Rebus: Long Shadows Read online

  TECHNICIAN

  That’s just what he was asking.

  SIOBHAN

  Is that so? Well, has it been picked up?

  TECHNICIAN

  (checking) Yup. That went on its way this morning.

  SIOBHAN

  Good. Glad to hear it. No-one else had a look at it before it went did they?

  TECHNICIAN

  No.

  SIOBHAN

  Just checking. Sorry to bother you. Got time for a word John?

  REBUS

  I’m glad you’re here D.I. Clarke. Tell him.

  SIOBHAN

  Tell him what?

  REBUS

  We need to check the evidence for Maggie Towler’s murder.

  SIOBHAN is just staring at him.

  REBUS

  March, 2001. Building site between Granton and Newhaven. Lead detective D.I. Morris. (as no-one moves) Case number 4568/NM/ Morris.

  SIOBHAN

  (to TECHNICIAN) Can you look please?

  TECHNICIAN

  What am I checking?

  REBUS

  That it’s still there, safe, sealed and fit for court.

  The TECHNICIAN moves off.

  REBUS

  And once we’ve done that we need to get the name of the property company that developed those flats . . .

  SIOBHAN

  We’re not doing anything John. I’ve been over this.

  REBUS

  Right. Fine. I’ll get it all together myself. Hand it over to you with a big bow tied round the case . . .

  SIOBHAN

  What case!?

  REBUS

  Maggie Towler. I told you. She’s the unsolved from seventeen years ago? I met her daughter, Heather, night before last. She was on my stair.

  SIOBHAN

  What was she doing there?

  REBUS

  Don’t know. She vanished on me.

  SIOBHAN

  You can have that effect on people.

  REBUS

  But I remembered we let mother her down.

  SIOBHAN

  And that’s why you’re here?

  REBUS

  Of course that’s why I’m here. Why else would I be here?

  SIOBHAN

  So why were you asking about the Mordaunt evidence?

  REBUS

  Just making conversation. It’s on my mind Siobhan. What can I tell you? Why were you here? Just checking no-one had tried tampering with the Mordaunt evidence?

  SIOBHAN

  Yes.

  REBUS

  Well there you go. Nothing to worry about.

  SIOBHAN

  You have to stop John . . .

  REBUS

  Stop what?

  SIOBHAN

  Poking into cold cases.

  REBUS

  Oh so Maggie Towler doesny deserve justice?

  SIOBHAN

  Will she get it if you steam in trampling all over the evidence . . .?

  She’s cut off as the TECHNICIAN is back.

  TECHNICIAN

  Still there. Sealed, safe and ready for court.

  SIOBHAN

  Thank you.

  TECHNICIAN

  No problem. (indicating REBUS) But he shouldn’t be in here.

  SIOBHAN

  I’ll walk him out.

  The TECHNICIAN leaves as SIOBHAN walks REBUS into—

  Stairwell Police H.Q.

  SIOBHAN

  Have you slept?

  REBUS

  Have you?

  He puts something in his mouth.

  SIOBHAN

  What’s that? You trying the nicotine lozenges?

  REBUS

  Had to try something.

  SIOBHAN

  What do they taste like?

  REBUS

  Well I’ve never actually licked an ashtray full of cat’s piss but . . .

  SIOBHAN

  We’ve got a family liason officer visiting Angela’s father. But I promised him I’d keep him informed personally. I took his hand and looked him in the eye and promised him I’d convict the man that destroyed his daughter twenty five years ago . . . Destroyed him too. He’s just a husk of a man, a living container of unbearable grief.

  REBUS

  No mother?

  SIOBHAN

  Cancer. Five years ago. They’d split up by then.

  REBUS

  Sorrow too heavy for two to carry. See it all the time.

  SIOBHAN

  We have to get Mordaunt convicted John. We have to.

  REBUS

  I know.

  SIOBHAN

  And there’s something you’re not telling me.

  REBUS

  Right.

  SIOBHAN

  Isn’t there?

  REBUS

  Mebbe.

  SIOBHAN

  Something to do with the attack on Big Ger. Who are you protecting John?

  REBUS

  You.

  SIOBHAN

  From what?

  REBUS

  A mess. A mess that you don’t need to worry about.

  SIOBHAN

  Oh dear god . . . (she slumps) You rang him didn’t you?

  REBUS

  He came round the flat.

  SIOBHAN

  I know. We’ve got a tail on him.

  REBUS

  (genuine) Smart girl . . .

  SIOBHAN

  Oh don’t even start with that! Don’t you . . . !

