DISCLAIMER: See Part 1
FEEDBACK: If you enjoy the story please let me know: weebod@mac.com
Sitting at her desk, Anna looked at the list of names she had drawn up. Every person on it had done time for Lachlan Brown, but one name in particular stood out for her, Glen Keith. Unlikely as it seemed, she just couldn't help but wonder, was it possible, could he actually be Heather's brother?
“Lynch!”
Anna looked up to see her boss glaring at her through the open blinds in his office. He motioned for her to join him.
“Sir?”
“Shut the door, Anna.”
She did as requested.
“Any luck?”
“Nothing. I've cross-referenced all the Lachlan Brown cases, not one officer stands out.”
“Nothing at all, it's been over two bloody weeks?” Davidson asked in disbelief.
“Sorry, Sir.”
“I don't need to tell you how important it is that we get this officer and quickly.”
“When I was going through the cases where Brown always got off, I noticed that some of his associates haven't always been so lucky.”
“And?”
“I want to talk to them, the ones that have done time.”
Detective Chief Inspector Davidson rubbed his forehead as he considered Anna's request.
“This is very risky, Anna.”
He was hovering, Anna knew it, but with no breakthrough and the paper trail going cold, there seemed little option. She waited him out, hoping he would agree.
He looked at her shaking his head. “Alright, but you be bloody careful,” he cautioned. “With Broon out on bail, it's business as usual for him. You might have had more of a chance had he been put on remand, but that bloody Harold Donaldson had the judge convinced Lachlan was no threat to society. If Lackey Broon gets to Jim Wallace our case is toast. Wallace is terrified, even threats from Broon might be enough for him to change his mind. We need to find our man, but we need to be careful.”
Anna understood her boss's need to urge caution, but she could see no other way forward.
“Understood, Sir.”
She returned to her desk to start finding addresses for the names on her list, and she knew exactly which one she wanted to start with.
As she typed the name into the police computer for any recent activity, she glanced up to see Angela Davidson, the boss's daughter, enter the room. ‘Oh, no, here comes trouble. That's all I need,' she thought. The activity within the room seemed to slow down almost to a stop as Bruce Davidson cast daggers at every man in the department, most of whom were openly ogling his eye-catching daughter. Angela was a twenty-three year old policewoman mad keen to follow in the footsteps of her father. She was driven and ambitious. No longer in her uniform, she had changed into jeans and a top so tight it left little to the imagination.
Bruce Davidson was on the telephone and indicated to his daughter that he would be five minutes. The buxom blonde casually made her way over to Anna.
“Hello, sexy,” she said in a low, husky voice. “Mind if I sit with you?”
She was already sitting opposite Anna before she finished asking, leaning ever so slightly forward, but knowing it was enough to show of more of her cleavage than was necessary.
“Hi, Angie, dinner at your parents tonight?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, dad insisted. Look at him, all relaxed now that I'm sitting chatting to you and not to any of the blokes.” She leaned forward a little more, her tongue flicking lightly over her freshly applied lipstick. “If only he knew that what I really want is for you to fuck me senseless.” She giggled and sat back in the chair.
“Jesus,” Anna declared under her breath. She had no intention of ever taking up Angie on her offer and it had nothing to do with her father. Angie was just so full of herself and flaunted everything she had. Beautiful and sexy she might be, but the package turned Anna off.
“Behave yourself.” She warned
Angie pouted, “Why won't you? No strings attached,” she added enticingly.
“Because I don't want to be directing traffic anytime soon.”
“One day, detective, I'll be in your bed.” Angie declared.
Anna smiled indulgently, but inside she was thinking that Angie Davidson would have to break into her flat to get to achieve her goal.
“Are you ‘right, Angela?” Bruce Davidson enquired in a brusque tone, putting on his raincoat as he departed his office.
“Yes, Dad.” She gave Anna what she considered to be her best sexy look as she leaned closer. “Ciao for now, detective.”
Anna blew out a breath when the sex kitten was gone.
When Davidson was out of earshot, Mark McLaren a senior detective with a passion for wine and women asked, “Are you banging her, Lynch?”
“Oh, for god's sake.” Anna declared. That's all she needed, was guys like McLaren thinking she was sleeping with Bruce Davidson's daughter. “Do I look that stupid to you?”
McLaren shrugged, “I would.”
“Yes, I know,” Anna replied, her dry tone lost on McLaren, but not on one of the new detectives, Mary Milne, who let out a snort of laughter.
McLaren turned to look at the young officer, “Don't you have work to do?” He asked, his tone sharp.
“Yes, Sergeant,” Mary replied putting her head down to study her computer screen.
Anna rolled her eyes at Mark McLaren's behaviour; he could be such an asshole she thought.
The office was beginning to empty for the evening, as the detectives began departing. Anna remained behind intending to do some more digging.
“You've been hanging around this office lately like a bad smell, Lynch.” McLaren stated.
“Funny, I was just thinking that the air might improve when you leave for the night.”
“What are you working on?”
“All the cases you have messed up.” Was Anna's quick retort.
“Very funny.”
“That's what I thought when I looked at your clear up rate.”
McLaren sneered. “You crack one big case and you think you are better than the rest of us.”
“No, only you and that was even before the case.”
McLaren cursed as he reached for his jacket. “You just got lucky, Lynch, don't forget that.”
Anna kept eye contact with him until he turned and left. “Prick.”
She looked over at detective constable Milne, who had kept her head down during the exchange between the two senior officers. Anna had noticed the young woman often stayed late in the department.
“Milne?”
“Yes, Sarge?”
“What are you working on?”
“Sergeant McLaren has me typing up his case notes.”
Typical, thought Anna. “Make sure to leave in plenty of spelling mistakes.”
Milne smiled and put her head back down.
Anna continued her trawl through the database searching for more information on the name that had caught her attention earlier – Glen Keith. Was it simply a coincidence or was he really Heather's brother? Despite a thorough search there seemed to be no further criminal activity noted since he was released from prison over six years ago. Prior to that there had been various charges ranging from possession to the supply of heroin. For that last one he'd been jailed for five years, while Lachlan Brown had walked. So, what had he been doing for the last six years? Anna entered his details again to find his last known address and place of work. She noted down all the details and since she had nothing better to do, decided to pay him a visit.
Driving her car into Maryhill, she headed for Garscube Road , one of the less desirable areas of Glasgow ; Anna drove slowly looking for the correct street. It was getting dark and though the streetlights were on, a few of them were broken making her task a bit more difficult. Pulling up outside the tower block she assumed to be the right one, she was immediately approached by a couple of young lads.
