Tooth & Nail

Flight managed to pull a smile out of the air. `Tell that to the judge,' he said. `Tell that to the judge.'

\

Rebus ate that night at George Flight's home, a meal cooked by Marion. So at last they were having the promised dinner together, but, it was a fairly sombre occasion, enlivened only by an interview with some art historian on the late-night news. He was talking about the damage, to the paintings in the National Gallery's Spanish Room.

`Such pointless waste . . . vandalism . . . sheer, wanton priceless . . . perhaps irreparable . . . thousands of pounds . . . heritage.'

`Blab, blah, blah,' said Flight sneeringly. `At least you can patch up a bloody painting. These people talk half the time out of their arses.'

'George!'

`Sorry, Marion,' said Flight sheepishly. He glanced towards Rebus, who winked back at him.

Later, after she had gone to bed, the two men sat together drinking a final brandy.

`I've decided to retire,' said Flight. `Marion's been nagging me for ages. My health's not what it was.'

'Not serious, I hope?'

Flight shook his head. `No, nothing like that. But there's a security firm, they've offered to take me on. More money, nine till five. You know how it is.'

Rebus nodded. He'd seen some of the best of his elders drawn like moths to a lightbulb when security firms and the like came to call. He drained his glass.

`When will you be leaving?' Flight asked.

`I thought I'd go back tomorrow. I can come back down again when they need me to give evidence.'

Flight nodded. `Next time you come, we've got a spare bedroom here.'

`Thanks, George.' Rebus rose to his feet.

`I'll drive you back,' said Flight. But Rebus shook his head.

`Call me a cab,' he insisted. `I don't want you done for D and D.' Think what it would do to your pension.'

Flight stared into his brandy glass. `You've got a point,' he said. `Okay then, a cab it is.' He slipped a hand into his pocket. 'By the way, I've got you a little present.'

He held the clenched fist out to Rebus, who placed his own open palm beneath it. A slip of paper dropped from Flight's hand into his. Rebus unfolded the note. It was an address. Rebus looked up at Flight and nodded his understanding.

`Thanks, George,' he said.

`No rough stuff, eh, John?'

`No rough stuff,' agreed Rebus.

Family

He slept deeply that night, but woke at six the next morning and sat up in bed immediately. His stomach hurt, a burning sensation as though he had, just swallowed a measure of spirits. The doctors had, told him not to drink alcohol Last night he had drunk just the one glass of wine and two glasses of brandy. He rubbed the area around the wound, willing the ache to go away, then took two more painkillers with a glass of, tap-water before dressing and putting on his shoes.

His taxi driver, though sleepy, was full of tales of yesterday's action.

`I was on Whitehall, wasn't I? An hour and a quarter in the cab before the traffic got moving again. Hour and a bleedin' quarter. Didn't see the chase either, but I heard the smash.'

Rebus sat back in silence, all the way to the block of flats in Bethnal Green. He paid the driver and looked again at the slip of paper Flight had given him. Number 46, fourth floor, flat six. The elevator smelled of vinegar. A crumpled paper package in one corner was oozing under-cooked chips and a tail-end of batter. Flight was right: it made all the difference having a good network of informers. It made for quick information. But what a good copper's network could get, so too could a good villain's. Rebus hoped he'd be in time.

He walked quickly across the small landing from the open lift to the door of one of the flats where two empty milk bottles stood to attention in a plastic holder. He picked up one bottle and hurried back to the lift just as its doors were shuddering to a close to place the milk bottle in the remaining gap. The doors stayed where they were. So did the lift.

You never knew when a quick getaway would be needed.

Then he walked along the narrow corridor to flat six, braced himself against the wall and kicked at the door?handle with the heel of his shoe. The door flew open and he walked into a stuffy hall. Another door, another kick and he was face to face with Kenny Watkiss.

Watkiss had been asleep on a mattress on the floor. He was standing now, clad only in underpants and shivering, against the furthest wall from the door. He pushed his hair back when he saw who it was.

Jee Jesus,' he stammered. `What are you doing here?'

`Hello, Kenny,' said Rebus, stepping into the room. `I thought we'd have a little chat.'

`What about?' You didn't get as frightened as Kenny Watkiss was by having your door kicked in at half, past six in the morning. You only got that frightened by the idea of who was, doing it and why.

`About Uncle Tommy.'

`Uncle Tommy?' Kenny Watkiss smiled unconvincingly. He moved back to the mattress and started pulling on a pair of torn denims. `What about him?'

`What are you so scared of Kenny? Why, are, you hiding?'