REBUS
Nothing better on the telly Ger? Thought you’d have all the sports channels.
CAFFERTY hands REBUS a glass of wine.
CAFFERTY
Taste that.
REBUS
I’m no a wine drinker.
CAFFERTY
No. No more was I. But try that.
REBUS does so.
CAFFERTY
That’s something eh?
REBUS
Is it?
CAFFERTY
Six hundred and fifty pounds a bottle. You just sipped twenty quid’s worth.
Laughs at REBUS’S expression.
CAFFERTY
I know! It’s an education John. If you’ve got that, if you’ve got the knowledge, you can declare a bottle of second hand plonk is worth a grand or more and no-one will argue with you. That’s what it’ll be worth.
REBUS
Just get me a water.
CAFFERTY
You’re no going to waste that are you? Knowledge. Information. That’s always the most valuable commodity there is.
REBUS is getting his own drink.
CAFFERTY
Tell you the other thing that makes a wine? Timing. It’s worth six hundred today, next year it’s tipped over into vinegar. Worthless. But this one is at its best. This is the moment.
REBUS
Why now?
CAFFERTY
The wine?
REBUS
No. Not the wine. Not the fucking wine Cafferty!
CAFFERTY
Not following you.
REBUS
How long have you known I hit you that night?
CAFFERTY
Is that a confession?
REBUS
How long!?
CAFFERTY
From the second I saw those shoes. Twenty-five years.
REBUS
And why now? Why are you doing this . . .?
CAFFERTY
(cutting him off) What am I doing?
REBUS
Why now!
CAFFERTY
Expert knowledge. You have to know the perfect moment, to savour when it’s ready.
REBUS
A memory of an ex-squaddies’ toe caps? You think a jury’ll buy that as an identification?
CAFFERTY
Oh I’ll say I saw your face on the way down. Of course I will, need to make it water tight. But the DNA’ll back that up eh?
REBUS
You’ll lie in the witness box.
CAFFERTY
Of course. Honesty can only get you so far, eh John? Sometimes, to get what you want, you have to do things your own way. Isn’t that your philosophy too?
REBUS
You’d let Mordaunt walk free, just so you can get me arrested?
CAFFERTY
Will they bother? Sweeping an old has-been cop into the bin in his final years? Aye they might, you’ve no made many friends in the force, have you John? And you’ve outlived most of those. Yeah they’ll probably arrest you. That would be a result.
REBUS
What do you want?
CAFFERTY
Nothing. Nothing from you. You’re about as much use now as a condom machine on a geriatric ward. My world gets larger every day and yours gets smaller.
SIOBHAN is on, coming to CAFFERTY’S door.
Sure you won’t try more of this wine? I think it just needed to breathe, it’s tasting better and better.
SIOBHAN rings the bell. CAFFERTY goes to answer.
CAFFERTY
’Scuse me. Need to get that.
CAFFERTY opens the door.
CAFFERTY
D.I. Clarke. Glad you could make it.
SIOBHAN comes in and stops dead as she sees REBUS.
CAFFERTY
Sorry. Should have told you, you’re not the only guest tonight.
SIOBHAN
(to REBUS) What are you doing here?
REBUS
You tell me.
CAFFERTY
D.I. Clarke doesn’t know a thing. I thought it’d be better if she heard the story from you.
SIOBHAN
What story?
CAFFERTY
Glass of wine D.I. Clarke? White’s your poison eh? But I think you’ll like this one.
SIOBHAN
What the fuck’s going on John?
REBUS
What did he tell you, to get you here?
SIOBHAN doesn’t answer, trying to work out what’s going on.
REBUS
Siobhan?
CAFFERTY
I told D.I. Clarke I had important information about the defence lawyer’s investigation of the attack on me. I told her, if she came here alone, if she could just hold back that impulse to play it by the book, inform her superiors, blah blah . . . If we could just have a private meeting, I’d tell her all about it.
REBUS
And you came? On your own?
CAFFERTY
She learned to bend the rules from the best, eh John.
SIOBHAN
That’s what I’m doing here. What about you?
REBUS says nothing.
CAFFERTY
Tell her.
Still nothing.
CAFFERTY
I’m happy to give her my version, just thought you might like to put it in your own words John.
REBUS
I was going to tell you Shiv. It’s why I asked you to come with me tonight.
SIOBHAN
Tell me what?
REBUS
Let’s go, I’m no talking about it in front of this prick. He’s had his fun . . .