“Watch yer motor for you, Missus?”
Anna went into the pocket of her jeans and handed them some pound coins, the last thing she needed was a broken window and these two little toe rags would do the damage if she didn't hand over some cash.
“Who you looking fer?”
Not wanting to mention the name of the actual person she was looking for she pretended she was searching for a drug deal, “I was told I could get some stuff from Jim at flat number twelve?”
“Naw, never heard a' um.”
“ Ur you the polis?” Asked the other.
Anna shook her head, “Just looking for something.”
“Well that's flat number seven then.” His friend replied, only to be jabbed in the ribs by an elbow.
“Shut up you, ya dafty!”
Anna smiled to herself and mentally stored this interesting snippet of information away for future use.
“I'll be back in five minutes, make sure my car is okay.”
“A'right, Missus.”
Anna walked towards the entrance to the block of flats, there was no intercom system, meaning anyone was free to come and go as they pleased. The stairwell stank of urine and the lighting was dim, but at least there was some, however low. She took the stairs quickly, two at a time, finally reaching Glen Keith's flat, number twelve. Banging on the door she waited, there was no reply. She banged on the door again and called through the letterbox.
“Hello!”
She saw bare feet and jean clad legs coming toward her, and then the door flew open.
“Aye, whit dae ye want?”
“What's your name?”
“Who the fuck wants tae know?”
This guy looked nothing like the picture on the computer, this wasn't her man and she didn't want to take any chances.
“Anybody else in there?”
“Naw, jist me, what the fuck dae ye want?”
“Nothing.”
Anna walked away, she couldn't afford to ask for who she wanted, things had a way of getting back to people like Lachlan Brown double quick. She exited the flats as fast as she could, not wanting to take a breath. She cursed when she got back to her car, to see the side window smashed.
“Little bastards.”
**********
Anna drove back to the station and picked up Pete's truck, leaving her Audi behind awaiting the side window to be replaced, after a quick call to the emergency repair company to arrange it, she headed to her next destination.
She parked outside the Glasgow needle exchange, it was a twenty-four hour service and she hoped he would be inside. Pulling her jacket collar up around her face to protect her from the wind, she entered through the front door of the city centre building.
Anna looked around rubbing her hands together, trying to get some warmth into them, there was no sign of the man she was looking for, a man and woman currently stood behind a counter.
“Can I help you?” The female asked.
Anna walked to the desk, “I'm looking for a guy who works here, blond hair, about six foot tall?”
“Sounds like, Glen, he's not in till tomorrow morning.”
“What time?”
“About nine, but listen, if there's something I can help you with.”
“No it's okay, I prefer to deal with the other guy.” With that, she quickly left the building.
The following morning Anna returned to the Glasgow needle exchange and waited patiently in her car for any sign of her man. Shortly before nine a guy in his early thirties appeared and headed towards the front door. Anna exited her car and followed, intercepting him just before he entered. She walked up to him and discretely showed her badge.
“Just tell me your name”
He seemed to catch on quickly, “Glen Keith.”
“I need to talk to you urgently, but not here.”
Glen looked at the door, half expecting someone to walk out.
“I'm free this afternoon.” He said hurriedly.
“The Glasgow Film House, they are showing ‘The Third Man' at two thirty, I'll meet you inside.”
Glen nodded and Anna left as quickly as possible.
She sat in the picture house, the film just starting; she always knew what was on here as it was her favourite place in Glasgow to spend her off duty hours. After twenty minutes had gone by, she was sure Glen Keith was going to be a no show. She looked around and counted less then fifteen other people watching the film. She considered the man she had met briefly that morning. Was he Heather's brother? Anna thought she saw a resemblance, maybe the eyes. Glen's hair had been cropped short, but the picture of him on the police computer had been with longer blond hair. It was certainly possible that he was her brother. A short while later, Glen Keith sat next to her.
“You could have gotten me into a lot of trouble today.” He cautioned in a hushed tone.
“I know and I'm sorry.”
“What's so urgent?”
“I need to speak to you about Lachlan Brown.”
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” Glen Keith looked like he was about to get up and leave.
“Then why did you come along?” Anna questioned.
“I thought, never mind, I didn't expect this.” He was about to leave his seat.
“Wait, just hear me out, okay?” Anna put an arm on his, urging him to stay.
“Look I don't want to end up floating in the Clyde .” Glen Keith looked like he was about to bolt.
“You know Lachlan Brown, the pair of you were up on the same charge eleven years ago, he walked and you did time.”
“Yeah and after that I cleaned up my act. I haven't had a hit in almost ten years.”
“You served a full sentence because you wouldn't give up Brown?”
“I did a lot of stupid things, but I wasn't that stupid. Lachlan looks after people who go down for him, but they really have no choice, if they want to stay alive that is.”
“So, what was your reward?”
“This.” He gestured around.
“What?” Anna asked, bewildered by his answer.
“To be left alone, that was what I asked.”
“As simple as that?”
“No, not quite. When I got out Lachlan came to see me, wanted to repay me for my silence. I told him I was out of the drug scene and I wanted to turn my life around. He tried to talk me out of that, said he would set me up in a nice flat and I could do business for him from there. I told him if he really wanted to repay me, he would leave me to find my own way. He relented. I doubt he would now, but back when I was running with him, he was just starting out. I think he felt like he genuinely did owe me.”
“I need to ask you something. Did he ever mention anything about having a police officer on the books?”
Glen Keith looked around nervously.
“I just need a name, that's all.”
“I don't have a name. I'm sorry.”
“Can you give me anything, no matter how insignificant?”
Glen Keith thought about it for a moment before answering. “He did mention something about that. When I told him I wanted out, I wouldn't go back to prison, he said to me, it was safer now, because he had someone on the inside. I assumed he meant a police officer and I asked him how. He simply said, ‘blood is thicker than water'.”
“So he is related to someone on the police force?”
“Look, I honestly don't know. That really is everything I can tell you, I haven't spoken to him since that day.”
“Just one more thing…”
“No, I really have to go.”
With that, Glen Keith exited the cinema leaving Anna to ponder several things. Like the unasked question of where was he from. That would have to wait, for now she had the first glimmer of hope since Davidson had given her this assignment and she intended to try and use it to get a breakthrough. She wasn't going to Davidson with this, not yet. She was going to research Lachlan Brown's family. If there was a relative of his working in the police force that could be the answer.
