Dyed in the Wool (31 page)

Muir got out a folio case. "Make sure you get on to it when you've got a minute."

"I'd like to get down to the matter in hand." Fletcher leaned on his elbows. "We've reviewed the summary files you have kindly sent over and we've a number of concerns it's probably beneficial to raise at the outset."

Cargill sniffed. "What would they be?"

"First, we have an active officer under suspicion of murder. I want him in custody."

"We've got him downstairs."

"Fine, I want to speak with him, lawyers and force Federation reps present. I've had a dialogue with the Chief Constable and I can reassure you he wants this carefully managed. The political situation is somewhat delicate just now and we must insist this is treated with the utmost sensitivity."

"Would this sensitivity have anything to do with the regional commander positions not being announced yet?"

Fletcher smiled. "It may do. We've known each other a long time, Alison, and I'm sure we both know how to play around this."

"Okay, I'm happy for you to have an interview with the suspect. I want one of my senior officers attending all meetings." Cargill nodded at Wilkinson. "Can you sit in with them, Paul?"

Wilkinson raised his eyebrows. "Certainly."

Fletcher scribbled it down. "Second, I want Detective Inspector Bain taken off the case. I'll admit I'm somewhat flabbergasted that he's still even on active duties."

"And we hope it appears that way."

"Excuse me?"

"There's something not quite right about this situation." Cargill licked her lips. "We'd hoped to keep DI Bain on the case to trap him into giving away information pertaining to the active investigation."

Cullen raised his eyebrows. They were trying to trap Bain? An underhand investigation against a fellow officer… Whatever anyone thought of the Complaints, at least they were blatant about it.

"Regardless, Alison, I want DI Bain removed from the case, forthwith. It's not the responsibility of operational officers to investigate police officers. That is the remit of Professional Standards and Ethics. I'm happy to escalate to the Chief Constable if I don't get your acquiescence on the matter."

"Are we in agreement that suspension is appropriate, rather than full house arrest?"

"That's acceptable. For now." Fletcher nodded curtly. "Third, I want to have operational control of this case." Fletcher rubbed his fingers together slowly. "As the head of Professional Standards and Ethics, a case where a fellow officer is a murder suspect is clearly part of our remit."

"I disagree. This is an active murder investigation which I'm leading on behalf of the Detective Chief Inspector, who has been briefed and updated on progress with the situation at hand. Also, with all due respect, Professional Standards and Ethics aren't equipped to handle a murder investigation."

Muir raised a hand. "I've got two years as a detective sergeant."

Cargill winked at him. "I've ten as a DI and five as a DS before that. Paul Wilkinson here has eleven as a DI and is leading the Lothian & Borders aspects of Operation Housebrick, which I'm sure you'll both have been briefed on."

Fletcher raised a finger to stop Muir jumping in.

"In addition, I've got four detective sergeants, eighteen detective constables and a number of uniformed officers of sergeant and constable grade on temporary detachments." Cargill clasped her hands. "This isn't up for debate. This is a specialist case and requires a specialist team. Once we've closed out the investigation, I can assure you I'll parcel up the aspects of the case relating to your terms of reference."

Fletcher sighed. "Very well. I insist DS Muir is seconded to the investigation to ensure our specialist needs are met. While you may be experienced catching crooks, you need a certain set of skills to catch a fellow officer who's fallen foul of the law." He tightened his tie. "DS Muir will sit in on all interviews with PC Kieron Bain and DI Brian Bain, and we want first refusal of all other interviews pertaining to the investigation."

"That's absolutely fine." Cargill reached her hand over to Muir. "Welcome to the team."

Muir shook it, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks."

"Very well." Fletcher got to his feet. "I want to arrange an interview with PC Bain at the earliest convenience. Could you organise for a solicitor and a representative from the Scottish Police Federation to be present?"

"We will."

"Meanwhile, DS Muir and I will familiarise ourselves with the detailed case file."

They got up and left, Wilkinson following them out.

Cargill collapsed back in her seat. "He always gets to me."

Cullen frowned. "Have you got previous?"

"We worked together at St Leonard's for a few years. He was an inspector on the uniform side and I was a DS. We never quite agreed on anything, put it that way, but I learned how to play him." Cargill got to her feet. "I want you to inform DI Bain that he's now formally off the case."

