Exit Music

'There you are,' she said.

'Here I am,' Rebus agreed.

'We were worried you'd sloped off.'

'I'll just be a minute,' he said, showing her the remaining inch of cigarette.

She had wrapped her arms around herself, protection against the cold. 'Don't worry,' she said, 'we're not having speeches or anything.'

Tou've judged it just right, Shiv,' he assured her. 'Thanks.'

She accepted the praise with a twitch of her mouth. 'How's Colin doing?'

'I think Phyl's resuscitating him.' Rebus nodded in the direction of the two figures, who had now more or less merged into one.

'I hope they don't regret it in the morning,' she muttered.

“What's life without a few regrets?' one of the smokers challenged her.

'They'll put that on my headstone,' his companion stated.

Rebus and Clarke locked eyes again for a few silent moments.

'Come back into the warm,' she told him. He gave her a slow nod, stubbed out the remains of his cigarette and did as he was told.

It was gone midnight when his taxi pulled up outside the Western General Hospital. He got as far as the corridor to Cafferty's ward before one of the nurses stopped him.

Tou've been drinking,' she scolded him.

'Since when did nurses start making diagnoses?'

'I'll have to call security.'

What for?'

W7… j.

Tou can't go visiting a patient in the middle of the night. Not in that state.'

'Why not?'

'Because people are sleeping.'

'I'm not going to start playing the drums,' he protested.

She pointed to the ceiling. Rebus looked, too, and saw that a camera was trained on them. You're being monitored,' she warned him. 'A guard will be here any moment.'

'Christ's sake…'

The doors behind her – the doors to Cafferty's ward – swung open. A man was standing there.

'I'll handle this,' he said.

'Who are you?' she asked, turning to him. 'Who gave you permission to…?' But his warrant card silenced her.

'DI Stone,' he explained. 'This man's known to me. I'll see he doesn't cause further disturbance.' Stone nodded towards a row of chairs, meant for visitors. Rebus decided he could do with a sit down, so didn't argue. When he was seated, Stone nodded, letting the nurse know everything was under control. As she headed off, he sat beside Rebus, leaving one of the chairs empty between them.

He started to tuck his ID back into his pocket.

'I used to have one of those,' Rebus told him.

“What's in the bag?' Stone asked.

'My retirement.'

'That explains a lot.'

Rebus tried focusing on him. 'Such as?'

'The amount you've put away, for one thing.'

'Six pints, three shorts, and half a bottle of wine.'

'And the man's still standing.' Stone shook his head in disbelief.

'So what brings you here? Bit of unfinished business still niggling you?'

Rebus had started opening his cigarettes, until he remembered where he was. 'How do you mean?' he asked.

'Pla

'It wasn't me at the canal.'

'A blood-spattered overshoe says otherwise.'

'Didn't know inanimate objects could talk.' Rebus was thinking back to his chat with Sonia.

'They've got a language all of their own, Rebus,' Stone clarified, 'and Forensics to do the translating.'

Yes, Rebus thought, his mind clearing a little, and SOCOs to pick them up in the first place… SOCOs like little Sonia. 'Can I

assume,' he said, 'that you've been visiting the patient yourself?'

'Trying to change the subject?'

'Just wondering.'

Stone nodded eventually. 'The whole surveillance is in cold storage till he wakes up. Means I'm headed back home in the morning. DI Davidson will keep me informed of developments.'

'I wouldn't try asking him any difficult questions tomorrow,'

Rebus gave warning. 'He was last seen dancing his way down Young Street.'

'I'll bear that in mind.' Stone was rising to his feet. 'Now come on, I'll give you a lift.'

'My flat's the other end of town,' Rebus stated. 'I'll phone for a taxi.'

'Then I'll wait with you till it comes.'

'Not that you don't trust me, DI Stone.'

Stone didn't bother answering. Rebus had taken a couple of steps towards the ward, but only to peer through one of the porthole-style windows. He couldn't figure out which bed was Cafferty's. Some of them had screens around them anyway.

'What if you've pulled the plug on him?' Rebus asked. 'You've got yourself the perfect fall-guy.'

But Stone shook his head, and, like the nurse before him, gestured towards the security camera. 'CCTV would prove you never crossed the threshold. Haven't you heard that old saying, “The camera never lies”?'

'I've heard it,' Rebus stated, 'but I know better than to believe it.'

Having said which, he picked up his bag and preceded Stone back along the corridor towards the exit.

Tou've known Cafferty a long time,' Stone said.

'Nigh on twenty years.'

Tou first gave evidence against him in Glasgow High Court.'

'That's right. Bloody lawyer got me mixed up with the previous witness, called me “Mr Stroman”. After that, Cafferty's nickname for me was Strawman.'

'Like in The Wizard ofOzT 'Have I managed to tell you something that wasn't in your files?'

You have, as a matter of fact.'

'Nice to know I still have the odd trick up my sleeve.'

'I get the feeling you're not going to let him go.'

'Cafferty?' Rebus watched as Stone nodded.

'Or maybe you've readied DS Clarke to enter the fray on your

behalf.' Stone waited for a response, but Rebus didn't seem to have one. 'Now you're leaving the force, you reckon that leaves a gap that'll never be filled?'

'I'm not quite that conceited.'

'Maybe the same's true of Cafferty – when he pegs it, the vacancy won't stay open for long. Plenty small-timers out there, young and lean and hungry…'

'Not my problem,' Rebus said.

'Then the only thing spoiling your party is Cafferty himself.'

They had reached the main doors of the hospital. Rebus had his phone in his hand, readying to call for a cab.

Tou really going to wait with me?' he asked.

'Nothing better to do,' Stone answered. 'But that offer of a lift still stands. This time of night, taxis are bound to be thin on the ground.'

It took Rebus half a minute to decide. Having nodded his agreement, he reached into the bag, pulling out the bottle of Speyside…

Monday 27 November 2006

Epilogue

There was a row of taxi-cabs parked outside Haymarket railway station, but Rebus managed to squeeze his Saab into a space next to them. He sounded the horn and rolled down the window. There were two uniformed officers standing by the station's exit doors.

Monday morning, the day crisp and bright. The constables wore padded black jackets over their stab vests. They paid Rebus no heed whatsoever as he sounded the horn again. But then a parking warden homed in, having noted the double yellow line alongside the Saab. This drew the officers' attention. One of them said something to his companion and wandered over.

'I'll deal with this,' he told the warden, before crouching down so that his head was level with the window.

'I don't suppose I can call you DI Rebus any more?' Todd Goodyear said.

'Not any more,' Rebus agreed.

'Sonia and me both enjoyed the party, if not the hangovers.'

'Didn't actually notice you drinking, Todd. I mean, you had a drink in your hand, but it never quite made it as far as your lips.'

'You don't miss much,' Goodyear conceded with a smile.

'Actually, son, I miss all sorts of things.'