Skinner's Ghosts (7 page)

'We worked together well and amicably for a while. We had a few late shifts, which led to a few meals together. I realised early on that I was attracted to her, but our physical relationship didn't develop until after Sarah had taken our son to the States. We spent two nights under the same roof, once at her place when I was snowed in, and once in Gul ane. But we didn't actual y sleep together until my separation from Sarah had been legal y recognised. I can give you dates later, Mitch, but that's the sequence of events.'

'That's good,' said the lawyer. 'Now what about Miss Masters'

post as your assistant?'

'As soon as I saw how things would develop, I moved her out of my office. I transferred her to Andy Martin's personal staff, and took Sergeant Neil Mcllhenney as her replacement.'

'Ah!' said Laidlaw. 'So because you and she were entering a physical relationship, Miss Masters actually lost her important, fast-track job as your Executive Officer?'

'Absolutely.'

'Then al she has to do to pursue a defamation action is to decide on the quantum of the claim. That is, how much the accusation that she was prepared to sell herself for advancement is worth to her, or 38

at least how much a court is likely to think it worth.'

'What do you think?'

'Hmm.' Mitch Laidlaw contemplated. 'She has good career prospects, yes?'

'Yes. She was a late entrant, but she can expect to make Chief Inspector, as a minimum.'

'Well in that case, I think they'd settle out of court for at least a hundred and fifty thou. Maybe two hundred. Plus costs, of course.'

The solicitor paused again. 'She'll need to instruct me personally if she wants to proceed, but that can be done tomorrow.

'Now. About your own case. That's not so clear-cut, I'm afraid.'

'Why not?' Skinner protested.

'For a couple of reasons. First, you are a very senior officer. Even if Miss Masters sues successful y, the defence against an action by you could be that you used your position, a glamorous and powerful position, to turn the lady's head, or to pul her, if you want a Thursday-night term. Second, you may be separated legal y, but you are stil married.'

'Hold on, Mitch,' Skinner protested. 'The article says that Sarah went to the States on holiday and that I've been having it off behind her back.'

'No, Bob. You read it that way, but it didn't actual y say so. The phrase used was "staying in the US with her parents". In any event, their defence would be that an action for adultery would succeed, and if one was lodged and decree granted before your case reached

the Court of Session we wouldn't have a chance.

'To sum up, if you instruct me I'll lodge a writ for defamation on Monday, but with no great expectation of success. In that case, any short-term benefit which may accrue to you would be lost when you were forced to drop your action and meet defence costs.'

The big policeman sighed. 'So what do you recommend?'

'I wil issue a statement on your behalf, saying that your relationship with Miss Masters is private and personal, with no professional overtones, and that it began after you and your wife entered a formal separation agreement. I wil say also that I have advised you of the potential for an action for defamation, and that you wil consult with me on Monday to determine the course of proceedings.

'That'l put the Spotlight thing into some sort of perspective, and it'll make the rest of the media think carefully about carrying on the story.'

Skinner grunted agreement. 'Okay. I know I couldn't be in better hands, Mitch. So you do as you advise. How wil you go about it?'

'I'll give the statement to our marketing officer, and tell her to issue it in an hour. We'l say that you have nothing to add to the statement, but you'd better make sure anyway that your force press 39

people are briefed to refer to us all callers who come on looking for you or Pamela. If Alex has my home number, she'll have the marketing lady's as well.'

'Okay,' said Skinner. 'I'll alert everyone. Look, thanks again Mitch.

We'l speak on Monday.'

'Earlier if necessary,' said Laidlaw. 'Incidentally, Bob,' he added.

'I'm very impressed with that daughter of yours. We haven't allocated her to a department as yet, so I think I'll take her into mine.'

Skinner smiled across at Alex, who stood by the window, watching him. 'Be careful about that, mate. She could wind up ruling your life too.'

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12

'My goodness, Bob, what a position to find yourself in. Mind you, I have to say - as I'm sure no-one else will have - that you've only got yourself to blame.'

'What for. Jimmy? Not pul ing the bedroom curtains?'

