Blood Line (25 page)

A tall man, grey haired, stood with his back to the window in the manner of one who does not wish to be recognised. A moment later, Sir Eric entered a little breathlessly, glanced at the document handed to him by the silent man and walked over to Faro.

'Got you here safely, eh, Jeremy.' He smiled. 'Sorry to keep you waiting.'

Sir Eric motioned towards the handsome desk across the room, its only adornment an inkwell, sand and somewhat ironically a service revolver.

'Sit down, dear boy.' And walking across the room he put a paper in front of him. 'I'm afraid we will have to ask you to sign the Official Secrets Act, saying that you will not divulge anything that has been said between these walls or anything remotely connected with the recent disturbances in Red River . . . ''And emphatically nothing regarding the possibility of a child's coffin being hidden in the walls of Edinburgh Castle,' boomed the other voice across the floor.

Faro began to read the document. 'You can believe us, it's all there as stated. Nothing else, nothing more.'

Faro looked up at Sir Eric. 'And what if I refuse?'

'I don't think you should, dear lad. Your freedom is in peril.'

'And what about my immortal soul, Sir Eric? Or maybe such matters are unimportant to you.'

Faro turned and addressed himself to the tall man, who seemed anxious to remain in the background despite his air of authority. 'I have done no wrong, sir. My only interest is and will continue to be to do my duty by my profession, by detecting crime and bringing criminals to justice. In such matters, I refuse to be compromised. And I'm not interested in being bought by anyone, not even the Queen herself.'

'Your attitude is commendable, but in the present circumstances inadvisable, very inadvisable,' said Sir Eric.

'You said there would be no difficulties, that he would sign. Get him to do so, dammit. We've wasted enough time,' said the other man.

Ignoring the interruption, Faro asked again, 'And if I refuse?'

Smiling beyond him, Sir Eric nodded, 'You had better ask Superintendent Mackintosh about that.'

Hampered by his bound hands, Faro swung round and came face to face with his superior officer, who had entered unobserved. Faro marvelled that the Superintendent, his one hope of survival, had come to his rescue without question and with remarkable speed. Did he have some plan for his escape?

'If you refuse, Faro, then I can tell you exactly what will happen,' said Mackintosh heavily. 'You will be dismissed from the Edinburgh City Police.'

There was a moment's silence, of disbelief, on Faro's part before he replied, 'So you are in this too. I might have guessed,' he added bitterly.

Mackintosh merely shook his head, looked at the other two men and made a helpless gesture.

'You convince him, Mackintosh,' said Sir Eric.

'Listen to me, Faro. Your loyalty to the Force does you proud. But if you don't do as they wish, I'm afraid, official sources will make it quite difficult for anyone to employ you - or your stepson, Dr Laurie, of whom Kellar is giving us such excellent reports. He has the makings of a brilliant career but your refusal to co-operate will destroy him too, especially as he has been concerned in your investigations.'

Faro saw all too plainly what his refusal meant. That the only place he could live in future would be in the ranks of the criminals themselves. What sort of life was that for him? But worse, much worse for Vince, at the beginning of his professional life, whose dream was to be Queen's Physician one day.

'If you are still in any doubt, take a look out of the window,' said Sir Eric. 'Oh, for heaven's sake, do untie him. Inspector Faro is a man of honour. He won't do anything desperate. You have my assurance on that.'

Untied, Faro left his chair, with one fleeting look at the service revolver, and the ardent wish he could prove Sir Eric wrong in the matter of chivalry. Moving stiffly to the window, he found that the room overlooked the private grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

And there was the last sight he expected on this earth: his mother, Vince, Rose and Emily walking together across the grass.

Brought no doubt just to make sure that I'd sign, he was about to remark bitterly, when he suddenly observed that all four of his family were wearing their very best clothes. They were all looking very happy and excited, especially Rose and Emily, who turned constantly towards a door directly below the window.

A moment later, he knew the reason why. A small plump woman, plain and middle-aged, in a purple satin gown, had emerged. A sudden breeze caught at the streamers on her widow's cap and as she half turned against it, the sunlight flashed on diamonds and emeralds, and touched the Gartar ribbon across her breast.

He watched his mother and the girls curtsy, Vince bow elegantly.

'If you need any further convincing, dear lad,' said Sir Eric at his side, 'HM is in it too.' And dipping the pen into the inkwell, 'Now, are you ready?'

The presence of his family outside removed any further hopes of escape and retaliation. Reluctantly he took up the document, added his signature, and as Sir Eric sanded it Faro indicated the revolver.

'Was that the alternative?'

'Think no more about it, dear lad. That is all behind us now.'

'And what if I had still refused to sign, after all these pressures put upon me and upon my family. What then?'

'A mere precaution - I've told you.'

'But if it had to be used,' Faro insisted.

Sir Eric shook his head. 'Then that would have lain very heavily upon my conscience. Disposing of you, and the sorrow it would have caused to one who is also dear to me.'

'But you would have done it.'

'Oh yes indeed. For I am as fiercely loyal to my duty to the Queen and all I hold dear as you are to dispensing justice.' He looked at him steadily and said quietly, 'If necessary I would have pulled the trigger myself. Come now, Superintendent, you will accompany us.'

And together, they marched with Faro across the room to the tall man who had listened with an expressionless face.

'You know Mr Gladstone, of course.' And handing the rolled document to the elder statesman, he said, 'And now, Prime Minister, shall we join the ladies?' And to Faro, 'You too, lad. Her Majesty has commanded that you and your family be presented.'

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There are fifteen titles in the Inspector Faro series available from bookstores and on www.amazon.co.uk. Available on Kindle
:

Enter Second Murderer

Bloodline

Deadly Beloved

Killing Cousins

A Quiet Death

To Kill A Queen

Also available on Kindle in the Rose McQuinn series:

The Inspector’s Daughter

Dangerous Pursuits

The Inspector’s Daughter

Connect with Alanna online:

Author's homepage:
http://www.alannaknight.com