Quintin Jardine: Skinner's ordeal

At the other end of the line, Elder flinched also. 'Come on, Bob. Who else would he ask?'

`Just about anyone! Anyone but my wife!'

He punched the 'end' button and put the phone back in his pocket. He stood framed against the sky and watched the Frontera as it wound its way up the hill, pulled off the road and drew up beside him.

Sarah looked at him uncertainly through her big, dark-hazel eyes as she reached her foot down from the driver's seat. She was around five feet six inches tall, but the car rode high off the ground. She wore a long Barbour jacket over her university suit, and blue rubber boots, tied at the top. In her right hand she carried her medical bag.

She ran a hand over her auburn hair, in an unconscious gesture. 'Bob?' It was a question.

`What are you doing here?' he said softly. He was unaware of Charlie Radcliffe sidling off towards the valley.

An edge to match his own crept into her voice. 'You're asking me that?'

`Too right I am.'

It's my job, remember!'

`No, it isn't. Not any more. Your job is in the University. There are other people to do this.'

I'm still on the strength as a Force ME. You know that.' `Sure, as holiday cover, and for police emergencies. Not for this!'

And what the hell is this if not an emergency?' It was the first time in her life that she had ever raised her voice to him in real anger.

His eyes flared at her shout, but his voice dropped to a whisper. 'This is a disaster. There's nothing you can do for anyone down there.'

Oh yeah — and which Med. School did you graduate from? Can you say for sure that there's no one alive down there? Can you say for sure when someone's dead?'

I can when his head is thirty yards away from his arse. Look, go back to University, go home. Go anywhere, just don't go down there.' His desperation broke through his anger, and she was touched, seeing how much he cared for her.

I'm sorry, Bob, but I took an oath that says I have to.' She turned away from him and strode towards the valley. He started after her, stretching out a hand to hold her back… and then his telephone sounded.

‘Dammit!' He kicked a stone in frustration and tore the instrument from his pocket. He jerked out the aerial and pushed the receive button. 'Yes!' he snapped.

`Bob?' The man on the other end of the call sounded taken aback. 'Z'at you?'

The DCC was so surprised that for a moment he forgot his argument with Sarah. 'Adam?

What the bloody hell do you want?'

It had been over a year since Skinner had seen Captain Adam Arrow, although the two were close friends. The little soldier had stood by his side during some of the most dangerous moments of his life, and the very sound of his Derbyshire tones was enough to lift the policeman's spirits.

`That's a fine 'ello for an old mate,' said Arrow.

`Sorry, chum,' Skinner replied sincerely. 'You caught me at a bad moment. In a bad place, in fact.'

It's all right, I know where you are. I tried to get you at Fettes a few minutes back. Your mate Elder told me.'

Eh? But Jim said that my London office was looking for me. I thought you weren't attached to Five any more.'

I'm not, Bob, but it was easier to tell him that.' Suddenly Arrow sounded uncharacteristically serious. I'm back with the MOD. I'm Head of the Security Section.

I'll leave you to guess what that covers.

`Look, mate, the fookin' shit's going to hit the fan just directly. The plane that came down on your patch this morning had two VVIPs on board: Colin Davey, the Secretary of State for Defence, and Shaun Massey, the American Defense Secretary.'

Skinner whistled softly. `Jesus! That's all we need. What were they doing there? And why wasn't I told that they were coming on to my territory?'

`There's a NATO exercise on this weekend in Scotland — off the west coast. Davey and Massey were going to look in on it. As for telling you, they weren't going to leave the airport. Our people had arranged for a private plane to pick them up from the general aviation terminal and fly them on to Oban. Bob, you're on the ground. What's the score with survivors?'

The big policeman sighed. 'Forget it, my friend.'

‘Ahh. I expected as much. Do we know anything about the crash?'

`There's a witness here. I'm letting him calm down before we talk to him.'

`Well, do it as quick as you can, will you? I need to know fast.' Oh, yes?' said Skinner, intrigued. 'Have you had-'

Arrow cut him off in mid-question. 'Yes! There've been threats, and a bloody serious one among them.' He paused for several long seconds as if thinking something over. 'Bob, d'you mind if I come up there?'

Of course not. Even if there's nothing sinister here, you have to satisfy yourself. Anyway, suppose I did mind…' He let the sentence tail off unfinished.

Okay then. I'll be with you as quick as I can.'

Skinner switched off his phone and put it back in his pocket. Chief Superintendent Radcliffe had returned from his strategic patrol. 'Everything okay, sir?' he asked tentatively.

Oh no, Charlie. It sure as hell isn't.' Quickly and tersely he told him of Adam Arrow's telephone call and of his news.

The veteran policeman drew in his breath. 'Bugger me!' he gasped. 'That's all we need.

Your man doesn't really think this was sabotage, does he?'

`That's what we're all paid to think, Charlie, until we know for sure it wasn't. Adam's got me thinking now, and I'll tell you, there's something about this crash scene that isn't right.'

`What d'you mean, sir?'

He led Radcliffe back towards the start of the downslope. Below him, he could see Sarah making her way among the wreckage, kneeling every so often, then standing up and moving on. He put his annoyance to one side, at least temporarily, and stretched out a finger pointing along the length of the shattered valley.

`There's something missing. Look, there's the tail; there are the remnants of the wings; there are the engines. The fuselage, okay it's blown to buggery. But the nose-cone, Charlie

— where the hell's the nose-cone? I don't see a vestige of it down there, yet there it should be.'

`But wouldn't that have been blown apart too, sir?'

`No, I don't think so. It's not as if the thing went nose-first into the ground. Look at the mark — it shows you what happened. If anything, it came down nose-high. See the way the tail is? That was ripped right off on impact. The engines? They were too, and flung ahead of the rest of it. The fuel left in the wings ignited, and that, together with the impact, blew the fabric of the cabin all over the place… But the nose-cone would have survived, at least something recognisable would have. Think of all the air-crash scenes you've ever seen on TV, or in person.

I've never seen anything like this before, Bob,' said Radcliffe softly. 'Thank Christ!'

`Well, think back to that crash a few years ago. The body of the plane was shattered, but the nose-cone remained in one piece. Not that it helped the people inside, though.' He shuddered violently. 'Down there, though, there's nothing that looks remotely like the sharp end of that plane. And we have to find out why. Come on,' he said briskly. 'Time we talked to your eye-witness in the van, whether he's ready for it or not.'

He led the way across to the blue minibus. The man was sitting in the second row of seats, staring over his shoulder away from the valley, down the hillside to where a flock of sheep had gathered dumbly around the body of the slaughtered ewe. Chief Superintendent Radcliffe opened the passenger door and leaned inside.

`How are you feeling, sir?' he asked.

The shepherd shrugged his shoulders, helplessly.

`There's someone here who has to speak to you. Is that okay?' The man nodded. Radcliffe backed out of the vehicle and allowed the DCC to climb into the front seat.