Anna sat in her city centre apartment and considered what her next move should be. She now knew she could probably eliminate every police officer who had been with the department less than six years, but that really helped very little. She was left with the prospect of having to find a police officer who was somehow related to Lachlan Brown. She would have to conduct this research well away from prying eyes as it could take days to find a link, that left her with the option of the Glasgow records office or the Scottish records office. She mulled over the possibilities and saw only one option. She would have to make the trip through to Edinburgh to the main records office as it held all the Scottish records, if she only did Glasgow , she could miss the information she was looking for.
Opening her web browser she googled ‘Scottish records office' the first hit was for ‘The General Register Office for Scotland '. It quickly became clear that she would have to spend a significant amount of time in New Register House to enable her to view all the records she needed. The online service was set up for family history research and involved a fee to view records, but anything after 1955, couldn't be viewed.
She searched for the address and opening times. New Register House was at the east end of Princes street , Edinburgh 's main thoroughfare, which was still closed because of the work going on to set up a new tram line. Typical, thought Anna, she would need to be up early in the morning, the traffic was going to be a nightmare.
**********
After spending almost two hours on the road for a journey that should take under an hour, Anna finally made it to St. Andrews Square in Edinburgh and attempted to find a parking space. On her third trip around the square, she saw someone pulling out. The place was mayhem due to the unusual volume of traffic squeezing through this bottleneck. All so the tourists could ride on a tram, madness, she thought.
“Morning,” Anna greeted the gentleman who opened the door for her.
“Good morning, are you looking for anywhere in particular?”
“Yes, I want to do some research on recent births, deaths and marriages.”
“Have you made a booking?”
Anna frowned, she hadn't even realised that would normally be necessary.
“This is a very busy place, but if there is a computer free, you will get it. Go to the reception at the top of the stairs and the lady there will assist you.”
“Thanks.”
This wasn't what Anna was expecting at all. Normally she would have had this research done for her by a specialist back at the police station, but Anna couldn't afford to have anyone find out what she was doing. It was time to exercise a little muscle.
“Morning. I understand you normally have to book in advance to view records here.”
“That's right.”
“I'm a police officer and I need to conduct some urgent research for a case.” Anna showed the woman behind the open desk her warrant card.
She looked at the identification with a keen eye before replying, “Can you just come this way please?”
Anna followed the woman along a corridor where she used a key to open a room.
“This is a private research room, it will be at your disposal for as long as the building is open today. Would you like someone to come and show you how to use the database?”
“That would be great, thank you.”
The woman smiled. The people here really were very pleasant and helpful Anna thought.
“Have a seat, someone will be with you shortly.”
Less than five minutes later, a gentleman entered the room.
“Morning, I'm Stephen.” He handed Anna a visitor pass. “If you just pop that on, no-one will stop you wandering around.”
“Thanks.”
He used the mouse and entered a code into the computer.
“I've just given you access to all the records on the database, that includes everything up to 2006. The rest are in the process of being digitised. So if it's after that you will have to go to the actual register office involved.”
“Up to 2006 should cover what I'm looking for.”
He nodded, “I'll show you how to navigate through the records and if you get stuck just pop back to reception and ask for me.”
“Thank you, Stephen.”
He spent the next ten minutes taking Anna through the database and showing her how to narrow down her searches.
“When you find a record you want, you can press print if you want a hard copy. All the printing is collected through in the main research area. There is normally a charge per copy, but your fee will be waived. Do you have any questions?”
“I think I'm good to go, but if anything comes up I'll be sure to ask for you.”
“Happy hunting, Detective.”
“Thanks.”
Anna started with the most obvious person and typed in the search
Surname - Brown
Forename – Lachlan
Sex - Male
Year range – 1977 to 1977
District – All
Anna waited and only two records were found. She selected the one for Glasgow and viewed the record. There he was, Lachlan Brown born seventeenth of February 1977 at eight thirty-two a.m. in the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital , Rottenrow, Glasgow, to John Brown, a painter and decorator and Ann Brown nee Callaghan.
Anna hit print as she jotted down the details on her pad. Then she searched for Lachlan Brown's parents' marriage certificate. Upon finding that she made a more general search for all Brown's born in the same area from just before their marriage to twenty years after and who had a mother with the maiden name Callaghan. There were four more hits and Anna viewed and printed each record while building Lachlan Brown's family tree. She now knew who his brothers and sister were, also both sets of grandparents. The next stage would be to search for his aunties and uncles and then his cousins.
Sitting back in her chair, Anna rubbed her eyes, which had begun to sting from reading all the records on the screen. So far she had located nine aunts and uncles and was still working on the cousins, which were proving a little harder to locate. She decided it was time for a break and went in search of the ladies room. She used the key she had been left to lock the door and walked down the corridor where she saw Stephen behind a desk with two other colleagues. She peered into what she assumed was the main research room for the public. Every computer was occupied and everyone was busy, yet the place was completely silent. Just like a library. Stephen saw Anna looking into the room and he came out to chat with her.
“Is there anything I can help you with, Detective?”
He was charming and pleasant, in fact everyone in this place was. Anna liked it a lot.
“I was wondering where the ladies toilets are?”
Stephen blushed ever so slightly, “Sorry, I should have pointed them out to you earlier. There is also a cafeteria if you get hungry, I'll show you both now.”
Anna followed Stephen to an area where both the cafeteria and restrooms were located.
“If there is anything else, you know where to find me.”
“Thanks, Stephen.”
As Anna ate her salad roll she considered that what was initially an enjoyable exercise could quickly turn into something very frustrating. She got a little buzz every time she located a record for a family member of Lachlan Brown's, but with each passing record she was moving further afield. No name that was familiar to her had cropped up yet so now she was probably looking at someone who had married into the Brown family. She had been searching for five hours already and, with the net now having to be cast even further, she could see herself having to be here for the rest of the week. Anna returned to her private research room hoping to catch a break before four thirty when the building closed.
Anna lay in bed wide-awake watching a daddy long legs bounce off her lamp periodically and dance around her room. Something was eating away at her. She had traced all the cousins in Scotland and begun to work on marriages. Lachlan himself was unmarried so she had started with his siblings, finding that the three brothers were married, but nothing for his sister. There was no point in looking into his nieces and nephews, they were all far too young to factor into this. She had systematically crossed checked each new name that appeared with her list of possible suspects, there was the odd surname match, but further investigation had shown no family link.
As Anna drifted off to sleep, a random thought occurred to her to check the deaths, make sure all his siblings are still alive. Maybe there was a remarriage of a sister-in-law? Anna could barely keep her eyes open as she chastised herself for not thinking outside the box and considering all possibilities beyond the conventional.