Skinner and the Chief Constable were alone in the Proud sitting room. Lady Proud, at her husband's suggestion, had taken Alan Royston to the kitchen, to make coffee. The DCC had watched his commander's face grow increasingly red as he had studied the Spotlight exclusive.

'Don't be flip with me, man. You have to know that public figures are always in the spotlight... no pun intended.'

The big detective growled. 'But not to that extent, surely.'

'Obviously they are, Bob,' said the Chief, waving the newspaper.

'Much as I regret it, this sort of media behaviour is still legal in this, and in most free countries. However much I might deprecate this man Salmon and his rag, you were there for him to see, and to photograph.

'I have nothing against Sergeant Masters, Bob, but I am very fond of Sarah, as you know, and I am heart sorry to think of her on the other end of this situation.'

'So am I, Jimmy, but at least I've got time to warn her.'

'Confession rather than warning, I think,' said Proud, sadly now.

'Tell me, Bob, why? What did you see in this lass?'

Skinner sat in one of the Chief's big armchairs. 'Have you ever been lonely, Jimmy?' he asked, then continued, without waiting for an answer. 'Well I have. For about fifteen years, after Myra was killed, I had this big, cold streak inside me. I brought up my daughter, I did my job as hard and as best I could, I socialised with the lads. But always it was there - that big, cold lump that set me apart from the rest.

'I know now what it was. It's cal ed bereavement, and all widowed people carry it around inside them. Some have faith that helps them to handle it, that even lets them draw strength from it. But I lost my wife young, and I never came to terms with the fact. At least not until Sarah came along. When I met her, that coldness began to disappear, until at last, it was gone altogether, and I was really happy again, after half a lifetime.'

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He leaned back in the chair. 'Then, out of the blue, it seemed, things went pear-shaped between the two of us, very suddenly and completely unexpectedly. I'd just assumed that we'd be happy ever after.

'It doesn't matter whose fault it was, whether I was wrong or whether she was, or whether, as is most likely, we both were. We had just lost the way. We were broken asunder. And with that, and no doubt with my uncovering the circumstances ofMyra's death as well, that big, cold beast of bereavement was back with me.'

He looked up at Proud. 'Loneliness is the only thing in life that really scares me. Jimmy. The prospect of it makes me crazy.

'Fortuitous or whatever, Pam was there for me when I needed her most, to help me fight off my fear. I believe that everything I've done since then has been proper, except that I chose to be secretive about it. I should have told my family, I should have come clean with Sarah when I saw her in May, and I should have taken you into my confidence.

'For al of that, I apologise to you.' He stopped.

'First time in my life I've ever had to say that to you, and it'll be the last. Like Pam said to me, it's a bugger when you discover you ain't the person you thought you were.'

The gruff old Chief Constable stood over him. 'Apology accepted, son,' he said, and sat down, facing Skinner. 'Don't be too hard on yourself.

'Now' he muttered, grimly, 'what are we going to do about this bloody man Salmon?'

'That's the point at which I have to leave you to make your own decisions, sir. If nothing else, I have caused embarrassment to the force. It's for you to determine your course of action without input from me. That's why I've brought Royston with me.

'He'll brief you on the questions that are likely to come up, and advise you on the shape of your responses. The content is up to you.

If you want to suspend me forthwith, I'l respect that and make no public reaction myself.'

'Hah!' the Chief roared. 'Suspend you! Do you think I'd let a wipearse like Salmon, and his paper, deprive this city of its finest police officer? I'm going to stand by you, just as you've always stood by everyone under your command.'

The silver-haired Sir James paused, and his expression became serious once more. 'There is one thing, though, of which we should both be conscious. We have a new government in power, elected on the crest of a wave of concern about probity in public life. Its party members are in the ruling majority on the Joint Police Board.

'The one area in this job where I'm still ahead of you, Bob, is in the politics of it. For you they don't exist, but believe me, they do. I 42

can hold the Chair of the Board in line, but some of the members, as you've seen for yourself, are unpredictable. A few are downright anti-polis! We even know of a couple with criminal records.'

Proud rose, walked over to Skinner and laid a hand on his shoulder.

