Chapter 16
‘Marillion or Genesis?’ Cameron asked as the Uber driver dropped them off at the front door.
Art was about to answer when the driver turned to look at Cameron. ‘Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins? For Genesis?’
‘Collins was already at the helm when Marillion was formed,’ Art said, ‘so I’m guessing Collins?’ He looked at Cameron.
‘Aye. Collins.’
The Uber driver sucked in a breath. ‘Tough one. I have to say, I liked Fish the best in Marillion. I was shagging a married woman from Inverkeithing when “Garden Party” came out. Marillion, 1983.’
‘Good song,’ Art said. ‘From the album Script for a Jester’s Tear. “Market Square Heroes”, another good one. I have to say, I wouldn’t shed a tear if I was listening to the radio and Marillion came on.’
‘Me neither,’ the driver said. They both looked at Cameron.
‘Aye, I think I would have to agree. Fish is great.’
They got out of the cab. The air was warm, and the summer was getting into full swing.
‘I’m sweating like a pig.’
‘You’re probably all wired up because you were going to see Morag. You did go?’
Cameron nodded, dredging up thoughts of his soon-to-be ex-wife and their argument in front of the kids. ‘She doesn’t want to reconcile, she said. She’s having too much fun, she said. And do you know who her new boyfriend is?’
Art shook his head, admitting that he wouldn’t have come across that information anywhere. ‘No, but I have the feeling you’re going to tell me.’ He paused before pushing the club door open.
‘Magic Willie. I fuck with you not. That’s what she said his name was. I didn’t dare ask her why he had this nickname.’
Art was looking funny at Cameron. ‘Magic Willie?’
‘That’s what she said.’
‘Don’t worry, son, it’s not what you think. He’s a magician.’
Cameron blew air out of his cheeks. ‘Thank God for that. I had visions of him having a big—’
Art held up a hand. ‘Let me stop you right there. I do not, and I repeat, I do not want fucking images in my mind, thank you very much.’
‘I was going to say wallet, but whatever,’ Cameron said. ‘How do you know he’s a magician?’
‘Let’s just get inside and get a few pints.’
‘Tuesday night drinking beats Tuesday night sorting out my underwear drawer,’ Cameron said.
‘That’s easy; you throw them all in the dryer on high heat, and whatever shrinks, you throw away, and then you go along to Marks and Spencer to buy more.’
‘That might work on my shirts too,’ Cameron said, but he was already talking to Art’s back.
The Windygates Bowling Club was precisely the kind of place Art felt comfortable – wood panelling from the 1960s, carpet that had character, having witnessed many fights and quite a few pukings, and the sort of bar where everyone knew everyone else’s business but pretended not to.
As a member for the past eight years, Art could navigate the place blindfolded, though he’d only actually bowled twice in all that time, once when he was pished and came back in and puked over the carpet.
‘Evening, Art,’ called out Jimmy from behind the bar. ‘Your usual?’
‘Two pints of Tennent’s, Jimmy. Is Rose here yet?’
‘Aye, she’s in the corner booth, waiting for you.’
‘Hold on,’ Cameron said, grabbing Art’s arm. ‘How do you know Magic Willie anyway?’ he asked again.
Art’s expression darkened. ‘Because Magic Willie is a con man, Cameron. Has been for years. I arrested him twice in the early 2000s for fraud – insurance scams, mostly. He’d stage accidents and then claim compensation.’
‘You’re taking the piss.’
‘Sorry, son. William Tanner, also known as Willie the Magic Man, also known by several other aliases I can’t remember.’ Art shook his head. ‘He went legit about ten years ago and started doing the magic act for real. Called himself Magic Willie. But a leopard doesn’t change its spots.’
‘So my wife is dating a criminal?’
‘Your soon-to-be ex-wife is dating a reformed criminal. There’s a difference.’ Art shook his head. ‘Though I wouldn’t trust him with my wallet, if I were you.’
Cameron looked like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ‘This day just keeps getting better. A bloody crook going near my kids.’ He went to sit at the bar next to a young blonde woman.