The following morning Anna was back in Edinburgh with a renewed spring in her step. She had left feeling very despondent the previous afternoon. Anna was greeted like an old friend upon her arrival, the staff pleasant and efficient. The key to the room and her pass were waiting for her. Stephen appeared on her arrival and again put in a password to allow Anna full access to the database.
Her first search was for Lachlan Brown's sister on the register of statutory deaths.
Surname – Brown
Forename – Susan
Mother's Maiden Surname – Callaghan
Sex – Female
Year Range – 1979 to 2006
Birth Year – 1979
District – All
Anna hit search and waited, there was one match. She viewed the record that contained some interesting information. Susan Brown had died in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary on the eighteenth August 2002, just two days after childbirth. That was seven years ago. The cause of death was thromboembolism. Poor girl, Anna thought, it was a very tragic end. Then she immediately started a search for the child; she wanted to know who the father was.
Alistair Brown, born two days before his mother's death in the same hospital, father unknown. Anna had drawn yet another blank, but she just couldn't let this go. She always went with her gut instinct and she wouldn't settle until she had checked out the boy fully. Where was he now? Who was bringing him up? There were lots of questions flying around Anna's head. Adoption, maybe that held the answers. She went in search of the ever-helpful Stephen.
“Stephen, are there adoption records held here for the last seven years?”
“Sure, in the adoption unit. I'll take you there.”
Less than five minutes later Anna was standing in the adoption unit waiting for the information on Alistair Brown. When it finally arrived she discovered that his maternal grandmother, who, at that time, had been living at an address in Bearsden, Glasgow, was the person who had legally adopted him. It seemed as good a place as any to start the next phase of her investigation.
Armed with this new information Anna returned to her research room to collect her belongings. As she looked at the computer screen she couldn't resist one final search before logging off.
Surname - Keith
Forename – Glen
Sex - Male
Year range – 1976 to 1976
District – All
The search returned one entry for the Aberdeen area. Anna opened it with keen anticipation. Glen Keith was born in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on the eleventh of October, to Malcolm Keith, a bank worker and Agnes Keith, nee Campbell.
There was no doubt any more about Glen Keith, he was most definitely Heather's brother and Anna now had a good idea as to why she hadn't seen her brother since she was fifteen years old. She wondered if Heather had any idea where he was.
“Milne, you busy?” Anna had headed straight back to the station. She wanted to make a start on following up her research that same day.
Mary Milne looked at Mark McLaren, before answering Anna.
“Unless Sergeant McLaren needs me for anything.”
They both looked on as Mark McLaren made a show of leaning back in his chair and considered the question. “What do you need her for, Lynch?”
“Surveillance on a flat in Maryhill. Someone is selling drugs from it.”
“Which part?”
Anna rolled her eyes, “Look, can I have her or not?”
“Off you go.” McLaren said to Milne as he motioned his head towards the door.
Mary Milne sucked her cheeks in to prevent the automatic smile that threatened to break out on her face. She would have jumped through hoops for this opportunity that had just miraculously landed on her lap.
“Few days and I will have her back to you.” Anna promised.
McLaren yawned and stretched, “Take your time.” He turned back to his computer screen.
Anna gave him one last glance before turning her attention to Mary Milne.
“Come on, let's go.”
As they took the stairs down to the ground floor Anna handed Milne the keys to her car. “I need you to follow me. I'm driving Detective McGinty's truck to his house. You can drive my car and pick me up. It's Clarence drive, you know it?”
“Yeah, that's in Hyndland, Sarge.”
Anna showed Milne where her Audi was parked, and then she went to get Pete's truck, before the pair headed to his flat.
Anna parked on Clarence Drive and saw Mary Milne pull up beside her. Anna motioned to her and Milne rolled down the driver's side window.
“I won't be long, just wait here for me.”
Walking up the steps that led to the main front door, Anna pressed the intercom for Pete's flat.
“Hello?”
“Pete, it's Anna.”
She heard the door buzz and she pushed it open and took the stairs to Pete's first floor flat. The door was open; she went inside and closed it behind her.
Pete was back sitting on his sofa with his injured leg resting on it. A pair of elbow crutches on the floor next to him.
“How are you doing?”
“Ack, not too bad. Will be better when I get rid of those,” he gestured to the crutches, “And I'm back at work. I'm bloody bored out of my skull.”
Anna nodded. “When are you back?”
“Monday.”
“Just as well I've brought your truck back then.”
“About time too.” Pete joked.
Anna laughed, “It's not like you can drive it.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“You could have told me it was yours. I was asking the boss who to return it too.”
“I traded my car in for it just before we headed up to Havensburgh, I fancied a permanent change.”
“I like it, handles nicely.”
“Thanks.”
The pair stood in silence for a few moments until Pete asked a question.
“Have you seen anything more of Heather?”
Anna sighed heavily, “I tried, I went up there after I saw you in Dundee , she doesn't want to know. She asked after you though, when she found out it was you that got shot.”
“She's a nice woman.”
Anna didn't want to talk about Heather, so she changed the subject. “Look I have to get going, I have a new detective downstairs waiting on me. Is there anything I can get you? Shopping, anything you need?”
Pete laughed, “I'm fine, Anna, the family has been making sure I have everything I need. I appreciate the offer, though.”
Anna nodded. “Well, I'll see you Monday then.”
“Any word on who is tipping off Lachlan Brown?”
“Not yet, but I might be onto something, I'll let you know if it comes to anything.”
“I wish I was working it with you.” Pete lamented.
“I know, but it won't be too long before you're back to full fitness.”
Pete nodded. “See you Monday.”
Anna patted Pete's arm, she knew it was tough for him to be sitting around waiting for time to pass while others were getting on with the job, but he would soon be back.
Anna jogged back down the stairs and out to her car. Milne was sitting in the passenger seat waiting for her. Putting on her seatbelt, Anna started the engine and drove out of the street.
Anna drove past Maryhill and continued north, she sensed a glance from Mary Milne, but the younger detective said nothing.
“As you might have guessed, we're not heading to Maryhill. But, if McLaren asks, that is exactly where we are working.”
“Okay, Sarge.”
“You can call me Anna.”
Driving slowly along Milngavie Road , looking for her next turning, Anna took a left and drove slowly along the quiet leafy street lined with bungalows looking for the house of Ann Brown and her grandson Alistair. Anna saw the number she was looking for and pointed it out to Milne.
“Number fifty nine, that's the house we will be watching. You don't tell a soul what we are doing, not even Davidson. You just tell them we are watching a tower block in Maryhill.”
“Anna, this is legitimate police work isn't it?” Mary Milne enquired, sounding more than a little concerned.
