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‘There was a bit more bluster, but eventually he signed both the letter and the severance agreement, including the confidentiality clause.’

‘And what about Stephen?’ Prim asked. ‘What did he do while his uncle was yelling the place down?’

‘Nothing. He just sat there and let the storm subside. Then, when old Joe was done, he picked up his letter looked at the terms — six months’ pay, and he’d hardly been there any time — said “Fair enough” and signed without another word.’

‘No threats?’

‘Not one. He even shook my hand on the way out, and gave me that wee painted smile.’

I took a sip of my wine, a fairly expensive claret. . I knew that, since I’d brought it. ‘You never thought about firing Myrtle Higgins at that time?’

‘Christ no. Myrtle’s a good secretary, Oz. On top of that it made sense to have her there to help the new guy settle in. When I did let her go I was sorry, but I didn’t have any choice. I could never have trusted her completely after that. Pity. All of it. Even old Joe; if only the silly bugger has decided to go off to a quiet retirement.’ She sighed, and in that moment I saw one of Susie’s strengths as a boss. She hated firing people, even when it was justified.

‘So now Myrtle’s saying it was Stephen who blackmailed her into stealing those documents?’ she asked me.

‘That’s right. She did it to keep her husband out of trouble.’

‘What’s he like, this husband?’

I had to laugh as I thought of the two Malkie Campbells; the one who was going to kick me down the stairs, and one who had come face to face with his worst nightmare. ‘Quiet and chastened. Big Jerry has that effect on most people.’

‘Er. . he didn’t actually damage Campbell, did he?’ Dylan sounded slightly nervous.

I tapped my chest, over my heart. ‘Only in here. It had a hell of an effect on him, thinking that he was a hard man, then coming face to chest with someone who put everything into perspective.’

‘Maybe you should take him when you go to see Stephen,’ said Susie, with a faint grin. ‘Not that he struck me as much of a heavy. On the other hand, if he was mobbed up with my cousin. .’

‘It’s academic,’ I told her. ‘The Behemoth’s off to the States on Monday, after this weekend’s programming. Prim and I will meet Stephen somewhere nice and public. . if we need to see him at all that is.’

‘Why shouldn’t you?’ Mike asked.

‘Because we’re going to talk to Uncle Joe first. He’s already threatened Susie.’

‘I told you I fancy him for it.’

‘Sure, and even with your track record, there’s a fair chance you could be right. So we have to cover the possibility.’ He gave me a mock scowl.

‘Those papers, Susie,’ Prim cut in. ‘The ones Myrtle copied. What were they?’

‘Letters. From my old man to the Chair of the Glasgow Planning Committee. Read in a certain way, you could infer that Dad was trying to lean on him for a consent. I guess that Joe was going to pass them to his tame journo and claim that’s exactly what did happen.’

‘D’you think it might have?’

She grinned across at me over her glass. ‘No way. Read in another way, and forgetting who wrote them, they’re simple enquiries for the record. When my Dad wanted to nobble someone, he did it in private, without witnesses, and never, ever, in writing.’

‘Fine.’ I nodded. ‘That’s how we’ll see his old pal Joe as well: in private. If he did write those letters, then he’s an even bigger fool than his record says he is, and it shouldn’t be too hard to scare him into admitting it.’

Although he was well up my ‘things to do’ list, Mr Joseph Donn wasn’t right at the top. I had a Sly Burr radio ad to record in Edinburgh, and a busy weekend, with two GWA shows, one live, one recorded, in Milan — of course, Prim had to come with me — before I could think about tackling the old duffer.

It wasn’t until the following Monday morning, five days after our council of war at Susie’s place, that we were able to get round to planning our approach to the former finance director of the Gantry Group.

Prim gazed at me across the breakfast bar, her nice, post-orgasmic smile still showing in her eyes from an hour or so before. ‘If you think you’re keeping all the fun for yourself, my boy. .’ she chuckled. ‘It was one thing letting you tackle the Campbells without me. . there probably wouldn’t have been room for me in their flat with Jerry along. . but there’s no risk involved in this visit. Donn’s sixty-three, isn’t he?’ I nodded.

‘If there’s a chance that he is going to put his hands up and confess to writing those letters, I want to be there to hear it, and to witness his statement when we get it in writing.’

I was slightly concerned that when we confronted the old man we might find his nephew somewhere in the vicinity, but I could see that there was no point in arguing. Anyway, from what I had heard of Stephen, he didn’t sound like someone I couldn’t handle. I hadn’t been a part of the GWA circus for two years for nothing. Everett and Jerry had taught me some knock-down moves, and Liam Matthews, who had become a good friend after an awkward beginning, had shown me a couple of submission holds that he, in turn had learned on the for-real Bushido circuit in Japan. I might have been struggling against an experienced, head-butting thug like Malkie Campbell, but all I knew about the boy Donn was that he frightened women.

‘Okay, then,’ I said, making a show of grudging concession which didn’t fool my partner for a minute, ‘you can come on this one. So tell me; how are we going to make sure that the old bastard agrees to see us?’

‘I’ve been thinking about that. I thought I might phone him and pretend to be a journalist, looking into the Gantry Group.’

‘What if he tells you to get stuffed? He’s got that confidentiality clause to restrain him, remember.’

‘I’ll charm him, my dear. I’ll tell him I only want background information on Jack Gantry, and that I won’t quote him. He’ll agree to see me, don’t worry. Then he’ll get a nice surprise when the two of us turn up on his doorstep.’

‘Okay,’ I agreed. ‘Give it a try. The sooner we get it over with the better.’

‘You really don’t fancy him for it, do you?’

I shook my head. ‘I’m not going to prejudge him. I’ve never met the man, and neither have you. Once we have we’ll know better, so go ahead and make that call.’

‘Okay.’ Prim reached across to our kitchen noticeboard and picked off a yellow sticky with Donn’s number, which Susie had given us the week before, then picked up her mobile from the work-surface, and began to dial. She had punched in four numbers when the door buzzer sounded.

She stopped as I picked up the handset, frowning at the small video-screen on the wall, in which the figure of a shirt-sleeved man was framed.

‘Yes?’ I said.

‘Special delivery for Mr Blackstone,’ a tinny voice in my ear replied.

‘Okay.’ I pushed the entry button. ‘Come on up. It takes a bit of finding; it’s the top flat.’

I went to the front door and waited. When finally he appeared in the hallway, the delivery man was out of breath. ‘Jesus,’ he muttered, more than a shade grumpily. ‘Could yis no’ have lived on the ground floor?’

‘We like it up here. What have you got for me?’ I asked, eyeing a bulky padded envelope tucked under his arm.

‘Parcel.’ He stated the obvious as he thrust a delivery slip in my face. ‘Jist sign, then print your name below.’

‘Why print my name? My signature’s not that bad.’

He looked at me blankly. ‘Jist,’ he said, taking back his pen and handing over the packet.