What? A DC sacking a DI? "I'm not su-"

"Are you telling me you're not up to the task?"

"No."

Cullen went into the cubicle and smashed his fist into the wall above the toilet. He did it again. And again.

Blood on his knuckles. Blood pumping.

He walked over to the sink and splashed water over his face. She was seriously asking a DC to tell a DI he was off the case?

He counted to ten as he walked back to the Incident Room.

Sacking Bain.

Fucking hell.

He inhaled deeply through his nostrils and entered the room. It was half empty - most officers must be out looking for further evidence.

Holdsworth was sitting at a laptop, furiously typing.

"Bryan." Cullen hovered by this desk.

Holdsworth slowly turned around. "What is it? I'm flat out here pulling together a dashboard for DCI Turnbull's weekly status meeting."

"Have you seen DI Bain?"

"Yes, he went down to the forensics lab with DS Irvine."

"Cheers."

Cullen heart thudded harder as he headed to the stairs, descending to the Scenes of Crime office on the ground floor of the station. A lump in his throat - the confrontation getting closer.

Anderson sat in the SOCO's office, staring at a computer screen. "Brian, just accept it."

Bain scowled. "It doesn't make sense."

Cullen frowned. "What doesn't?"

"Ah, Sundance, knew you'd fuckin' pitch up."

"We've got five tyre tracks." Irvine flashed up a photo. "We were bloody lucky. It pissed down all afternoon on Thursday, washing the tracks away. Anderson got his plaster of Paris out and did a big stretch of the path."

Cullen took the photo and checked it, unable to determine anything. "Impressive."

"I'm not just some tube that turns up at crime scenes to dust for fingerprints. I've got more qualifications than you three put together."

Bain scowled. "If you've got a single Higher you're doing better than us."

"I've got an Ordinary Degree." Cullen folded his arms.

"Ooooh." Irvine minced. "Been back to CC Bloom's again?"

Cullen scowled at him. "I never tire of that. Keep doing it."

"We reckon there's three vehicles going up and down." Irvine put another bit of gum in his mouth. "Obviously the one Aitken was in only went up."

"Right." Cullen tried to put the facts together in his head. "Could it be one going up and down twice?"

Anderson turned the monitor back and peered at it. "I've got different wear patterns on the sets of tyres. Looks like two separate vehicles."

Kieron Bain was First Attending Officer. Cullen clicked his fingers. "One of them was Kieron's police Range Rover, right?"

"We know this, Sundance." Bain rubbed his face. "The silly sod drove up to the top of the bing when he got there before realising the car was at the bottom."

Cullen scribbled it down in his notebook.

"What are you fuckin' doing?"

"Writing that down. It's called a note. It helps you remember something that might be useful later."

"Cheeky little bastard." Bain scowled.

Cullen looked at Anderson. "What you're saying is there's a mystery third Range Rover, correct?"

Anderson nodded. "Could be that, aye. Can't tell from this."

"This is going to be another CCTV job, right?"

Irvine laughed. "Aye and I hope it's you that has to do it."

Cullen frowned. "The alternative is Kieron went up and down twice."

Bain got in Cullen's face. "Shut the fuck up, Sundance."

"We need to take this to Cargill."

"Grassing to fuckin' teacher." Bain rested his forehead against Cullen's.

Cullen swallowed hard, the butterflies in his stomach flapping again. "I need to speak to you."

"There's no secrets here. Out with it."

"In private."

Bain stepped back and laughed. He grinned at Anderson and Irvine. "He does this every so often. He's got to take me aside and tell me how much he loves me."

"Come on." Cullen led him out into the long corridor and took a look around. It was quiet for once. He took a deep breath and decided just to spit it out. "You're on suspension."

Bain stared at him. "You fuckin' what?"

"DI Cargill has placed you on suspension. She asked me to tell you."

"You got a fuckin' camera recording this?"

"No, it's the truth."

Bain shook his head. "Why?"

"I must have impressed her or something."

"No, you fuckin' tube! Why the fuck am I suspended?"

"Your son's the prime suspect in one of the murders."