'I have friends in the Scottish media that even you don't know about.

Most of the press won't run with this story. Unless, that is, the Board gives them no option. I'll do my best on that score, I promise.

'Now, let's see what advice Master Royston has to give me.'

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13

There was a long silence at the other end of the line. 'Let me get this straight,' said Sarah at last, her New York tones more drawn-out than ever. 'You're telling me that you're having an affair, and that because of it, our lives, our child, and the state of our marriage are going to be all over the gutter press.'

'I can't soften it, love,' said Bob. 'That's what's happened.'

'This woman, the Pamela creature. Were you screwing her before you visited with Jazz and me in May?'

'Yes. I'm sorry: I should have told you back then.'

A snort bounced off the satellite, and crossed the Atlantic. 'Oh no you shouldn't! With my folks around, while you were under their roof! That would not have been the time to tell me I'd been traded in for a younger model.'

'Pam's older, actually,' said Bob, automatically, cursing himself at once. 'Oh darlin', I'm sorry. Listen it's not like that. My world was upside-down at the time. I'm not making excuses, but it just happened.'

'What?' There was a hitch in Sarah's voice, the sound of a suppressed sob. 'You just fell in love with another woman, with the ink barely dry on our separation?'

'No!' he protested. 'Listen . ..'

'Shut up for a minute, Bob, please. Let me get my head round this a piece at a time.' She paused, and he could hear her fight to calm her breathing, to calm herself.

'That explains the phone call, anyway,' she said finally, in an even tone.

'What phone cal ?'

'This afternoon. I had a cal from a guy in Scotland. He said his name was Salmon. He said that he was researching for a series on your career, and that he needed medical background on some of your investigations. He asked if he could come to Buffalo to visit me.

'I thought it was a little odd, but I said okay, if he was prepared to pay the air fare, then I was prepared to see him next Tuesday. I take it that. . .'

'Yes,' muttered Bob, grimly. 'He's the shit who broke the story.'

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'And he expects still to be alive next Tuesday,' Sarah responded, with a faint hint of mockery.

'Andy was going to lock him up. The trouble was he hadn't broken any laws. Pam may be able to sue him, but that's it.'

'Pam may be able . . .! What, you mean she isn't a man-grabbing little opportunist?' Her voice rose once more.

'No,' said her husband quietly. 'She isn't.'

'Okay,' said Sarah, more calmly. 'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have got down to that level. What does this man Salmon want?'

'Some photos of the wronged wife and baby, I guess. Plus confirmation from you that I'm a shit and that you can't wait to divorce me.'

'None of that sounds too tough,' said Sarah.

'So you'll see him?'

There was another snort, with a laugh in it this time. 'Like hell I wil ! Do you think for one moment that I'd involve myself, or my baby, with a rag like that? I've seen the US Spotlight, and I can think of half-a-dozen congressmen who've trying to have it banned. If you can get word to this guy, let him know that if he sets foot on my dad's doorstep, he'l have him arrested. And in this city, my dad could probably do that!'

'I'l have Royston pass that message on,' said Bob.

'Sarah,' he went on, strangely hesitant. 'I have to ask you this. Do you intend to divorce me?'

He heard her gasp slightly. She was silent for several expensive transatlantic seconds, until final y she responded, very quietly. 'Do you want me to?'

'I've no right to expect otherwise.'

'But is it what you want?'

This time it was Bob's turn to fall silent. 'No,' he said, at last.

'Ask me now and the answer's no.'

'Do you and Pamela love each other? Like does she want to have your babies?'

Another pause. 'No. I don't think we do. I don't think she does.

We've avoided discussing anything so heavy.'

'Then get yourselves sorted out. I'l give you three months. If, after that, you're no longer involved with this woman, and you tell me that you love me and want me back, I'l decide how I feel. If you can't make me believe all that, I'll know it's over.'

'Don't we have to say those things to each other?' he asked.

She chuckled, and in his mind's eye he could see her shake her head. 'Not from where I'm standing, we don't.'

The big policeman, alone in his sitting room, heaved a sigh and nodded. 'Okay. That's how it'll be.