS. It wasn't right. She should have owned up for it."

"Aren't you worried about all these new DSs she's bringing in?"

"In a way, yes. Methven's clearly going to get a DI post before I do. She's supposed to be bringing a few new DCs in as well."

"That's all I need. More competition."

"Tell me about it. Methven's been auditing my work all day."

Cullen took a big drink of lager, the alcohol starting to hit his bloodstream. "I phoned Davenport earlier."

"What for?"

"To see if there are any DS jobs going in St Leonard's. He said I need to get some experience. Like that's going to be possible with all these full DSs kicking around."

"That was brave of you."

"I'm fucked in Turnbull's team." Cullen took the pint below halfway. "How hard would it be to get an Acting DS gig?"

"Hard. The only sitting duck is Irvine but it would take a fuck-up of monumental proportions to unseat him."

"Here's hoping."

Friday

5th October 2012

"I just don't see what that briefing achieved." Cullen yawned as he collected his breakfast from Barbara. "Could've done with some more sleep."

"Yeah, me too." Sharon shrugged. "I suppose it made sure we're here at seven."

"The only thing I took from that was how bad Bain has fallen. Leading the investigation into the stolen car."

"I agree."

"Don't know if you noticed." Cullen handed over a tenner to Barbara. "I managed to avoid getting any actions other than 'find out a bit more about Aitken'."

"Don't take the p- mick, Scott." Sharon smiled at Barbara as she paid for her porridge and latte before moving off. "Can't believe I've got to look into this hooligan nonsense."

"The privilege of rank. Besides, you'll be able to catch up with Wilkinson again."

She winced before sitting at a quiet table by the window.

Cullen watched Leith Walk come to life below them as they ate in silence, early morning traffic progressing through the wet darkness, the sun struggling to get up.

"Barrel of fun you pair are."

Cullen looked round, still chewing. Irvine.

"Mind if I have a seat?" Irvine sat at their table, a milky coffee and a full fry-up on his tray.

Sharon smirked. "You're welcome to join us, Alan."

"Less of that." Irvine ate with his mouth open, the mush of sausage, beans and egg in danger of unsettling Cullen's stomach. "Us long-timers need to stick together, what with all these new DSs. Won't recognise half the team soon."

"You've noticed, then?"

"Course I've noticed." Irvine's lips slapped together as he chewed. "There's a whole army of them." He made a sandwich with fried bread, beans and bacon, swallowing the lot in two bites. "That Methven boy's a total fud. Thinks he's it, doesn't he? Running around telling the gaffer what to do. Total prick. He's world class at pocket billiards, too." The two sausages disappeared as quickly as the sandwich. He took a big slurp of coffee. "They're not taking care of the long-serving members of the team, though, eh, Sharon?"

"Doesn't feel like it."

"Course it doesn't." Irvine put a whole haggis slice in his mouth, barely chewing. "Methven's got a DI job lined up for himself, that much is bloody obvious. They've got to replace Wilko now his new role has been confirmed. That's a bloody shoo-in there. Maybe I should go to HR about it."

Cullen knew Irvine's kind well. He'd memorised every line of every HR policy and determined how to milk the system - sensible policies quickly became distorted by Irvine's actions.

"They'll have to go through due process." Sharon set her cup down. "Maybe they won't replace Wilko. Cargill's come in as DI and Turnbull's had three DIs on his headcount for almost a year. With the big changes afoot next year, who knows if they'll bother."

"Aye, well, it's a bloody nuisance if you or I don't get it. That's all I'm saying." Irvine finished his coffee, burped, then took a big fistful of gum out of the drum he carried with him. "Right, I'm off out to Ravencraig to see what Rarity has been up to."

Sharon gave a mock salute. "See you later."

Irvine glanced at Cullen, got up and headed for the canteen exit, just as Turnbull entered, Irvine stopping the DCI for a brief chat.

Sharon tapped Cullen on the hand. "You know you didn't speak to him?"

"I might be forced to work with him, but I'll be buggered if I have to listen to his rancid chat on my own time."

"Well, here comes somebody a bit more important, so make sure you open your mouth this time."

Turnbull headed their way, clutching a coffee in one hand and his Blackberry in the other. He sat down in the seat Irvine had just vacated and tore the lid off the coffee. "Good morning, Sharon. Morning, Cullen."

"Morning, sir." Cullen disgusted himself at how slimy he sounded.

"Just wanted to check a few things with you both."

"Fire away."

"Has DI Wilkinson been speaking to either of you?"

Sharon shook her head. "No."

Cullen took a bit longer, pretending to think it through. "No."

"Keep it that way. I know what he's like. Make sure he's using his own resource for his investigation. It's not to come out of my budget."

"Will do."

"He and DI Bain will be the death of me." Turnbull slurped at his coffee. "Shouldn't really be saying this to you both, but I think I'm finally squaring the circle with regards to team profile. We could do with more solid officers like you two, particularly yourself, Sharon."

