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‘Who knows if I can rely on everyone there. I need more protection.’

‘I understand. And here’s my answer. You already have my protection. You’ve already had it for some time. You just haven’t seen it.’

‘Where is it?’

‘Don’t even think about it. You should know Hecate protects his investments. The person I am, what I stand for, is the guarantee that no one, absolutely no one in this town, can hurt you as long as you’re mine, Macbeth.’

‘No one?’

‘I promise you, the person isn’t born that can harm a hair on your beautiful head. And old Bertha will roll again before anyone can push you out of office. Isn’t that good enough for you, Macbeth?’

‘Yes, I’m happy with both of those promises.’

‘Good. Because there’s one last thing I have to say. And that is, watch out for Inspector Duff.’

‘Oh?’

‘He knows it was you who killed Duncan.’

Macbeth knew he should feel alarm. Fear. Panic. But all he had space for was the familiar, hated craving.

‘Fortunately for you there is at the moment only one man who knows what Duff knows.’

‘Who’s that?’ Macbeth asked.

‘The same man who launched and supported your candidature for head of Organised Crime, at my instruction. So discreetly that Duncan thought afterwards it had been his idea.’

‘And who was that?’

‘See for yourself.’

A chair leg scraped as Macbeth was turned round. Then his goggles were removed. Macbeth’s first thought was that he was looking into a soundproofed interview room. It had the same one-way window that meant the interrogee neither saw nor heard those outside. The difference was that this resembled a large laboratory with glass flasks, tubes and pipes leading to an enormous tank. The tank made an almost comical contrast with all the modern equipment and reminded Macbeth of cartoons showing cannibals boiling people alive. On the wall behind the tank hung a sign with the words NO SMOKING. In front of the tank in the harshly illuminated room, close to the glass, sat a pale red-haired man upright in a recliner. One shirtsleeve was rolled up, his face turned to the ceiling, his mouth half-open, his eyes half-shut. He sat so close to them that Macbeth could see the blue half-irises under the man’s eyelids trembling. He recognised one of the Chinese sisters, who was holding a syringe with the needle sticking into Inspector Lennox’s forearm.

The gentle voice behind Macbeth said, ‘Lennox sowed the idea in Duncan’s mind, the idea that he should appoint someone who didn’t belong to the elite, but a man people in the town felt was one of them.’

‘Lennox told Duncan he should appoint me head of Organised Crime?’

‘Of course Lennox said the opposite. Duncan couldn’t take you because you had no formal qualifications and were too popular. That’s how you manipulate stubborn old mules with big egos.’

‘You said jump and Lennox jumped?’

‘And Lennox didn’t say jump and Duncan jumped.’ There came a gurgle of laughter from behind Macbeth, as though someone were pouring whisky. ‘The labyrinths of the human mind, Macbeth. Broad avenues, above all, easy to navigate. Lennox has been mine for more than ten years. A loyal toiler, Inspector Lennox.’

Macbeth tried to see the reflection of the man behind him, but he saw only Strega, as though Hecate himself could not be reflected. But he was standing there because Macbeth heard his voice by his ear:

‘But when I say jump , it means jump.’

‘Oh?’

‘Kill Duff.’

Macbeth swallowed. ‘Duff’s my friend. But you probably knew that.’

‘Banquo was a father to you, but that didn’t stop you. Killing Duff is a necessity, Macbeth. Besides I have a better friend for you. Her name is power.’

‘I don’t need any new friends.’

‘Yes, you do. Brew makes you unstable and quirky. You’ve had hallucinations, haven’t you?’

‘Maybe. Maybe this is a hallucination. What’s power?’

‘A new yet ancient product. Brew is a poor man’s power. Power is seven times stronger and half as damaging. It sharpens and strengthens your mind. And that’s what these times demand.’

‘I prefer brew.’

‘What you prefer, Macbeth, is to continue as chief commissioner.’

‘And this new drug, will it make me dependent?’

‘I told you it was ancient. And power will replace everything you’re already dependent on. So what do you think? Duff versus power?’

Macbeth saw Lennox’s head tip forward. He heard Strega whisper something behind him. The sister laid Lennox back on the recliner and went to the tank.

‘Give it to me.’

‘Sorry?’

Macbeth cleared his throat: ‘Give it to me, I said.’

‘Give him the bags,’ Hecate said.

Macbeth heard the tap-tap fade as his goggles were put back on and the world around him disappeared.

‘She’s beautiful, isn’t she?’ Lennox said, stroking the curves.

‘No,’ Duff said. ‘Bertha is many things, but she isn’t beautiful.’

Lennox laughed and looked down at his hand, which was now covered with soot. ‘Everyone says Bertha, but her full name is Bertha Birnam. Named after a black-haired construction site cook, she was the only employee with them throughout the years it took to build the line from here to Capitol.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Because my grandfather worked on the line. From here to Capitol.’

‘So your grandfather swung a sledgehammer and dragged sleepers?’

‘No, of course not, he helped to finance the railway.’

‘That sounds more likely.’ Duff looked across at Inverness Casino’s welcoming lights in the afternoon darkness.

‘Yep, we Lennoxes are really bankers. In fact, I’m a kind of black sheep. What about your origins, Duff?’

‘The usual.’

‘Police.’

‘As far as the eye can see.’

‘I know lots of Duffs in town, but none of them is in the police.’

‘I took the name from my maternal grandfather when I moved here.’

‘And he’s...’

‘Dead. Orphanage after that. Then police college.’

‘If you’re not from here why didn’t you go to the police college in Capitol? It’s better, and so are the weather and air.’

‘The big fish are here. The Norse Riders, Hecate...’

‘I see. You really wanted Organised Crime, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, I probably did.’

‘Well, it’s still free. And when we’ve arrested Macbeth as Duncan’s murderer, you’ll just have to point to which unit you want. We’ll be hailed as the saviours of the town, Duff.’

‘Will we? Do you really think they care?’ Duff nodded to the square, where people were scurrying to get out of sight as fast as possible, into the shadows to find shelter.

‘I know what you mean, but it’s a mistake to underrate the general public in this town.’

‘There are two ways to tackle a problem, Lennox. By solving it or ignoring it. Kenneth taught this town to do the latter. Apathy towards corruption and shoving responsibility for the community onto others. Watching them escape, like cockroaches when the light comes on.’

‘A contemptible town with contemptible inhabitants, and yet you’re willing to risk everything?’

Lennox watched Duff shaking his head.

‘My God, Lennox, what makes you think this is for the town ? The town. It’s just a way of speaking they use when they want to be elected to the town hall or become the chief commissioner. Tell me what you’ve turned up since we last met.’

‘OK. I’ve spoken to a judge in Capitol—’

‘We shouldn’t talk to anyone !’

‘Take it easy now, Duff. I didn’t say what or who it was about, only that it concerned corruption at a high level. The point is that this judge is reliable. He lives elsewhere, so he’s out of Macbeth, Sweno or Hecate’s control. As a judge in a federal court of law he can hook up with the federal police, so we can leapfrog HQ and prosecute in Capitol, where Macbeth can’t pull any strings. The judge is coming here in three days and he’s agreed to meet us in total secrecy.’