Ian Rankin - Exit Music

'I didn't see any levers sticking out of Ms Macfarlane.'

'But she is the future, isn't she? Banks don't make profits without playing a long game – sometimes a very long game.' He grew thoughtful. 'Maybe they're not the only ones at that…'

His phone started to vibrate, so he checked the number. Another mobile, one he didn't know. He flipped the phone open.

'Hello?'

'Strawman…' Cafferty's pet name for Rebus, its origins all but lost down the years. Rebus was on his feet, making for the front bar, down the couple of steps and then out into the night.

'You've changed your number,' Rebus told the gangster.

'Every few weeks. But I don't mind friends knowing it.'

'That's nice.' Since he was outside, Rebus took the opportunity to get a cigarette going.

'They'll be the death of you, you know.'

'We all have to go sometime.' Rebus was remembering what Stone had said about taps on Cafferty's phones… could they listen in on a mobile? Maybe another reason Cafferty kept changing numbers.

'I want to see you,' the gangster was saying.

'When?'

'Now, of course.'

'Any particular reason?'

'Just come to the canal.'

'Whereabouts on the canal?'

“You know,' Cafferty drawled, ending the conversation. Rebus stared at the phone before snapping it shut. He had wandered out into the lane. No problem this time of night – no traffic. And if any cars did venture along Young Street, the noise they made was a giveaway. So he stood there in the middle of the road, smoking

his cigarette and facing Charlotte Square. One of the regulars had told him a while back that the Georgian building facing him at the far end of the street was the residence of the First Minister. He wondered what the country's leader made of the occasional motley crews to be found smoking outside the Oxford Bar…

The door opened and Siobhan Clarke emerged, sliding her arms into the sleeves of her coat. Todd Goodyear was right behind her, a single half-pint having provided ample sufficiency.

'That was Cafferty,' Rebus told them. 'He wants to see me. You two headed somewhere?'

'Got to meet my girlfriend,' Goodyear explained. 'Going to see the Christmas lights.'

'It's still November,' Rebus complained.

'They were switched on at six tonight.'

'And I thought I'd start heading home,' Clarke added.

Rebus wagged a finger. 'Should never leave a pub together – people will talk.'

'Why does Cafferty want to see you?' Clarke asked.

'He didn't say.'

'Are you going to go?'

'Don't see why not.'

'Where's the meeting – somewhere well lit, I hope?'

'The canal, near that bar at the Fountainbridge basin… What are Phyl and Col up to?'

'Thinking about Princes Street Gardens,' Goodyear said. 'Ferris wheel and the ice rink are open for business.'

Clarke's eyes were fixed on Rebus. You after some back-up?'

The look on his face was answer enough.

'Well…' Goodyear was turning up his collar as he examined the weather. 'See you in the morning, eh?'

'Keep your nose clean, Todd,' Rebus advised him, watching as the young man headed towards Castle Street.

'He's all right, isn't he?' he offered. Clarke, however, was not to be deflected.

You can't just go meeting Cafferty by yourself.'

'It's not like it's the first time.'

'But any one of them could be the last.'

'If I'm found floating, at least you'll know who to pull in.'

'Don't you dare joke about this!'

He rested the palm of his hand against her shoulder. 'Siobhan, it's fine,' he assured her. 'But there is a fly of sorts in the ointment… SCD could be watching Cafferty.'

'What?'

'I had a run-in with them last night.' Seeing the look on her face, he withdrew his hand and held it up in a show of appeasement.

'I'll explain later, but the thing is, they want me keeping my distance.'

'Then that's what you should do.'

'Absolutely,' he said, making to hand her Stone's business card.

'And what I want you to do is ring this guy Stone and tell him DI Rebus needs an urgent word.'

'What?'

'Use the phone in the Ox – don't want him tracing your mobile.

You stay anonymous, say Rebus wants a meet at the petrol station.

Then hang up.'

'Christ's sake, John…' She was staring at the card.

'Hey, another forty-eight hours and I'll be out of your hair.'

“You're suspended from duty and you're still in my hair.'

'Like a brush through the tangles, eh?' Rebus said with a smile.

'More like malfunctioning curling tongs,' Clarke told him, but she headed back into the bar anyway to make the call.

'Took your time,' was Cafferty's opening line. He was on the same footbridge across the canal, hands in the pockets of his long camel hair coat.

'Where's your car?' Rebus asked, glancing back towards the deserted patch of wasteland.

'I walked. Only takes ten minutes.'

'And no bodyguard?'

'No need,' Cafferty stated.

Rebus lit another cigarette. 'So you knew I was here the other night?'

'It was Sergei's driver who recognised you.' The one who'd stared daggers at Rebus, that night at the hotel. 'Were you with us all the way to Granton?'

'It was a nice night for a drive.' Rebus tried blowing smoke towards Cafferty's face, but the breeze whipped it away.

'It's all legit, you know. Follow us all you like.'

“Thanks, I will.'

'Sergei loves Scotland, that's what it comes down to. His dad used to read him Treasure Island. I had to take him to Queen Street Gardens. Pond there's supposed to be what gave Robert Louis Stevenson the idea.'

'Fascinating.' Rebus was staring at the canal's glassy surface.

Might only be three or four feet deep, but he'd known men drown in it.

'He's thinking of bringing his businesses here,' Cafferty said 'Didn't know we had a lot of tin and zinc mines.'

'Well, maybe not all his businesses.'

'I can't see the point really – it's not as if we don't have an extradition treaty with Russia.'

'You sure about that?' Cafferty said with a teasing smile. 'Anyway, we do have a policy on political asylum, don't we?'

'Not sure your pal fits the bill.'

Cafferty just smiled again.

'That night in the hotel,' Rebus pushed on, 'you and Todorov, then you and Andropov, plus a government minister called Bakewell…

what was that really all about?'

'I thought I'd already explained – I'd no idea who it was I bought a drink for.'

Tfou didn't know that Todorov and Andropov grew up together?'

'No.'

Rebus nicked ash into the air. 'So what was it you were discussing with the Minister for Economic Development?'

'I'm betting you've asked Sergei the same question.'

'How do you think he answered?'

'He probably told you they were talking about economic development – it happens to be true.'

'You seem to be in the market for a lot of land, Cafferty. Andropov puts up the money, you act as his factor?'

'All above board.'

'Does he know about your history as a landlord? Flats stuffed with tenants, fire risks ignored, dole cheques lifted and cashed…'

“You really are clutching at straws, aren't you? Anyone would think you were in there.' Cafferty jabbed a finger towards the canal.

You own a flat on Blair Street, it's let to Nancy Sievewright and Eddie Gentry.' Just the two tenants, now Rebus thought of it; unusual for one of Cafferty's fire traps. 'Nancy's friendly with Sol Goodyear,' he went on, 'so friendly, in fact, that she gets her gear from him. Same night Sol gets himself stabbed in Haymarket, I'Nancy trips over Todorov's body at the foot of Sol's lane.' Rebus I had brought his face close to the gangster's. 'See what I'm getting f #t?' he hissed.

'Not really.'

'And now the consulate want to spirit Todorov's body away.'