Slammer (10 page)

'Just … things.'

'And where are those "things"?'

'Lorna, what's wrong?'

'Did I say something was wrong?'

'Don't be like this.'

She stared at him. 'What am I being like?'

'You're drinking,' he said. 'Too much.'

'You're lying to me,' she said. 'That's a good reason to drink too much, don't you think?'

'I can't tell you where I was,' he said.

'Oh,' she said, 'that's a fucking shame.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I bet. I have to trust you, is that right?'

'Yes.'

'And why should I do that?'

'Because I have your welfare at heart. Yours and Caitlin's.'

'Our welfare? Jesus, you're something else.' She pinged a fingernail off her wineglass. 'So you're not seeing someone?'

Where had that come from? 'Why would I do that?'

'I was hoping you'd tell me.'

'What's going on?'

'You're a bastard.'

'I don't know what you're talking about.' He placed his hand on hers.

She pulled away. 'So you don't know anything about some bondage session? A naked girl, tied to a bed, gagged? Sound familiar?'

Jesus Christ! How the hell had she found out about that?

'Fun, was it? You've never asked to do that with me. I never knew it was your thing. Is that what you like, then?'

'No, it's not,' he said. 'I don't want to do that.'

'Good.' She burped again. 'Wouldn't let you anyway. You're a fuck. A fucking fuck. Fucker.'

'Keep your voice down.'

'Don't tell me to keep my voice down. I'm not the one who's been fucking around.' She took a breath. 'Only David and you can't hold that against me for ever.'

'I don't.' He didn't.

'David was a mistake.'

'I know.'

'So why are you fucking around?'

'It wasn't like that.'

'Ah,' she said, 'not denying it any more?' She poured herself another glass. 'It's just me you don't want to do it with. She pretty, is she? Young? Slim? Big tits? Nice tight fanny, not like the bucket Caitlin left me with?'

'Don't be gross.'

'Jesus shit, you're so fucking prissy.'

'You're so fucking drunk.'

'I'm not drunk enough.'

'I went to visit someone,' he told her.

'Who?'

'Doesn't matter. Point is, the girl was already there.'

'Like shite.'

'She was, Lorna. Listen to me.'

'You'll just lie. Lie, lie, lie.'

'Hear me out. Just for a second.'

She ran her tongue over her teeth. 'Go on then.'

He explained about finding the bedroom door open, the girl looking like she was being raped. 'I thought I was helping.'

'You didn't touch her?'

'No.'

'Expect me to believe that?'

'What do you think happened? Really?'

She was quiet. 'I don't know.'

He tried placing his hand on hers again. This time she didn't pull away. 'Who told you?' he asked.

She gulped more wine down. '
He
did.'

'Who?'

'Him.' She screamed. '
Him.
'

Glass looked at the wine bottle. It was tempting to knock back a glass or two. Really tempting. 'Watt?'

She nodded. Repeated his name.

How did Watt know where he'd been? And even if the bastard had been following him, how would he know about the girl?

Glass asked, 'What did he say?'

'Said you were busy … shagging some little tart. Said he thought I should know what my husband was like.'

What a bastard.

'I told him he was talking shit,' she said. 'You wouldn't do that, I said. He asked me if I knew where you were. I said I did, but I didn't. And I think he knew.'

She knocked her glass over. Might have been deliberate. It hit the table and rolled in an arc. Didn't break. No spillage. She'd already emptied it. She left it there.

Glass set it upright.

Lorna continued: 'He said it was on video, you and the slut. Said he'd send me proof. In a brown jiffy bag.'

Glass kept his voice even. 'It's a lie.'

'Why would he lie?'

Glass wasn't sure, but he could guess. 'He's messing with us.'

'Is he?'

'Believe it. There's no video. There's nothing for him to send.' He paused. 'It's a lie,' he said again. 'You'll see.'

She dragged her glass towards her. 'I don't know what to believe.'

'I don't understand,' he said. 'Why don't you believe me? I've never given you any reason to think I'd be unfaithful to you.'

'Blame me, that's right.'

'I'm not.'

'Well, it sounds like it. I'm the one who was unfaithful. Just keep reminding me of it, why don't you?' She refilled her glass. 'What were you doing there?'

