Birthdays for the dead

I switched the camera off. Put it back on the shelf. Pulled out my phone and dialled the station.

Ash? What are we

I held up a hand. Shh

Assistant Chief Constable Drummond s office, how can I help you?

Nicola, it s Ash. Ash Henderson. Is he in?

Her voice cooled. Officer Henderson, I m sorry about your daughter, but I don t think it s really

I want to apologize for my behaviour yesterday. I It s been difficult for us. I wanted to say sorry.

A pause. One moment, I ll see if he s free.

Bland, innocuous hold music, then, I ve cut you a lot of slack, Detective Constable, given your situation, but this is unacceptable. Steven Wallace claims you broke into his home last night and subjected him to

I know.

So you re not denying it? Have you any idea how much trouble

No. I mean I know about you.

A pause.

He put a little metal in his voice. And exactly what do you know?

Everything.

More silence.

I have no idea what you re talking about.

No? Is that a friend of yours in the Homer Simpson mask, or did you put the camera on a timer?

Alice raised her eyebrows and mouthed, Homer Simpson? at me.

I waved a hand at her.

ACC Drummond cleared his throat. I see And what do you want?

Guess.

Muffled scrunching noises came from the other end of the phone

Drummond putting his hand over the mouthpiece. Nicola, clear my schedule for the afternoon. I have to go out. Then he was back. Neutral territory: Moncuir Woods, the parking area by the sculpture trail. Half four. He didn t wait for confirmation, just hung up.

ACC Drummond s blue beamer turned onto the gravel driveway and crunched to a halt in front of the garage. He climbed out and scurried over to the front door.

I stepped back from the bedroom window.

The sounds of keys and locks echoed up from below, then the front door slammed shut.

OK. Alice took a deep breath, keeping her voice low. What s the plan, I mean we do have a plan don t we, he s going to

We ve got a plan I reached into my pocket and pulled out the gun.

Footsteps on the stairs: Drummond taking them two at a time.

She stared. Ash, is that Well, of course it is. Alice shrank back against the wardrobe. Is that what happened to your foot, you accidentally shot yourself with your own

I did not shoot myself. I blinked. It s complicated. And it wasn t this gun. I tucked it into my belt, at the side on the left, where my borrowed jacket would cover it. And it wasn t an accident.

You did it on purpose?

My gloves squeaked on the door handle. Are you coming or not?

Through in the study, ACC Drummond was on his knees in front of the desk, hauling CDs out of a black zip-up case and dumping them into a carrier-bag while the computers powered up.

I knocked on the doorframe. Problem?

He jumped, spun around, eyes and mouth wide. His lips twitched, then he scrambled to his feet. You have no right coming in here! This is private property. He cleared his throat.

I m I m placing you under arrest.

Where is she?

I don t know what you re talking about. He squinted over my shoulder. Dr McDonald? I I want you to phone the police: Constable Henderson has become a danger to himself and others.

The walking stick was a good sturdy model. I jerked it up into the air, caught it by the bottom and swung it like a crowbar, smashing the head into one of Drummond s pictures. The glass shattered the ACC and some bloke off the television crashed into the carpet. WHERE IS SHE?

He flinched. Opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. Then put on his sergeant major s voice: Officer Henderson, I insist

Another picture exploded off the wall.

Where is she, Drummond?

Alice squeezed past me into the room. You should really tell him, Assistant Chief Constable, he s been under a lot of stress recently, and I don t think Ash is too worried about the consequences of battering your brains out right now. She settled into the office chair. Where s Katie?

I don t know anything about

The cane s head battered into his cheek, hard enough to make my arm shake. He staggered against a shelf, sending law books thumping to the ground. Stood there with a hand pressed against his face, groaning.

Where is she?

I don t

I went for the side of his knee this time and he yelled, then doubled over clutching at the joint. So I cracked the lying fuck on the back of the head too. Blood and hair stuck to the handle.

Drummond screamed and curled into a ball, arms wrapped around his head. I don t know, I don t know!

Alice shoogled the office chair closer to the desk. It s my professional opinion that Officer Henderson is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of what s happened, he s not responsible for his actions, it d certainly count as temporary insanity if he beats you to death.

I don t know where your daughter is!

I held the gun in front of his face, hauled the slide back and racked a round into the chamber. Then stuck the gun against his forehead. Give me one reason, you sick little shite.

You re crazy, you ve lost your bloody mind!