Skinner's Ghosts Read Online Free PDF

incredulous, rhetorical question across the floor of the Chief Constable's office in the Fettes Command Corridor. 'I'll have the stupid bastard's balls for paper-weights! I personal y banned that little shite Salmon from this office. For life, I said, yet our press officer lets him back in - and to represent that bloody downmarket rag at that!'
    He turned from Martin to Neil Mcllhenney. 'Sergeant, first thing tomorrow morning, I want you to find out for me al about the procedure for firing a civilian employee. Meantime, Royston's suspended. By the time I'm done with him, he'l be glad of a job on the fucking Spotlight himself.'
    It was fifteen minutes after midnight. Skinner, Chief Constable Sir James Proud, ACC Jim Elder, Martin and Mcl henney had gathered in the Chief's room to review progress - or lack of it in the fruitless search for any trace of Mark McGrath, or of his mother's murderer. There had been no easy way for Martin to break the news of Salmon's intervention in the press briefing.
    Even so, he had anticipated his friend's reaction, and with the Chief's support had told Royston to stay away from the office until further notice.
    'Bob,' said Sir James, as Martin had guessed he would, 'don't you think you should pause for thought, before taking action?'
    Skinner looked at him, a thick vein standing out on his right temple. 'Jimmy, Royston reports directly to me. Right?'
    The Chief nodded, waiting as his deputy took a deep breath. 'Okay,'
    Skinner said at last. 'In deference to you, I'l think about it. Once I have, chances are I'l still sack him, but at least I won't have done it in the heat of the moment.'
    Proud Jimmy grunted. 'That'l be some consolation to him.' He paused. 'Bob, why would that bloody man Salmon ask such a question? You and Sarah aren't. . .'
    Skinner shook his head, emphatical y. 'Sarah hasn't raised the subject of divorce with me, nor I with her. Now, can we please talk about police business?'
    'Of course,' said the Chief, as keen as Skinner to change the 18

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    subject, and ushering his col eagues to chairs. 'You too, sergeant,' he said to Mcllhenney.
    'Wil I sort out some coffee, first, sir?'
    'Good idea, Neil. Good idea.' The big man left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.
    'Well,' said Sir James. 'No luck with our search.'
    Skinner shook his head. 'Not that I expected it. I know that wee boy too well. Chances are he'd have defended his mother. If not, and he'd escaped from the house, Mark wouldn't have hidden in fright.
    He'd have raised the street.'
    'D'you think the kid's dead, then?' asked ACC Elder.
    Andy Martin answered for Skinner, reading his mind as he had done a thousand times before. 'No, sir. It's likely that he's alive, still.
    If he'd been kil ed, he'd have been left at the scene. Why should the murderer take him away, to kill him later? There's a better than even chance that he's been kidnapped.'
    'Why would anyone in his right mind . . .' Elder began.
    'Who says he is?' Skinner growled. 'Andy's right. We have to look at this as a kidnapping.'
    'How did he get away with it, then, in broad daylight?' asked Proud, shifting uncomfortably in his uniform and running his fingers through
    his silver hair. 'Did none of the neighbours see or hear anything?'
    'No, Chief,' Martin replied. 'The fact is that with the time of the day and the holidays there were damn few neighbours about. There were none on either side of the McGrath house, or across the street, and only a few at the end of the road. One of them thought he saw a silver or grey car in Leona's driveway, but that's the only lead we have. Leona's car's grey so when he drove past, the man thought nothing of it. Only the McGrath car was locked in the garage at the time.'
    The DCS paused. 'As I see it, the kil er drove right up the path.
    Unlike the footpath to the front door, it's tarmac, so he wouldn't have made much noise. In any event, Mrs McGrath was in the shower, getting ready for her afternoon meeting.
    'Once