  REBUS

  What? It was the right thing to do.

  SIOBHAN

  Yes John, I know, because I’m a really good detective.

  REBUS

  You want to know what we talked about.

  SIOBHAN

  Are you going to tell me?

  REBUS

  He’s got nothing Shiv. It’s all a bluff. He’s just messing with your head. Last night? He just fancied tormenting me.

  SIOBHAN

  Is he going in the witness box?

  REBUS

  Not unless he wants to look like a clown. Big Ger will not mess up your case against Mordaunt. You can keep staring at me Siobhan but you’re either going to trust me on this or you’re not.

  SIOBHAN

  If I couldn’t trust you on something like this I wouldn’t trust this job, I wouldn’t trust myself, I wouldn’t trust any seeming solid thing in the whole world.

  A beat.

  REBUS

  No pressure then.

  SIOBHAN

  Something I’ve always wanted to ask you: why does Cafferty call you ‘Strawman’?

  REBUS

  I was giving evidence against him in a case in Glasgow, the lawyer got me mixed up with another witness called ‘Stroman’. Cafferty loves that.

  SIOBHAN

  He thinks you’re a man of straw.

  REBUS

  He wishes I was.

  SIOBHAN

  And you think you’re a lone wolf. The last gunslinger in High Noon, taking down the bad guys as he goes.

  REBUS

  What do you think I am?

  SIOBHAN

  Retired. And good police work is team work John.

  REBUS

  You think? I think a result’s a result.

  SIOBHAN

  John . . .

  REBUS

  (cutting in) I hear you Siobhan. I do.

  SIOBHAN

  I see her you know. In my head.

  REBUS

  Who?

  SIOBHAN

  Angela. Just watching me. Never had that before on a murder, not even my first. I see her. Staring at me. Asking if I’m going to get her the only thing worth anything to her now. A bit of justice, for that little life snapped short . . .

  MAGGIE and ANGELA are on.

  REBUS

  I know. I see her too. I remember watching Sam going out for a night with her pals at that age.

  SIOBHAN

  How is she?

  REBUS

  Good, pesterin
g me to come and see the granddaughter before she’s taller than Sam is.

  SIOBHAN

  Well you’ve the time now.

  REBUS

  That’s what she says. In a few years that toddler will be a teenager. Then Sam will understand what it was like, looking at her, so fresh and full of life, beautiful . . . and fragile as a moth. She didn’t understand why I shouted at her for pulling her top down and making up her face like she was something glossy and available. She didn’t see what I saw . . . what the predatory monsters out there would see. Christ. The way young lassies dress themselves up Shiv . . .

  SIOBHAN

  A young woman’s got every right . . .

  REBUS

  (cutting her off) Aye I know I know.

  SIOBHAN

  Attacks like the one on Angela, on Maggie Towler are rare. Still. Women risk more in their own homes. Young women can’t be prisoners of their father’s fears . . .

  REBUS

  It is just a fact that a strong man can grab a woman and do whatever he likes. It’s just a fact that young women will always need protection, as long as that’s true. And we’re the protection, or we should be. We need to get them locked up.

  SIOBHAN

  Maybe the answer is to keep trying to make a world where no man ever would hurt a young woman.

  REBUS is surrendering something, realising he can’t fix this, struggling with that.

  REBUS

  Aye. Alright. Alright.

  SIOBHAN

  What?

  REBUS

  I can’t see a way through . . .

  SIOBHAN

  What is it?

  REBUS

  Shiv . . . There’s maybe is something I do need to talk to you about . . .

  She waits. He can’t find a way to go on.

  SIOBHAN

  Well what is it?

  REBUS

  Nothing. No it’s nothing. I’ll fix it myself. Just . . . Look . . . I might need your help, tonight . . .

  SIOBHAN

  (cutting him off) Oh I can’t tonight.

  REBUS

  (thrown) Oh. Right. Sorry.

  SIOBHAN

  No I’m going out. I have to . . . I mean I want to eh . . . (she’s floundering) It’s just this thing . . .

  REBUS

  (cutting in) Hot date?

  SIOBHAN

  Hardly. Important. Important date.

  REBUS

  Anyone I know?

  SIOBHAN

  It’s work. I can’t shift it so . . .

  REBUS

  No, no, fine. Work on the Mordaunt trial?

  She says nothing.

  REBUS

  ’Course it is. And nothing you can tell me . . .

  SIOBHAN

  Sorry, it’s just . . .

  REBUS

  I’m no even asking. It’s fine. Really.