Anna drove past the house and parked about fifty yards away. She turned to look at Milne. She was about to put a lot of trust in the young detective, but she was so new to the department, Anna considered her to be the only choice of a partner, apart from Pete and he wasn't currently an option.
“Davidson knows what I'm doing, but for reasons he agrees with, I haven't told him exactly what and who I'm following. All you need to know is that we will be watching this house and waiting for anyone that we recognise to turn up. We will be working two jobs, this one and the flats.”
Anna checked her watch; it was three fifteen p.m. The local schools would be out now and she hoped to catch her first glimpse of Alistair Brown.
Less than ten minutes later, a woman who looked to be in her early sixties came walking towards the car, a young boy of about seven years old by her side. They walked right past Anna and Mary, and Anna continued to watch the pair in her wing mirror. They entered the house she had pointed out to Mary.
“Who are they?” Mary Milne asked.
“That was Lachlan Brown's mother and his nephew Alistair.”
“So we are watching Lachlan Brown's mother's house?”
“Yes, but it's not her we are interested in. All we are doing is watching out for a familiar face.”
“Who?”
“That's the thing, I don't know yet, I just know we will recognise them.” Anna glanced sharply at Mary Milne. “Not a word to anyone, it would mean your job and you are the only person who knows what I'm doing.”
The message was clear to the young detective. Anna would know if she breathed a word.
“Understood, Sarge.”
“Good. Okay, here is the plan. The school is just a short walk from here. I'll drop you there in the morning and you can watch for the two of them arriving. I want you there just in case the boy leaves from another house and we miss them here. It will be the same in the afternoon when school finishes. We wait near the school and watch for whoever picks the boy up. We can't afford to hang around the house all the time, we will be spotted, it will be easier to be at the school.”
“Makes sense.”
“While the boy is at school, we go to the Garscube flats in Maryhill. No point in hanging around here.”
Milne nodded, “So the boy holds the key?”
“I hope so.”
The two detectives watched the house for another three hours but no one left or entered the house. It was unlikely the boy would be going anywhere else at this time of the evening.
Anna sighed, “Let's call it a day. Is there anywhere you have to be?”
Milne shook her head, “No.”
“Where can I drop you? I'm headed to the Merchant City .”
“My car is back at the station.”
“No problem. Listen, tomorrow, let's not leave from the station. Where do you live?”
“ Chesterfield Avenue . The new flats just off the Great Western Road .”
Anna thought for a moment, trying to picture the location.
“Not far after the Marks and Spencer shop and garage, where the road changes down to two lanes.” Milne added.
“Okay, I know it. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at eight.”
**********
The next morning, Anna drove into the private car park attached to the new apartment block where Detective Milne lived. The red haired woman was already waiting for her. She was standing out of the rain, at her stair door, keeping dry. Anna drove up to her and waited for her to get in.
“Morning.”
“Miserable weather.” Milne said as she got in the passenger door.
“I hate days like this, they give me a headache,” Anna complained, as she put the car in gear and drove off towards Bearsden.
They sat quietly, listening to the local radio station as the car idled in the heavy morning traffic, waiting for the lights to change. The radio newsreader read out the morning headlines, another fatal stabbing on the streets of Glasgow . The Glaswegian weapon of choice claiming yet another young victim, the knife had long been a favourite in this city. The recession continued to bite heavily with news of yet more job losses. Then it was on to the sport and news of the latest football player's injuries ahead of the weekend games. The newsreader finished with a local weather report, promising more of the same for the rest of the day, rain.
“Lots of good news then.” Anna remarked dryly.
The lights finally changed again and this time she was able to make her right turn.
“You're not a morning person are you?” Milne enquired.
Anna glanced at her briefly before focussing on the road ahead. “No.” was the simple answer, as she drove up to the next set of lights.
In truth Anna wasn't normally too bad in the mornings, but between the weather and spending most of the previous night dreaming about Heather Keith she was in a foul mood and not up to idle chit-chat. The incessant blather coming from her radio was beginning to annoy her so she switched it off. She sighed as the pair of them sat quietly in the car waiting for the lights to change, the windscreen wipers the only sound filling the void. Anna already had a headache and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“Maybe it's a sinus complaint.”
“What?”
“You know, headache, rain, humidity, pressure.”
Anna closed her eyes briefly and urged herself to remain calm. Milne was only trying to be helpful.
“Yeah, maybe.” She agreed.
“I'm sure I have some painkillers.” She started to rummage around in the pockets of her waterproof jacket.
“It's okay.”
Mile continued to look despite Anna's protests. “I do, Sarge, just give me a minute, I just need to find the right pocket, you know there are that many on this jacket.”
“Milne.”
The other woman continued to look and prattle on.
“Milne!”
She stopped and looked at Anna.
“You're giving me a headache.”
“Sorry, Sarge.”
“Let's just get to the school.”
The young woman sat in silence for the rest of the journey wondering what had bitten Anna Lynch's ass.
Anna dropped Detective Milne outside the school then drove down towards the bungalow that belonged to Ann Brown. She turned her car at the bottom of the road and parked. A few minutes later Ann and Alistair Brown left the house and started the ten-minute walk to the local primary school. Anna called Detective Milne to let her know they were on their way. She waited fifteen minutes then picked the young woman up.
Milne got into the car, the water running off her jacket, both legs of her jeans wet through. She pushed back the hood of her jacket before she spoke.
“I saw her bring the boy to the school gates. He ran into the playground and she watched him enter the school, then she left.”
Anna nodded, “We will come back just before the school finishes for the day. See who picks the boy up.”
Anna looked at the time; it was just after nine, most likely too early for drug dealing.
“Have you had breakfast?”
“Cereal.”
“I skipped it, want to grab a bite?”
“Can we drive past my flat so I can change out of these wet jeans?”
“Sure.”
Anna was beginning to brighten a little, for which Mary Milne was grateful. She invited her sergeant up to her flat while she changed and with an offer to make her breakfast. Anna agreed, if Mary was cooking, she would eat.
Anna found herself standing looking out the window of Milne's third floor apartment. The view wasn't bad, would have been better if the weather had been clear. She glanced around the interior. The flat had only been built at the start of the summer, but already Milne had it looking more homely than Anna had her own place looking after six years. This flat had a much more lived in feel to it, not on the scale of Heather's, but there were family photographs and personal touches that hinted at a certain level of care and attention being invested in it. Milne was in the kitchen cooking eggs and bacon, the smell making Anna's stomach growl in anticipation. She really would have to start eating a proper breakfast.
