Ken McClure - Eye of the raven

‘ No can do,’ said McClintock, stopping Steven in his tracks.

‘ You can’t?’

‘ They don’t exist any more,’ said McClintock. It’s Force policy to destroy all DNA samples from innocent people after a case is closed. It’s part of the deal, a social contract if you like.’

‘ Shit, I should have thought of that,’ said Steven feeling annoyed with himself. ‘Maybe you could run it through the criminal database anyway?’ he asked. ‘Just in case.’

‘ Sure.’

Steven called Susan Givens and asked her to send the DNA fingerprint she’d come up with to Peter McClintock as an e-mail attachment. He gave her McClintock’s e-mail address.

‘ Everything all right?’ Susan asked.

Steven was tempted just to say ‘fine’ but he admitted, ‘I screwed up. The police destroy all DNA fingerprints taken in mass surveys as soon as the case is closed. Sorry.’

‘ Well, it was a good idea while it lasted,’ said Susan. ‘Are you sure you still want me to send the file?’

‘ They’ll run it against the known criminal DNA database anyway,’ said Steven.

‘ You sound a bit down,’ said Susan.

‘ Just fed up swimming against the tide,’ said Steven.

‘ Know the feeling,’ said Susan. ‘You’ll get a break soon.’

Steven took his time driving back to Edinburgh. He was angry with himself for having overlooked the DNA problem and he was annoyed with Santini for screwing up the chances of a more successful raid on the saunas but the thing that was uppermost in his mind was the revelation that Tracy Manson was a heroin addict. Needle sharing by drug addicts was a classic way of spreading AIDS.

If Tracy Manson had shared needles in the past, she might well be HIV positive and if she was… he had had unprotected sex with her. Ironically he might already be under the same death threat as David Little.

He rubbed his forehead nervously. He would have a blood test done as soon as he could arrange it but even if it turned out to be negative he knew he would have to go on having tests for many months before he could be sure that he was in the clear. There would be no quick answer. In the circumstances it was impossible for him not to think of Little and his skeletal appearance, and then his thoughts turned to Paul Verdi. ‘Bastard!’ he murmured, ‘I owe you, mister!’

The prospect of at least six months with the sword of Damocles hanging over his head was not a happy one. The worry was going to be there day and night. It would affect his work; his relationships, his decision making and no matter what he did to avoid thinking about it, it would still be there. In his mind’s eye he heard the clunk of Little’s tooth falling into the metal bowl at least half a dozen times on the drive home.

He was turning over some salad with his fork for the umpteenth time in a motorway service station when he saw a way around the problem. He could confront Tracy Manson about her HIV status. He could simply ask her if she was HIV positive. If the council in Edinburgh operated a tolerant policy towards working girls, it was entirely possible that they might incorporate some element of regular testing. He could ask her when she’d last been tested — maybe even see the result for himself. She would have no reason to lie about something like that. He would seek McClintock’s help in getting in touch with her when he got back.

He knew that he should really make contact with John Macmillan to tell him about his meeting with Charlotte Little when he got back but he decided to delay that until McClintock had checked to see if the utilities disk still existed.

Steven had a drink in the hotel bar and was considering an early night when McClintock rang.

‘ Thought you’d like some good news for once. My sergeant’s just rang me. He’s got the disk.’

‘ The utilities disk? You’re kidding.’

‘ Samson Utilities, a software company that went out of business five years ago but the disk was still there along with Little’s old computer and software in a cupboard in the hospital. Apparently no one wanted to take the responsibility of throwing his stuff out so no one ever did.’

‘ God bless the NHS,’ said Steven. ‘I don’t suppose he’s had time to…’

‘ He has,’ interrupted McClintock. ‘You were right.’

Steven closed his eyes and gave silent thanks.

‘ Ryman loaded the disk and ran the set-up file. It ran normally and provided all the functions of the Samson utility programme but when it was removed it left something behind on the hard disk, the Tracy Manson pictures.’

‘ God, it’s so nice to be proved right once in a while,’ sighed Steven.

‘ That was a nice piece of police work. Well done.’

‘ Thanks,’ said Steven.

‘ Incidentally, DS Ryman thought that the great Santini should know about this as soon as possible.’

‘ So?’

‘ He loaded it on to Santini’s computer so that he’ll see it first thing. It’s been programmed to run when he turns it on in the morning.’

Steven smiled for the first time that day.

‘ Santini is having a meeting with the WRVS in his office first thing tomorrow morning to discuss canteen arrangements for visitors to Saughton Prison…’

‘ Well, that’ll be a nice change from his usual screen saver,’ said Steven, his grin broadening.

‘ I’ll keep you posted,’ said McClintock.

‘ Peter, I need to contact Tracy Manson,’ said Steven, deciding to come right out with it.

‘ Are you out of your tree?’ exclaimed McClintock. ‘The Procurator Fiscal hasn’t thrown out her complaint against you yet. If you go do something like that you’ll be playing right into Verdi’s hands.’

‘ I’ve got to know if she’s HIV positive,’ said Steven.

‘ Jesus,’ murmured McClintock. But the way he said it seemed to convey that he knew how Steven must be feeling and could sympathise. ‘You can get a blood test, mate without seeing Tracy Manson.’

‘ With blood tests you still can’t be sure one way or the other for many months,’ said Steven. ‘I don’t want it hanging over me if I can avoid it. She must know if she’s positive.’

‘ I guess you know about these things,’ McClintock conceded. ‘But confronting the Manson girl is a definite no-no right now.’

‘ I have to know,’ said Steven. ‘If you won’t give me an address for her I’ll have to try the sauna.’

‘ Christ, man, you’d be giving Verdi’s gorillas every excuse to rip your head off. We’ll be collecting you in a bucket! Look, sleep on it. As far as I know we’re still going ahead with the raid on the saunas tomorrow — for all the bloody good it’ll do now that Santini’s given them plenty of warning. If Tracy’s working at Cuddles we’ll bring her in for questioning along with everyone else. I’ll call you and fix it for you to have a word with her here while the circus is in progress. Okay?’

‘ Thanks Peter,’ said Steven.

‘ But wait for my call. Right?’

‘ Understood,’ agreed Steven.

McClintock’s call came much earlier that Steven had anticipated. It woke him up at seven thirty in the morning.

‘ Bad news,’ said McClintock. ‘Tracy Manson’s body was found on Cramond beach this morning. Her neck was broken.’

‘ Oh Christ,’ said Steven.

‘ Maybe she knew more about Verdi’s porn business than she let on yesterday and Verdi decided to make sure she’d stay quiet about it permanently.’

‘ Or maybe she tried to blackmail him,’ said Steven, thinking out loud.

‘ Maybe,’ agreed McClintock. ‘But only if she was a few chips short of a Happy Meal.’

‘ Has anyone looked over her place?’

‘ Not as far as I know.’

‘ I’d like to,’ said Steven. ‘If she’s been keeping something on Verdi as insurance and didn’t get the chance to use it, it could be just the lever I need.’