  SIOBHAN

  I could come and see you after? How late will you be up? Stupid question . . .

  REBUS

  (cutting her off) No, I’ll be out. I thought maybe you could come with but . . .

  SIOBHAN

  How about I buy you breakfast?

  REBUS

  Aye . . . aye that might work.

  SIOBHAN

  You can tell me all about it then.

  REBUS

  Yeah. Alright. I’ll tell you all about it then.

  SIOBHAN

  It’s a date.

  She’s on the move, going back upstairs.

  REBUS

  So you know about the murder on my stair then?

  She pauses.

  REBUS

  If you had eyes on me and Cafferty then you’ll have heard about the murder on my stair? (as she doesn’t reply) Why didn’t you say?

  SIOBHAN

  I was waiting to see when you’d tell me. You fancy Cafferty for that?

  REBUS

  Don’t you?

  SIOBHAN

  So why didn’t you tell that very competent police officer who interviewed you?

  REBUS

  I’ll tell you at breakfast.

  SIOBHAN

  You better.

  SIOBHAN goes back upstairs. REBUS walks slowly down the stairs. ANGELA and MAGGIE are with him.

  MAGGIE

  You couldn’t tell her.

  ANGELA

  Couldn’t face it.

  MAGGIE

  Well that’s just weak!

  REBUS

  Fucking shut it!

  Transition into—

  Rebus’s Arden Street flat

  REBUS is searching through paperwork, not even sure what he’s looking for. MAGGIE and ANGELA are still with him, still talking. REBUS has put music on, we barely hear it, it’s HEATHER and MAGGIE’S song ‘Show Me the Way’.

  ANGELA

  Look at him, did you really think he cared about us? It’s all about her.

  MAGGIE

  Siobhan . . . We’re dead.

  ANGELA

  No sense worrying about the dead.

  MAGGIE

  But if Siobhan Clarke finds out you lied to her . . .

  ANGELA

  Messed with her . . .

  MAGGIE

  Let her down . . .

  REBUS shouts at them, at the world.

  REBUS

  Cafferty’s got nothing!

  MAGGIE

  But you know that’s not true.

  ANGELA

  Better go and find out.

  MAGGIE

  Under the dusk dark cherry trees on Middle Meadow walk, go and climb up the stairs of the old Infirmary, polished new and caged in with des res glass . . .

  REBUS

  (paperwork) Why did no fucker write down the name of the property company that owned the building site? I’m going to get the fucker that killed you Maggie I . . .

  MAGGIE

  (cutting him off) Too late for that John. I’ll still be dead.

  ANGELA

  And what about me?

  MAGGIE

  What about my baby girl, Heather?

  Now we hear the music, MAGGIE’S song. REBUS goes and takes it off.

  ANGELA

  Maggie and Heather, Angela and Siobhan.

  MAGGIE

  And you.

  ANGELA

  And ex–detective John Rebus.

  MAGGIE

  Canny save all of us John.

  REBUS

  (quiet) The fuck I can’t.

  MAGGIE

  It’s too late.

  REBUS

  There’s a way through this . . . There must be . . .

  MAGGIE

  There’s not.

  REBUS

  There is. There’s a way . . .

  ANGELA

  Time you were on your way John.

  Transition into—

  Quartermile penthouse, stairwell/flat

  MAGGIE and ANGELA are gone. Laboriously, REBUS climbs up to CAFFERTY’S penthouse and rings the bell. CAFFERTY lets him in.

  CAFFERTY

  What’s wrong with the lift?

  REBUS

  Someone’s getting a Waitrose delivery.

  CAFFERTY

  They’re supposed to use the service life for that. Come in, come in, take a seat, admire the view. Christ, state of you man. You can have a wee lie down if you like. What are you drinking?

  REBUS has semi collapsed.

  REBUS

  Just give me some water.

  CAFFERTY

  Bit late to crawl back on the wagon isn’t it?

  REBUS

  (weary) Stick some whisky in it then.

  CAFFERTY

  I’ve got something better. Going to expand your mind John, wait till you taste this. (fixing the drink, wine) This is the best move I ever made, never get tired of that view. You can see half of Edinburgh from up here. 360 degrees of lights and life.

  REBUS

  And all the world can see you, up here in your glass tower.

  CAFFERTY<
br />
  What does that tell you? I’m at the top of the world John, nothing to hide, no-one to fear now, monarch of all I survey. Is that how it goes? I can see you of an evening John, down there, having a wee wander in the Meadows in the middle of the night. Didny know anyone was watching did you?