As they sat drinking their coffee, plates empty, Anna decided to break the bad news to Milne that her weekends might not be her own for the time being.
“It's important that we watch the house over the weekend. One of us can do that while the other watches Garscube tower block. We can swap over for a bit of variety.”
Milne seemed initially surprised, but quickly regained her composure. “I understand. Can I be honest?”
Anna frowned, “Sure.”
“This is the first bit of proper police work I've been able to do since I joined the department, so I'm grateful for the opportunity. The one thing I don't understand is why you chose me.”
“Believe it or not, you were one of the very few candidates in the squad for this job. On this occasion, you just joining us has worked totally in your favour.”
“I'll take your word for it.”
“Good. Are you ready?”
Milne nodded and put their plates by the sink. Anna watched and briefly thought that she couldn't recall the last time a woman had cooked for her, then Lesley flew into her head, but that was different. Not that she had any interest in Mary Milne outside of work, but it was a pleasant change.
Anna's mood had improved since she picked Milne up that morning, but the weather certainly hadn't. They sat in her car watching who went in and out of the tower block. It was a busy place and it was hard to tell who was going where, but the clue was often in how quickly the individual entered and left the block of flats. Anna recognised some of the faces turning up; regular small time users gravitating naturally to wherever there was a supply available.
“Do you think Lachlan Brown is behind this set up?”
Anna thought about that, in truth it was as likely as not, but there were other guys looking to muscle in on his territory, which as far as she could tell, was the entire Glasgow area.
“Could be, but if it's not him, there will be trouble soon enough. He won't take too kindly to someone new selling on his home patch.”
“Obviously quite a supply in there.”
Milne was referring to the number of people entering and leaving the tower block within five minutes of arriving.
“Seems to be.”
Anna stopped talking and paid close attention to a car that was pulling up in front of the flats.
“Snap this guy getting out of the BMW. I recognise him.”
Milne did as Anna asked and quickly photographed him entering the tower block.
“Who is he?”
“Stuart Laing. A known associate of Lachlan Brown's.”
“Keeping an eye on the place?”
“Yeah and dropping off drugs or picking up money, possibly both.”
Laing left the tower block around fifteen minutes later and Milne snapped him again. The rest of the day followed a similar pattern, and was fairly uneventful. They left at two thirty and headed to the primary school.
Anna dropped Mary Milne near the school and then headed back to wait near to the spot she had parked in that morning. She watched as Ann Brown left her home and walked in the direction of the school. As she sat waiting for their return her mobile rang.
“Yes?”
“They are walking towards the bus stop, Sarge.”
“Follow them on foot, but stay well back. I'll come pick you up.”
Anna saw Milne waiting a good distance away from the bus stop, Ann and Alistair Brown waiting in the bus shelter paying her no attention. When the bus arrived they followed waiting to see where the grandmother and grandson went.
“She doesn't drive,” Anna remarked as they sat in the Tesco car park while the pair were shopping inside the supermarket.
“Husband?”
“Passed away a couple of years ago.”
“What did he do?”
“Painter and decorator.”
“It's a nice house she lives in.”
“I suspect Lachlan Brown has something to do with that.”
“Oh well, at least he is looking after his mother.”
Anna thought about that, it was probably true, but she suspected that young Alistair was a prize asset for Lachlan , or at least she hoped he was. It would be in his interest to look after the boy well.
The two detectives continued their surveillance on both locations for the next two days without any breakthrough but then, on Saturday afternoon, they spotted an interesting visitor to the Brown household.
Lachlan Brown parked his car in the drive of his mother's bungalow. Anna watched as he exited his black BMW and smiled wryly to herself as she remembered Laing's car from the flats and vaguely wondered if that was the car of choice nowadays for drug barons. He was dressed sharply, his suit made to measure; Anna could probably name his tailor. His hair was neat as a pin, not a hair out of place; he looked like a public school boy. No hair gel or spikes, she had to hand it to him, he looked classy. The problem was, he made his money illegally and piled misery, death and pain into society. There was certainly nothing respectable about Lachlan Brown, no matter how much he tried to disguise himself.
A short time later, Lachlan Brown left the house with his nephew. This was an interesting turn of events, thought Anna. The problem would be following him without being noticed. It was fairly easy with a sixty-year-old woman and a seven-year-old boy, but this was a career criminal who was, by all accounts, very successful at what he did. Lachlan Brown was a careful man.
Anna followed a safe distance behind the BMW, but it wasn't easy to keep track of him without getting too close and a short time later she lost him at a set of lights. Anna cursed and turned around to make her way to the Garscube tower block. She couldn't risk being at the bungalow when Lachlan Brown returned. She wondered what Lachlan and his nephew did on a Saturday afternoon.
Milne sat in her car looking through a small pair of binoculars; she heard a knock on the passenger side window of her car and turned to see Sergeant Lynch standing there. She unlocked her doors letting her sergeant in.
“Lachlan Brown picked up his nephew a short while ago. I followed, but lost them after about ten minutes.”
“Damn.”
“I wonder where the hell he was taking the boy. Anyway, I don't want to be there when he returns, just in case he notices the car and realises that it was the same one that had been behind him earlier. I want you to take over at the house and I'll stay here. Let me know when the boy returns and who returns him. Do nothing, no matter who it is.”
“Understood, Sarge.”
“Call me Anna.”
“Sorry, Sarge, I mean, Anna.”
“Go, and ring me later.”
Anna got the call later that evening. Lachlan Brown had returned with his nephew then left alone. Anna told Milne to go home and they would meet up tomorrow.
The next week followed a similar pattern; Ann Brown would take her grandson to school and collect him again. He went to cub scouts on a Monday evening and football skills training on a Tuesday. They both went shopping on Thursday. Over at the Garscube tower block there was no change, but Stuart Laing was a frequent visitor. Anna already knew how she would handle Garscube, but she needed the surveillance to run alongside the one at Bearsden. It was a good cover, and gave her a legitimate case to be working. She was pleased with Mary Milne. The woman worked hard and the only fault Anna could find was her need to talk first thing in the morning, but it was hardly a crime.
Anna wondered if Lachlan Brown would make an appearance on Saturday. If he did then, this time, she intended to be better prepared.
Holding the cordless phone in her left hand, Heather punched in the number she required and waited patiently for an answer.
“Good afternoon, Glasgow Youth Hostel.”
“Hello, I'm calling to confirm the numbers for a booking I made.”
“Can I have your booking reference please?”
Heather gave the number of the booking along with her name and she confirmed the information the receptionist then gave her.
“We will be arriving Monday the twelfth of October and staying until Thursday the fifteenth, that's correct.”
