The Meating Room by T F Muir Page B

raised a hand like a referee.
    Logan sat back, tried a smile, but the fire in her eyes gave away her true feelings.
    Whyte said, ‘The short answer to your question, Andy, is: no, we haven’t.’ He eyed Smith, who shook his head. Then he gave Logan a warning glance. ‘You’re welcome to have a look through our files, of course, but we’re still building our case and I’d ask you not to use anything relating to it without checking with me first. Does that work for you?’
    In front of Logan and Smith, Whyte was playing it by the book. But if Gilchrist came across anything critical to his investigation, he knew that Whyte would assist him in any way he could.
    ‘That works perfectly.’
    DI Smith cleared his throat. ‘Do you mind if I ask a few questions, sir?’
    Gilchrist was aware that Smith was putting the request to Chief Super Whyte, not himself, so he waited for Whyte’s nod of approval before answering, ‘Sure.’
    ‘Do you have anything concrete that leads you to suspect Magner?’ Smith asked.
    ‘No. But until we identify a prime suspect, we’re suspicious of everyone.’
    ‘From what you’ve said so far, it seems highly unlikely that Magner would have had the means to commit the crime, in terms of time and place, sir.’
    Gilchrist found it hard to disagree. Jessie’s journey to Stirling yesterday afternoon to check the Highland Hotel’s CCTV records had confirmed Magner’s story. He had arrived at the conference a few minutes after seven and taken an aisle seat – verified by Gilchrist during a short five minute review of the tapes, with Magner powering down his mobile before entering the conference hall. The room number also checked out with Magner’s car registration, and his account had been settled with an RBS debit card in his name. The bank confirmed that the number and account did indeed belong to Magner.
    ‘We’re not ruling out that Magner could have hired someone to carry out the killings for him.’
    ‘Get real.’ Logan again. ‘Brian McCulloch did in his family, then topped himself. Plain and simple. It’s an open and shut case. You’re barking up the wrong tree again. It’s not Magner’s style. He’s innocent . . . at least of murdering his business partner’s family.’
    Gilchrist could sense Jessie stiffening next to him, so he lifted a hand off the table, just a touch, to signal that she should keep quiet. It pleased him that they had kept the brutal details of the murder out of the public domain, and from those in the constabulary not directly involved in the investigation. The tidiness of McCulloch’s clothes, and the absence of blood on his body and in his car, strongly suggested that he was not the murderer. But few people were privy to those facts.
    ‘You’re probably correct,’ Gilchrist conceded, ‘but we’d still like to review your files. Just to be thorough.’
    ‘What’re you up to?’ asked Logan.
    ‘I thought we’d explained that,’ Gilchrist said, and rose to his feet. He was through trying to reason with her.
    Logan jerked to her feet. ‘I don’t like it, Billy,’ she said. ‘He’s fishing. I know him. I wouldn’t put it past him to slip something into our files to make us look like pricks and—’
    Whyte raised a hand to silence Logan, then he eyed Gilchrist. ‘Are you fishing?’
    ‘Only trying to find a possible motive.’
    Whyte turned to Smith. ‘Show DCI Gilchrist and DS Janes our files.’
    ‘I’m telling you, Billy, I’ve seen this guy at work. He’s up to—’
    ‘I hear you, DI Logan.’ Whyte’s sudden formality sent a message to Logan, who pursed her lips as if to stifle a curse. ‘But I’ve made my decision.’ He walked round the table and held out his hand. ‘If you need anything else, Andy, let me know.’ Then he faced Jessie. ‘DS Janes. A pleasure,’ he said, and shook her hand. Then, ignoring Logan, he said to Smith, ‘They’re all yours, Mac.’
    Smith looked embarrassed as Logan walked from the room