CAFFERTY
Christ no! Show’s just getting started. I’m the witness for the defence Siobhan. I’m the proof that the police were perfectly prepared to frame Mordaunt back in 1992. I’m the wee hand grenade of truth that’s going to blow up twenty-five years of work, trying to put the bastard away. I’ll send Mordaunt off singing to a wee retirement home where he’ll end his days drinking soup and trying to touch up the carers. But I might not. It depends. There’s a deal on the table. Something we should talk about when you know what’s going on. Tell her the story Strawman.
REBUS
What deal?! What are you playing at?
CAFFERTY
Tell her now or I tell her.
REBUS
I hit him.
SIOBHAN
What?
REBUS
In 1992. It was me. I hit him across the back of the head with a length of two by two. Wish I’d killed him.
SIOBHAN
But . . . you told me. You swore . . . You said none of the officers back then had done any cover up . . .
REBUS
They didn’t. It was all me. I’m sorry Siobhan. I am.
SIOBHAN
Tell me. Tell me what happened.
REBUS
CAFFERTY
It’s all a blur John, concussion’ll do that to a man.
REBUS
We had him. We had him for possession and supply. Five witnesses ready to testify he was the banker, the profiteer, the man making slick money off junky sweat . . . Five witnesses that went to court and magically changed their story under questioning. Even the jury knew they were lying but there was no evidence, every shred of it threatened and intimidated out of existence and he sits there, grinning like a toad full of worms . . .
CAFFERTY
Always the abuse. Enjoy it Strawman, clock’s ticking.
REBUS
He walks out of court. It was the day after Mordaunt walked out of another court. I wasn’t the lead on Mordaunt or anything like, but I felt that, like every cop in Edinburgh. And then Cafferty walks too.
CAFFERTY
(cutting in) Oh that was personal eh Strawman?
REBUS
One wee lassie, we’d spent days coaching her, reassuring her, promis
ing her we’d keep her safe . . .
CAFFERTY
He’s always promising more than he delivers. Have you noticed that?
REBUS
She was shaking so hard in the witness box I thought she’d fall over, and all the while he’s staring at her . . . do you even remember her Cafferty? Moira Spibey. Where’s she now?
CAFFERTY
Thought it was a police job to keep track of all the lost souls.
REBUS
Dead. 1996. Overdose.
CAFFERTY
Well, some folk just kill themselves, and you canny help them. But have a wee bit more of my booze Strawman. If you need it.
REBUS
And this fucker . . . he’s just walking about a bar . . .
CAFFERTY
My bar. My bar Strawman, and why were you in there if you weren’t looking for me?
REBUS
The night after the trial, grinning, teflon coated, all the shite’s slid right off him and he’s grinning like he just ate it all with a spoon. Walking about the place, shaking hands, patting backs, soaking up the fake worship of his dark kingdom of fear . . .
CAFFERTY
Oh fucking poetry now is it? . . . You should have seen this one Siobhan, he was barely standing, swaying and glowering like a drunken prize fighter who doesny know the count’s finished.
REBUS
He has a word with the barman . . . And he’s gone. And there’s a drink in front of me . . .
CAFFERTY
I bought him a drink. And this is what happened, because I bought him a drink . . .
REBUS
‘Mr Cafferty’s compliments, in appreciation of all you do to protect the citizens of Edinburgh . . .’
CAFFERTY
What was wrong with that?
REBUS
So aye, I followed him into the car park . . . There’s the fucker, no minders for once . . . He’s just standing there, having a smoke.
CAFFERTY
See if I’d only quit sooner in life . . .
REBUS
There’s the building timber. Aye. I picked it up. I swung at him . . . Walked two streets over. Dumped the two by two. Walked back. First officer at the scene. And there it was. Like a last chance. Like a neon sign flashing ‘Get them both John’ I saw Mordaunt’s van still parked up in the car park . . .
CAFFERTY
If I’d only known then how much whisky he could sink and keep walking . . .
REBUS
And a bar full of witnesses had seen Mordaunt nip through the back when Cafferty came in the front.
CAFFERTY
Only way I can figure it is the wee bastard saw this clown roll up and was feart to get done for drink driving so he just ran home and left the van. Ironic, eh?
REBUS
Cafferty went down. Mordaunt went down for it. Fucking result!
SIOBHAN
What have you done?
REBUS
It was done twenty-five years ago, what do you want?
SIOBHAN
Steve Cant was lack lustre in court? I bet he bloody was! He knew didn’t he? The whole squad knew what you’d done . . .
REBUS
Cheering me on.
SIOBHAN
Were they? All of them? Are you sure there weren’t more than your boss worried about the day a miscarriage of justice might come back and bite us all? Mordaunt’s going to walk John!