Heather listened to the check in and out times, nodding along with the information, she already knew.
With the accommodation confirmed, she just needed to call the bus company. The last thing she needed was for the bus not to turn up next week. Three days in Glasgow with twenty-four teenagers and four adults, this was going to be one busy trip.
She finished typing up the itinerary that would be printed off and handed to all the youths going to Glasgow . Heather was very much looking forward to the trip. The members of the youth club had worked hard on the fundraising this year, they had needed to raise around eighty pounds per head to cover the cost of accommodation and travel expenses, and reached their target with a little extra that could go towards a trip to the cinema. As always, the biggest challenge with these trips would be keeping the boredom from setting in. Heather knew that when teenagers got bored they invariably became restless, moaned and got up to no good. That's why she had trips planned and the youth hostel had a pool table and an internet kiosk, she hoped she had covered everything, but there would always be some high jinks involved no matter how much planning she put in.
When the kids arrived that evening and she handed out the information the place was really crackling with the anticipation of the upcoming trip. It was at times like this that the remoteness of their location really showed. Glasgow was a city with a population of over a million people and it had everything compared to their small village. These kids just had a youth club and a grocery shop, and she hoped they didn't get too overwhelmed or carried away. They weren't naïve by any means, but it would still be a change.
“They really are looking forward to it, aren't they?” Tom said as he walked up to Heather's side.
“They're excited. It should be a good trip.”
“I'm delighted I was able to get the time off.”
“Thank goodness you could, we need all the help we can get on these trips.”
Tom looked at her and decided this was as good a time as any. “Maybe we will get a chance to spend a little time together?”
Heather wasn't surprised to hear him say this. Ever since Anna had pointed out his interest, she had noticed he was friendly towards her, but since it had become common knowledge that she and Greg had split up, Tom's friendliness had changed into something more. The glances he sent her way, the odd touch on her arm or lower back. Nothing overtly demonstrative, the change was subtle, but noticeable. Heather resisted the urge to sigh. The last thing she needed right now was romance.
She smiled politely at Tom, “I doubt it, I'm afraid we will have our hands full day and night making sure our charges are behaving.”
Tom looked crestfallen, but remained ever hopeful. “Perhaps when we return from Glasgow we could go out for a meal sometime?”
Heather didn't enjoy having to let him down, but she was conscious too of not building his hopes up. “I'm sorry, Tom, I'm just not in a socialising mood at the moment. I have a lot to deal with outside of work right now.”
“I understand, Heather, some other time maybe.”
He smiled and walked off before she could reply, for which Heather was grateful. She knew that she would barely have a moment alone with Tom the entire time they were in Glasgow , and, thankfully, any time they were alone would be quickly interrupted by one of the teenagers asking a question or needing assistance. Heather would be sleeping in a large room full of bunk beds with about six of the girls and the room would most likely be on a different floor to the guys. Poor Tom, she thought, he really would have to move on. She genuinely liked him as a person, but had no feelings of attraction towards him at all.
**********
Mary Milne was sitting in her car watching Ann Brown's house. Anna had told her that Lachlan Brown had turned up the previous Saturday early in the afternoon, if he followed the same pattern he should be arriving any time now. The plan was that she would call DS Lynch when he arrived, and Milne would follow him if he left with the boy. Anna Lynch was already waiting on the road where she had lost him the week before. Assuming he took the same route, she would take over from Milne and follow him from that point. If the plan worked, they should at least find out where Lachlan was taking Alistair Brown on a Saturday afternoon.
Anna waited patiently in her car on Clyde street at the same spot she had lost sight of him the previous Saturday. Her mobile rang and she answered it immediately.
“Yes.”
“That's him leaving now, Anna, with the boy.”
“Good, stay just close enough to follow, don't let him become suspicious.”
“Okay, I'll call if he changes route from last week.”
“Be careful,” Anna cautioned.
Milne stayed on the line using a Bluetooth headset to chat as she followed Lachlan Brown's car.
“Looks like he is definitely heading your way, Sarge. He's just taken a right on to McFarlane Road.”
“Good, keep with him.”
“I'm on Pointhouse Road, Sarge and I can't see him.”
Milne sounded slightly panicked and Anna cursed silently, she didn't want to lose him again.
“Let me know if you spot him, but I'll keep my eyes peeled, he should be coming my way within a few minutes.”
Anna waited patiently, her eyes looking for a black BMW. It could be at least another week if they missed out on this opportunity.
“Still nothing, Sarge, sorry.”
“Okay, where are you?”
“Broomielaw.”
Lachlan Brown should be passing her way anytime now. Anna waited.
“C'mon.” She said under her breath. She spotted him. “I have him.”
She put her car in gear and pulled out just after Lachlan Brown. She didn't intend to lose him this time.
“He's heading into the New Gorbals.” She informed Milne.
Anna followed a safe distance behind, as Brown drove along St. Ninian's Terrace, before turning into Old Rutherglen Road. She watched from the corner of the street as Lachlan Brown parked his BMW. He and Alistair then got out of the car and headed into one of the blocks of flats. Anna drove past and checked the number. She turned back out of the street and parked on St. Ninian's Terrace.
“I have his location. He and the boy have gone into a flat on Old Rutherglen Road. Can you park at the top on the way in? I'm at the bottom, that way we won't miss him leaving.”
“Sure, Anna, I'm just pulling in now.”
“I'll call you when he leaves, if he's alone, we won't be following him.”
Anna ended the call and waited. Lachlan Brown reappeared a few minutes later, alone. That meant he'd left the boy in one of the flats. Anna felt her heart rate pick up, she sensed she was definitely on to something now. She didn't know any officer who lived in this area and suspected this was a property owned by Lachlan Brown, she couldn't confirm that now. She would just have to wait and see who came out of the building.
Going on the time that Lachlan Brown returned with the boy last Saturday, they would have at least a four-hour wait, unless whoever was with the boy left the flat. She needed to have a look around. Getting out of her car, Anna walked through an archway that was half way down the road. It took her onto another road, but she could now see the back of the buildings. Where all the blocks of flats met, it formed a square, which had a well-manicured park in the centre, surrounded by trees and benches. With small trimmed hedges and a path to walk around the perimeter, it was unexpected, but very well planned out. There were children around, and Anna walked to the small brick wall for a closer look. Suddenly she caught a glimpse of little Alistair Brown, with his Rangers top on, running after a football. What she saw next shocked her. Mark McLaren, the perpetual bachelor of the department, was chasing him. Anna quickly ducked back under the archway, she took a deep breath and composed herself, and then she slowly walked back to her car. It was a most surreal feeling, like she had glimpsed something she wasn't supposed to. A private moment shared between two people, a father and a son. She left them to the rest of their day, as it was sure to be the last one they would be sharing in quite some time.