Rose Clark was sitting in the corner booth as promised, nursing what looked like a gin and tonic and checking her watch nervously. Art had known her since his early days on the force when she’d been a civilian clerk who always knew where to find the file you needed.
‘Rose,’ Art said, sliding onto the chair across from her.
‘Art.’ She smiled at him. ‘I’m so glad we’re both members here. It means I get to see more of you.’
‘Me too.’ Art had been seeing Rose for a couple of weeks.
He hadn’t had much to say to her at work and had thought she was married until he’d had one pint too many and she’d asked him up onto the small dance floor on a Saturday night.
They talked about their lives – he was a widower, she was a widow – and they hit it off.
He had taken her home and spent the night, and most nights after that.
‘When can we go public about seeing each other out of work?’ she said. She sipped at her gin and tonic.
‘You can take an ad out in the newspaper, Rose. I’m not hiding it from anybody.’
‘Except today from your boss and young Cameron?’
‘I didn’t think that was the best time,’ he said. ‘But we can be subtle about it.’
‘Taking an ad out in a newspaper isn’t subtle.’
‘Figure of speech.’
‘Where’s Cameron?’ Rose asked.
‘He’s over there trying to get his hole—’
‘Hello, Arthur,’ a man said, stopping beside their table.
Art looked at him. He hated people using his full name, and this old bastard knew it but carried on doing it anyway. ‘Hello, vicar. I was saying that Cameron is over there trying to get his whole backside on that bar stool. The lad’s fairly gaining weight.’
‘I wouldn’t know. I don’t look at backsides.’
‘Me neither.’
The vicar raised his eyebrows. He had a pint in his hand, almost empty. ‘I thought you were going to make it to church? You said that a few weeks ago.’
‘Funny story. I was going to—’
‘Attendance is down, Arthur. People aren’t giving freely to the church coffers much any more.’
Art stood up, made a drinking motion to Rose, telling her he was going to get more drinks, and guided the old man away from the table towards the bar. He took a twenty out of his pocket. ‘Why don’t I start now, vicar?’ He put the twenty in the breast pocket of the man’s jacket.
‘That’s very kind of you, Arthur.’ He nodded towards Cameron. ‘I hope you have enough money left over to buy some drinks for your boyfriend.’
Art winced, hoping nobody else heard the old sod. ‘He’s not my boyfriend, vicar. He’s my partner.’
The vicar nodded. ‘Sorry. I forgot they call it that nowadays. Same difference though.’
‘No, no, Rose is my girlfriend,’ Art said. ‘She just confirmed it a few minutes ago.’ Art inwardly groaned. That didn’t sound good at all.
‘You’ve got a boyfriend, and you’re trying to tell me that Rose is now your girlfriend? Your willy’s going to fall off before you get to the gates of Hell, Arthur.’ He looked Art in the eyes. ‘But it isn’t too late. I can help you.’ He shook his pint glass.
‘Let me buy you another,’ Art said. ‘Before I get struck down by lightning,’ he added under his breath.
The vicar smiled, and Jimmy nodded, pouring a pint for him.
‘You’ll be in my thoughts tonight, Arthur. And on Sunday, when I’m standing in my pulpit looking over my flock.’
‘I’ll be there, vicar.’
‘Cheers,’ the vicar said, and went in search of another soul to save. Art turned back to Cameron. The stool next to him was empty.
‘She’s away to the lav,’ Cameron explained when he saw Art looking. Then the gorgeous blonde walked back from the direction of the ladies, and her smile dropped when she saw Art.
‘Hello, Arthur,’ she said when she got closer.
‘You two know each other?’ Cameron said.
‘You could say that,’ Art said.
Tracey leaned in close to Cameron, said something and finished her drink before going to the coat stand and picking up her jacket. She waved as she left.
‘What was all that about?’ Cameron asked. ‘You’re a fucking jinx. First, you tell me you know Magic Willie, then you scare off a woman I could have gone home with tonight. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no fucking luck at all.’