REBUS
I’m sorry.
SIOBHAN
What do you want me to tell Angela’s father? That you’re sorry!? Jesus.
CAFFERTY
So. Here’s the deal. He was first officer at the scene. He did inspect the evidence once it was located. A little cross contamination, not totally unbelievable eh? Without my sworn evidence of a clear view of his ugly mug it’s a bit of mud in the water at worst. I’ll withdraw that statement. Concussion, twenty-five years, failing memory, now I think about it I can’t be sure, no, I am sure, sure it couldn’t have been John Rebus, no, it was a much taller man, thinner, fitter, better looking, nothing like this wreck of an old police officer at all, can’t believe I ever made such a stupid mistake. They won’t even put me on the stand. Probably give up on the idea of even bringing the assault evidence into it. Police corruption? No. We’ll just forget about that. Let justice be done. Let Mordaunt burn. That sound like a good deal D.I. Clarke?
SIOBHAN
What do you want Cafferty?
CAFFERTY
Just . . . information.
SIOBHAN
What kind of information?
CAFFERTY
Things I need to know. As and when. The sort of thing a bright D.I. poised for promotion might happen to be able to pass on. I’ll be no bother at all, the odd phone call, the odd favour . . .
SIOBHAN
And if I tell you to take a running jump off your patio there?
CAFFERTY
Mordaunt walks and Rebus is up on charges of perverting justice and assault. So. Time to decide what’s most important to you Shiv.
SIOBHAN
Don’t call me that!
REBUS is on the move.
REBUS
(to SIOBHAN) Come on. We’re out of here.
SIOBHAN
No . . .
REBUS
Tell him to fuck off and let’s get out of here. What? You’re seriously thinking about this!?
SIOBHAN
(quiet) I have to . . . don’t I?
REBUS
No. No. Not happening. You’re not going to be his puppet. You’re not going to jump when he pulls your strings . . .
SIOBHAN
Mordaunt’s going to walk free because you . . . ! (she can’t go on) Don’t talk to me John. Don’t even . . . (she can’t speak for another moment. To CAFFERTY) Can I have a moment? I need to think.
CAFFERTY
You can have a moment. No more.
REBUS
What the fuck is there to think about! Tell him to do his worst! It doesny matter what happens to me now!
SIOBHAN
And what happens to justice for Angela?! What happens to twenty-five years of work and hope and trying . . . I don’t give a fuck what happens to you now John. I seriously don’t give a fuck! (to CAFFERTY) I’m going outside. I’m going to walk round the Meadows. I’ll come back.
CAFFERTY
Twenty minutes then. Don’t go wandering off.
SIOBHAN
I won’t.
She’s leaving.
REBUS
I’ll come with you.
SIOBHAN
You’ll leave me alone!
She’s gone.
REBUS looks at CAFFERTY.
CAFFERTY
That was worth waiting for. That was almost as good as I ever imagined.
REBUS moves.
CAFFERTY
Don’t even try Strawman. There’s not enough breath left in you to hurt me.
REBUS hurls the bottle of wine at him. CAFFERTY lets it fly past.
CAFFERTY
Fuck it. I’d rather drink vodka anyway.
REBUS has no attack left. Cafferty is getting a drink.
CAFFERTY
Twenty-five years. Fucking flown by eh? You and me, head to head, think we’ve finally got a winner eh? Sweet, but kind of an easy win in the end. Not a contest of equals, but it’s been years since you could really give me a fight, eh Strawman? You let yourself go. No the will power to lay off the fags and booze. No the backbone to keep yourself in shape. It’s a basic thing see? Staying fit, staying ready. Bottom fucking line. There are still places in the world right now, hunners of them, where staying at the top means keeping the power to batter another man to pulp. The first time you do it, it’s terrifying, but after that, well you realise you’re just doing what the whole world does to get rich, only difference is you’re doing it with your own hands. History. Look at history. The guys with power were the ones who could win a battle with a fucking four-foot blade. I’d
’ve been a king. Bottom. Line. Aye well, no those days is it? Need to move with the times. I’m a dancer Rebus. I’ve got the fucking moves. You’ve no even got the music. Shall we put on some music? While we’re waiting?
REBUS
If you put on Sheena Easton I’m going over that balcony rail and I’m taking you with me.
CAFFERTY
Stop blackening that woman’s name. Just ’cause you canny appreciate proper music.
REBUS
Christ you’re a real fan.
CAFFERTY
Always. Named my company after her. One of my companies. One of the many many wee cubby holes for cash you’ve never found yet John. Pick some music. I’ve got anything you like. Pick a soundtrack for your mood.