Anna got in her car and drove up to where Mary Milne was parked. Pushing the button to lower her window she spoke briefly to her.
“Meet me back at the station.” With that, she drove off.
Mary Milne didn't even have time to ask a question, she simply followed her order.
Anna arrived before Milne and waited the couple of minutes extra that it took the other woman to arrive. She intercepted her in the car park.
“Listen, this is really important. Never tell a soul what you have been doing with me the last ten days. If anyone asks, only ever mention the Garscube surveillance. If anyone finds out that we were doing the other stuff, we could both find it very hard to do our jobs around here. Do you understand?”
Mary Milne could not mistake the serious tone of Anna Lynch for anything other than what it was. The younger woman was full of questions. She had known Anna was deliberately withholding information from her, but she never questioned her motives. She had trusted that Sergeant Lynch would tell her when the time came.
“Do I want to know what I have been involved in?”
Anna thought about her answer and decided it was only fair that Milne knew the truth, and then she would understand why it would have to stay quiet. It didn't matter how much Mark McLaren was in the wrong. He was a popular officer and many would have turned a blind eye. They would both have to be careful.
“I told you that Chief Inspector Davidson knows what I have been doing. When I went undercover recently it became clear that there is a leak in the department. Today we found that leak.”
“I see. I suppose I will notice someone missing from our ranks very soon?”
“Mark McLaren.”
“Oh my God.”
“Don't worry, we will have nothing further to do with the case. Davidson will handle the rest.”
Milne nodded, lots of thoughts racing through her head. She now fully understood the need to stay silent and, in truth, she was glad she hadn't known exactly what she had been involved in for the last ten days. She wasn't sure she could have been as composed as she was throughout it. No one liked to be investigating a fellow officer, which is why a separate body usually carried out any investigation. She knew that Anna and herself would be castigated by many fellow officers if it ever got out, no matter how wrong Mark McLaren was, their part in his arrest would be seen as a betrayal. They would become pariahs, no matter where they went.
“Take the rest of the weekend off and I'll see you in the department on Tuesday. We both need a break.”
“Will we be continuing with the Garscube surveillance?”
“Yes, but it can wait a couple of days. Don't worry, we'll see it through.”
“Thanks, Anna.”
Anna made a call to her boss, Bruce Davidson.
“Anna, any news?”
“Where are you?”
“On the golf course.”
“Which one, I'll meet you at the club house?”
“Cawder.”
“See you soon.”
Anna took the twenty-minute drive out to the Cawder golf course at a leisurely pace. All sense of urgency had simply drained from her body. She wondered what had driven Mark McLaren to do what he had. She assumed the boy was his but, with his name not being on the birth certificate, he would have had no legal claim to the boy. Lachlan Brown must have cut him a deal. In exchange for information, he would let him see his son. She wouldn't have taken McLaren for the sort, he didn't seem to care much about family, but obviously, he did. She felt more sorry for the boy than anyone else involved. He was about to lose a father and, hopefully, an uncle as well, assuming Jim Wallace testified. They would be out of his life, behind bars for a long time. Today's information should go a long way to help get that testimony.
Parking in the visitor's car park, Anna walked into the clubhouse. She had never been here before. It was a lovely old building nestled amongst the sprawling fairways that surrounded it. Anna looked around the bar area for her boss, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“Excuse me.”
Anna turned to look at the man addressing her.
“Madam, can I ask you to please leave the premises?”
“Why?”
“We have a strict dress code and you appear to be breaking every one of the rules.”
Anna looked down at what she was wearing; frayed jeans, with a tee shirt, a hooded top and a pair of trainers.
“Everything?” She asked.
“I'm afraid so. No jeans, all tops must have a collar. No training shoes and absolutely no hoodies.”
Anna debated what to do. Part of her wanted to just sit in the bar and make them drag her out, but it was her boss's club and he wouldn't take too kindly to being hauled in front of the committee.
Anna decided diplomacy was best. “I'm Detective Sergeant Anna Lynch, I'm here to see Chief Inspector Davidson.” She showed her warrant card.
“Oh, oh well in that case perhaps you could wait in the club secretary's office and I'll let Chief Inspector Davidson know you're waiting for him. Please follow me.”
“Thank you.”
“Lynch, get your bloody feet off the secretary's desk.”
Anna immediately sat upright in the comfortable leather chair. She had been swinging around in it and looking out the window, and had stretched her long legs out by putting them up.
“Sorry, Sir, it's been a busy week.”
He looked closely at her. “You know who it is, don't you?”
She nodded, “Mark McLaren.”
“Jesus Christ, Anna. How sure are you?”
“As sure as I can be without him actually confessing.”
“So tell me how, or why?”
“Lachlan Brown had a sister, Susan. She died about seven years ago just a couple of days after giving birth to a son. The father is listed as unknown on the birth certificate. The timing of the birth seemed to coincide with Lachlan Brown getting information. I knew it had been going on for over six years, according to a source I found. So I thought maybe the key was the father. This afternoon I saw Mark McLaren kicking a football around with little Alistair Brown, something I'm sure he does most, if not every Saturday. My guess is Lachlan arranged this in exchange for information. Its Lachlan Brown himself who drops off and picks up the boy on a Saturday.”
“Okay, Anna. Good work.”
Anna didn't miss the despondent note in her boss's voice, she felt the same way, but it did mean they were more certain of getting Jim Wallace's testimony.
“I won't be back in until Tuesday.” She handed her boss a folder containing all the information she had gathered.
“Everything will be taken care of before then. Is he with the boy right now?”
Anna checked her watch. “Probably.”
“I'll have him picked up from his house later this evening.”
“It doesn't feel good, does it?”
Davidson shook his head sadly, “No, but that feeling will pass soon enough.”
“I'm sure it will.”
“Anna, you'll make Inspector before the end of the year.”
“Thanks, Sir.”
She wasn't entirely sure what else to say at that moment, but Bruce Davidson lightened the mood.
“You could have made a bloody effort you know.” Davidson scolded.
Anna frowned, not following.
“Coming into my club dressed like that.” He gestured to her clothing.
Anna looked at Bruce Davidson's golfing attire. A pink polo shirt with a tan jumper over it and tan trousers completed his look.
She shook her head. “Do you own a mirror?”
“Bloody cheek, this is top of the range stuff.” Davidson protested, gesturing to his clothing.
Anna left the office laughing.