"Thank you, Jim."

Turnbull's Blackberry chirruped. "Infernal thing." He stabbed his stubby fingers at the device. "Can't get these bloody tweets to stop popping up. Need to take it to Charlie Kidd and see if he can fix it."

"Are you on Twitter?"

Turnbull nodded. "Mandated by my betters. They want to make sure CID has an open door with the public, as well as those officers on the beat. All I do is retweet the drivel that's out there. I've got six people following me so I don't see what endgame I'm achieving here. I'll give it another month and then I'm stopping it."

"I'm sure it's in a good cause." Sharon smiled. "You never know - one of your six followers might come forward with something useful in a case."

"That's if they're not all Lothian & Borders officers having a good laugh at my expense." Turnbull put the phone down with a sigh before turning his focus to Cullen. "You know Bill Lamb, don't you?"

"I've worked with him on a couple of cases this year."

"Ah, yes, that's right. I'm looking at seeing if I can bring him into A Division. What do you think the chances are?"

"I think Bill's pretty settled out in Garleton, sir."

"Disappointing. I'll give him a call nonetheless. Need to tighten my ship in this place." Turnbull put the lid back on his coffee. "Needs must." He got to his feet and left them.

Cullen finished his coffee. "Well, that's one less DS job going then."

"What was that Twitter stuff about?"

"Budgie showed me it the other day." Cullen got his phone out and showed her. "See, there's a retweet of a message from @RavencraigPC about that stolen Range Rover. It's absolute nonsense."

"Don't get caught."

"Relax. I've subscribed to his feed by a back door means."

"Well, you made another good impression there. Don't fuck it up by taking the piss out of him."

"Maybe all these brownie points I'm saving up will get me a DS position when I'm fifty." He checked his watch. "I'm going to head out west and see what I can find."

"Are you taking Caldwell with you?"

"This is a solo album."

"Scott, seriously, you better not be mucking about."

"Come on, Barry, I know you're in there." Cullen hammered again at the door of Barry Skinner, one of the few remaining active snouts he still had in West Lothian and the only one in Ravencraig.

Cullen caught an eye at the spyglass. He battered the door again. "Come on, Barry."

The door opened onto the chain. "Is that you, Cullen?"

Cullen showed his face. "Yes, it is."

The door closed then opened fully again. "Come in."

Cullen walked through the door, pulling it shut behind him.

Skinner locked it, two bolts, a Yale and a mortice. "Come on through, then."

Cullen followed him into the barely-furnished living room, standing by one of the large picture windows. He looked across the back yard, a patch of cracked concrete with a couple of dead tyres.

Skinner sat on an armchair, his short and skinny frame receding into the chair. He rubbed his neck, just where a large black snake tattoo coiled around, emerging at his left ear. "What can I do you for, my man?"

"I need some information about some Ravencraig locals. You might know them. Alexander Aitken and Kenneth Souness."

Skinner smiled. "I know those boys. Heard they both died. Is that right?"

"It's been in the press."

"Spoken like a true professional. You're all grown up now. Like a proper policeman."

"I've always been a proper policeman."

"If you see it that way. But anyway, I know those boys." Skinner nodded slowly, before pausing for a few moments. "I could do with a wee hand with something, though."

Cullen had expected this. He focused on the broad grin, the lines stretched around the eyes. "What is it this time, Barry?"

"No need to be like that, Cullen. See, the thing is, I've got myself into a spot of bother in Bathgate."

"What have you done?"

"You know the drill, you just sort it out for me and I'll give you some gen on those boys."

"There are limits."

"Given you're here so early in the case, I must be the only lead you've got."

Cullen leaned back against the window frame, folding his arms. "What sort of trouble is it?"

"Your old colleagues in Bathgate have got me in the frame for something."

"What?"

Skinner held up a hand. "Just fix it."

Cullen leaned forward. "I need to know two things. First, what the fuck have you done? Second, why should I help you?"

Skinner smiled. "Let's just say I've got something I think could prove useful to your case. I'll let you work out whether you can find it in your heart to help me out."

"What have you done?"

Skinner looked away. "The usual."

"Flashing old ladies?"

"Aye."

"And you've been caught?"

"Aye."

"Me making charges disappear or whatever is a big ask. This better be worth it."

"It is."

"Then tell me."

"No chance." Skinner wagged a finger. "I've got some leverage here."

"How solid is it?"

Skinner rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Let's just say one of your suspects might have done something to warrant whatever's happened to him."

"Who?"

Skinner nodded. "Okay, I'll give you this one little titbit. It's Kenny Souness."

"Right." Cullen stared up at the ceiling and thought it through. He was already going out on a limb and he wasn't sure his gamble was going to pay off. Eventually, he nodded. "I'll see what I can do."