Bain flared his nostrils. "Fuck this and fuck you. My boy's innocent. Turnbull's getting a fuckin' visit."

"You should get home."

"Fuck off, Sundance."

Cullen held up his hands. "I've done my bit."

"Aye, a million fuckin' times over."

*
*
*

"Say that again?" Cargill looked up from the paperwork in front of her, head resting on her hand, her mouth muffled by the heel.

"Bain's going to speak to DCI Turnbull." Cullen sat alongside her. "He was complaining about being told by a DC."

"Thanks for doing that." Cargill sat back in her chair and stretched out. "How was Bain?"

"The usual. I've managed to desensitise myself to his swearing."

Cargill laughed. "I don't get what he's up to."

"You know his marriage broke up, right?"

"I'd heard whispers, Jim thought something was amiss."

Cullen nodded. "I've got some information on the forensics."

"Tell DS Methven."

"You want to hear this."

Cargill sighed. "Okay, go ahead."

"Last Thursday, when we were at the bing, I had a look at the tyre tracks leading up the mound. Anderson tells me the wear marks most likely point to three individual vehicles, but he's only matched one of them."

"Which one?"

"The car Xander Aitken drove up in." Cullen showed her the tyre analysis. "Kieron Bain drove up in a police Range Rover as FAO."

"This doesn't sound good." Cargill rubbed her eyebrows. "Which leaves us with a third Range Rover that we need to trace?"

"That or Kieron went up and down twice."

"Is that possible?"

"It's not been ruled out."

"Okay. This is good stuff, Cullen. I can see why Jim calls you a rising star."

Cullen blushed. "Thanks."

Cargill raised an eyebrow. "You just need to eliminate that little cowboy streak of yours."

"Believe me, I'm trying to."

"What do you want to do?"

"Have we done footprint analysis at the top of the bing?"

Cullen frowned. "I don't know. I can check, if you want?"

"No, it's fine, I'll allocate Sharon McNeill to it."

"What about me?"

Cargill looked across the Incident Room - Muir and Fletcher had a table in the far corner and were poring over their copy of the case file. "I want you to man mark Muir. He's done nothing so far, but he's interviewing Kieron Bain at eleven. I've been summoned to DCS Whitehead's office in Fettes with Fletcher and Turnbull, so I won't be able to attend."

"Will do."

There was a commotion from the entrance of the Incident Room. James Anderson was having a shouting match with DS Holdsworth.

Anderson looked into the room. "Where is he?"

Holdsworth pointed over at Cullen. "With DI Cargill."

Anderson marched over. "Where've you put it?"

"Put what?"

"The knife. It's gone."

Cullen raised his eyebrows. "I've got absolutely nothing to do with it. I came straight here to brief DI Cargill."

"Well somebody's pinched it. I need to run some other checks on the fucking thing."

Cullen put his head in his hands. "Irvine and Bain were in there with you."

"We've got this eleven o'clock interview, haven't we?" Muir stood over Cullen.

Cullen shook his head, looking across the busy Incident Room. "Cargill's called an emergency briefing."

"What about?"

"You'll find out." Cullen tapped his nose.

"I'm not in the mood for games here."

Cargill entered the Incident Room. "Come on, can you all gather round please?"

Fletcher and Turnbull joined her at the front.

Cargill waited for a semblance of order before starting. "This is not an easy announcement so I'll just get on with it. You'll all be aware that PC Kieron Bain is the prime suspect in the murder of Liam Crossan. As you'll know, PC Bain is the son of DI Brian Bain, the Deputy SIO on this case. DI Bain appears to have tampered with evidence. The murder weapon has disappeared from the Scenes of Crime lab downstairs. DI Bain and DS Irvine were both in attendance when the knife is believed to have gone missing." Her eyes flicked around the room. "Both officers have been placed under house arrest."

The noise level cut to zero. The faces were utterly shocked. Cullen could hear the traffic outside.

Cargill cast her gaze across the room. "They may be acting together or independently. There's a distinct possibility they've hampered other aspects of this investigation. To that end, Superintendent Fletcher will be leading a thorough review of the case. I appreciate this is frustrating, especially as we're so close to solving it, but we need to make sure this is a clean conviction."