The Naming Of The Dead (2006) (42 page)
Read The Naming Of The Dead (2006) Online
Authors: Ian Rankin
He had unfinished business at home, too.
His luck was in: a black cab with its yellow roof light shining. In the back, Rebus reached into his pocket. He’d told the cabbie Euston—knew it was a short walk from there to King’s Cross. He took out the sheet of paper and roll of tape. Unfolded the sheet and studied it—crude but to the point. Two photos of Santal/Stacey: one from Siobhan’s cameraman friend, the other from an old newspaper. Above them in thick black pen the single word MISSING, underlined twice. Below, Rebus’s sixth and final attempt at a credible message:
My two friends, Santal and Stacey, missing since the bombs. Arrived at Euston that morning on night train from Edinburgh. If you have seen them or have any news, please call me. Need to know they are safe and well
.
No name at the bottom, just his cell number. And half a dozen copies in his other pocket. He’d already flagged her as a missing person with the police national computer: both identities; height, age, and eye color; a few background snippets. Next week, her description would go out to the homeless charities, the
Big Issue
sellers. When Eric Bain was out of the hospital, Rebus would ask him about Web sites. Maybe they could even set up one of their own. If she was out there, she was traceable. No way Rebus would be giving up on this one.
Not for a good while yet.
T
here is no Clootie Well in Auchterarder. However, the one on the Black Isle is worth a visit, if you like your tourist attractions on the skin-crawling side.
There is also no Ram’s Head in Coldstream, though a decent steak pie can be had at the Besom public house.
My thanks to Dave Henderson for the extended loan of his photographic archive, and to Jonathan Emmans for the introduction.
Rebus’s joke about Basque separatists is “borrowed” (with permission) from Peter Ross of the
Sunday Herald
newspaper.
Ian Rankin is a #1 international best-selling author. Winner of an Edgar Award and the recipient of a Gold Dagger for fiction and the Chandler-Fulbright Award, he lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons.