He looked at his hand. Rubbed his thumb over his knuckles. 'Okay,' he said. 'If you must know.' He took the gun out of his pocket, laid it in front of him.

She moved back in her seat. 'Is that real?' she asked.

'Yeah,' he said. 'That's my shopping. That's what I was buying.'

'Get it out of here.'

'It won't bite.'

'Get it the fuck out of here.'

'Okay.' He picked it up, put it back in his pocket. 'Better?'

'No,' she said, on her feet. 'I want that out of here. Out of the fucking house.'

'It's for our protection.'

'I don't give a shit. Get it out of here.'

'You believe me about the girl?'

'Get that away from here or I'll call the police.'

He laughed. 'Come on, you're definitely drunk.'

'You think that'll make me
less
likely to do it?'

'Okay,' he said. 'I have to go out anyway. I'm meeting Watt.'

'With that?' she said, indicating his pocket.

'Yeah, I don't think he'll be bothering us any longer.'

'Don't.'

'It's just to scare him.'

'Don't go.'

'I work with criminals every day. Watt's just another one. I'll be fine.'

'What about me? And Caitlin?'

'I won't be long. You'll be fine too. I'm making sure of that.' He really wanted to believe it. He leaned towards her. Kissed her cheek. Stepped back.

She looked at him, eyes shiny. 'I can't live like this.'

That was just the drink talking.

'Nick,' she said. 'I'm sorry about David.'

'I know you are.' David. Some guy she'd slept with twice about six months ago. Glass didn't even know his last name. It was over, she said. But clearly she'd never managed to get him out of her mind. Another good reason for them to stay in
Edinburgh
. Go back to
Dunfermline
and there was every chance it would all start up again. Glass didn't think he'd recover a second time.

He walked over to the worktop, dropped the cleaver into the sink, put the meat on a plate and wrapped cling film over it.

'I was going to make stew,' Lorna said, 'but then he phoned.'

'Don't worry about it,' Glass said. 'I'll bring some pizza back with me.'

*

When four o'clock came, Glass was waiting by the north wall of the Castle Esplanade looking out across the Firth of Forth.

Tourists spilled out from the Castle in regular spurts. They milled about, gibbering in languages Glass didn't understand, pointing, exclaiming, crossing from one side of the Esplanade to the other, taking in the scenery, snapping photos.

A solitary fat cloud squatted in the sky. Hardly a breath of wind. Stunning views. In fact it was beautiful.

But it wasn't what Glass wanted. The weather was wrong. It ought to be stormy. Thunder and lightning. Lashing rain. Zero visibility. An atonal kind of weather, dissonant clouds, clashing light and dark.

Wasn't like that, though. The sun was lower in the sky but still strong. He felt his forehead prickle and knew he'd burned a little. Fair skin. Never tanned. Pain in the arse that he'd had to wear a jacket.

'Good to see you again,' a voice behind him said.

Sounded familiar.

Hand in his pocket, Glass touched the warmed-up gun, traced along the ribbed grip till he touched the base of the magazine, smooth as Caitlin's elbow.

Could he go through with it? He had to. No choice. With a family of Japanese tourists right next to him? Course not. Lead the bastard to a secluded spot. Show him the gun. Freak him out. Job done.

'Is that a gun in your pocket?'

Glass turned.

Watt looked different with his clothes on and, somehow, Glass doubted that his real first name was Brad. Maybe that wasn't even his porn name. But here he was. From bedroom to Castle. Having seen Glass make a fool of himself just a short time ago.

'I hope you'll use it. Don't want you fannying about like earlier.'

What the hell had Mafia's brother been doing at Mad Will's? Well, Glass knew the answer to that. He was making a porno. And, actually, it wasn't all that surprising that Watt and Mafia would know the same people. They'd both run with Caesar. Watt still did. And Mad Will was probably one of Caesar's suppliers. The signs were all there. Glass was an idiot. He had to learn to pay attention, not let his mind drift all over the place.

He noticed Watt was dressed for colder weather too. Brown suede jacket, not unlike one Glass had at home. Didn't match the combat trousers and boots.

'Why did you tell Lorna I'd slept with that girl?'

Watt laughed. 'Just wanted to see how things were between you. I don't think she loves you, you know. Too quick to believe you'd cheat on her.'

'She didn't believe you for a minute.'