‘Tracey and I had a thing a while back.’
‘Oh, God,’ Cameron said. ‘Uncle Arthur’s leftovers? I don’t think so.’
‘Think you’ve got problems? The vicar thinks you’re my boyfriend, Rose is really my girlfriend, but he doesn’t believe me, and apparently, my willy is going to fall off if I don’t mend my ways.’
‘That doesn’t compare to my wife shagging a guy who’s a magician. And a crap one at that.’
‘Oh, I don’t know about that. I’ve heard he’s good with his magic wand.’
Cameron stood up. ‘That’s it. I’m going to confront the bastard.’
Art put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Leave it, son. Play it cool. Let Morag find out for herself, then when she does, she might want you back, thinking she’s made a mistake. Or if she doesn’t, you’ll know there was never any chance of getting back with her.’
Cameron nodded his head slowly. ‘You’re right, boss. Let me get you a pint.’
‘And a G&T for Rose, if you don’t mind.’
‘Your pretend girlfriend,’ Cameron said, smiling.
‘Don’t you fucking start. And keep your voice down. Or the vicar will be expecting an invitation when you and I get married.’
Cameron chuckled just as the vicar passed by, and he gave Art a small nod.
‘Fuck me.’ Art shook his head then looked at Cameron as they waited for the drinks. ‘Rose and I have just made it official. Before, we were just having fun, but I would like to settle down again. At least for a while. Then we’ll see where it goes.’
‘Does that classify as you cheating on me?’ Cameron asked.
‘You wish.’
The drinks came, and Cameron handed the pint and Rose’s drink to Art. ‘Is there any other woman I should stay away from? I mean, Typhoid Mary’s not in the bar, is she?’
‘You could do worse, believe me. But remember, Morag might want you back one day, and she might ask you if you went with anybody else,’ Art said.
‘I’m sure Magic Willie hasn’t just been making her balloon animals.’
‘Keep yourself right, son. Wait until she tells you it’s over for good. But what do I know? Oh, and I hear Rose’s friend Caroline is looking for a man.’
‘She’s fifty if she’s a day.’
Art winked at Cameron as he went back to the table.
‘Sorry about that.’
‘No problem, Art,’ Rose said as he sat back down. ‘Though I have to say, I didn’t expect The Embalmer files to be of sudden interest to anyone.’ She sipped her gin.
‘Well, we’re working the case where we think he’s either back or there’s a copycat. So they’re of interest to us.’
‘I meant Alan McRae.’
‘Alan? He didn’t work the original case.’
‘I mean recently,’ Rose said. ‘He came to me before he went to Tenerife and said he wanted to review the complete file structure. Spent two days going through everything – witness statements, evidence logs, crime scene photos, pathology reports, the lot.’ Rose leaned forward.
‘He was particularly interested in the timeline and kept asking about gaps in the documentation.’
‘What kind of gaps?’
‘Missing reports, misfiled evidence, that sort of thing. You know how it is with older cases – sometimes things get lost in the system.’ Rose paused. ‘Though McRae seemed to think some of the gaps were deliberate.’
Art felt something cold settle in his stomach. ‘Did he take anything?’
‘No, but he made copies of several documents, said he wanted to study them more carefully.’ Rose’s voice dropped. ‘To be honest, Art, he seemed too obsessed about a case he didn’t work on.’
‘Did he seem right in the head at the time? I mean, he seemed fine to us, but maybe he was showing signs outside the office.’
‘He seemed… focused. The thing is, some of those evidence boxes were reorganised about five years ago. New cataloguing system. It’s possible things got mixed up during the move.’
‘Or it’s possible someone used the move as cover to remove sensitive materials.’
‘That’s what McRae suggested, actually. Said it was convenient timing for anyone who wanted to clean house.’ Rose finished her gin. ‘Art, can I ask you something?’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Do you think Alan McRae is still alive?’ Rose asked.
Art studied her face, looking for clues about what she really thought. ‘I’m not sure, to be honest. Unless he’s in hiding.’
Neither of them was convinced by Art’s words.