Chapter 5: Glasgow: That day: The investigation

CHAPTER 5

EILIDH

GLASGOW – THAT DAY – THE INVESTIGATION

A fter my last night shift of the week, I left the office, throwing a quick "bye" over my shoulder as I headed for the door. It took all my effort to walk normally and not literally bolt from the station.

With a copy of my dad's unsolved case file hidden in my bag, I climbed into my car and sighed in relief.

God, it was getting harder to pretend that I was still clueless. How much longer could I keep my act up without cracking? I felt like a volcano, ready to explode any minute. I was so angry, but I knew I had to be very careful.

The week since my world had been turned upside down had been long and stressful. It absolutely galled me to know without a doubt that my colleagues were corrupt and responsible for my dad's death, and I was desperate to make the bastards pay. However, I needed proper evidence. I couldn't just go around accusing people without it.

Roy and the others must have been hiding their activities for years, so they would likely have an explanation lined up for what was in the photographs, I was sure. None showed any of my colleagues with dad's killer at the time the trigger was pulled, and they could easily plead ignorance on the matter. I didn't believe that for a second, but others might.

So, when I wasn't working, I spent my time following Aidan Mathieson around during the day, and looking for more information on the guy instead of sleeping.

I yawned, completely exhausted, then smirked. I was tired, but it was worth it. The bastards, Mathieson and my dad's murderer, had met up again.

Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to get close enough to find out what the meeting was about.

However, I followed the killer back to his flat. When he'd entered the building, I rushed over and took a quick photo of the names beside the buzzers. Suspecting the guy might have a record, I checked the names in the police database and got a hit. He was called Timmy Neilson, and he was one of Mathieson's former clients. That was no surprise, under the circumstances.

I'd made that discovery a couple of days ago. I didn't know of anyone in the police I could trust yet. So, I was still sitting on that information, along with the file and photos I had received from John Aldridge. My intention was to continue to gather evidence against anyone I thought was involved in my dad's murder and the corruption within the department. Then, when I had enough, I would figure out what to do with the evidence.

My eyelids drooped, but I shook myself awake. Lord, I was tired. I really needed to get some rest.

What had I been thinking about? Oh, yeah, I'd find someone to give the evidence to later.

The problem was, just a few hours ago, Timmy Neilson had turned up dead. Drowned in his bath. I didn't feel in the least sorry about that. Actually, I was glad the murdering bastard was dead. However, I couldn't help but wonder if it was a coincidence, or if someone had discovered that I was investigating. That was a distinct possibility because I didn't really believe in coincidences.

If anyone was on to me, I had to step things up and get the proof I needed as quickly as possible. I would have to be even more careful. Otherwise, I might find myself in real trouble or worse, dead. Just as John Aldridge had warned. A shiver of fear ran down my spine.

Blurry eyed, and distracted by thoughts of my next steps, I drove towards home practically on autopilot. I figured that in order to get evidence against both Mathieson and Roy, the best place to start would be their offices.

Roy was too smart to keep anything incriminating at the station, but he had a home office which I intended to check out. Our shift was off for the next seven days, and I knew the bastard was going out-of-town tomorrow on a golfing trip. Or so he claimed. Anyway, I planned on visiting my Aunt Maisie, his wife, when he was gone and checking his office out while I was there.

That was the plan for tomorrow. Tonight, I had another plan.

Yesterday, I had donned a dark wig and cap and taken in a bouquet to Mathieson's secretary, pretending it was a delivery from a nearby florist. That had allowed me to discover the exact location of his office while checking out the security.

My eyes drooped and my head slumped forward.

"Beeeeeeeep!"

The blast from a car horn jerked me awake.

I'd drifted over into the oncoming lane. A van zoomed towards me.

Shit!

Eyes wide with fear, I yanked the steering wheel to the left.

The van whizzed by me with a mere inches separating us.

The irate looking driver shouting something as he gave me the finger.

I did not know what he was saying, but I could imagine.

My body's fight-or-flight response sent me into a tailspin of horror at how close I'd come to being in a head-on collision with a van.

My heart pounded and my breaths came out in short, shallow puffs.

I sucked panicked air into my lungs.

Bloody idiot! Almost got yourself killed!

With my eyes glued to the road in front of me, and my hands holding the wheel in a death grip so it couldn't drift, I finally made it home in one piece.

Yawning wide, I parked outside my house and slumped back in the seat.

God, that was a close call. If I wasn't more careful, I wouldn't need to worry about anyone discovering my investigation and trying to kill me. I'd end up killing myself first.

I shook my head.

Stupid eejit!

Eventually, when I stopped chiding myself for my stupidity, I hurried inside the house, determined to get some sleep. I desperately needed to recharge my batteries, as I had important plans for this evening, and I couldn't mess them up by being too tired to think straight. Things were dangerous enough without me adding to it by not taking proper care of myself.

Until now, I had done nothing illegal in my investigations. Tonight, that would change.

As I readied for bed and brushed my teeth, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back at me wasn't the same one I was used to seeing. This woman had a hard glint in her eyes that I didn't recognise. She looked a little tougher than before, or maybe she was just a little less soft, a little less gullible, and a lot more jaded.

Sighing heavily, I had to acknowledge the fact that after the revelations of the past week; it was no wonder I'd changed.

Well, if the truth be known, until a week ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of breaking the law I had sworn to uphold to get evidence on a case. Of course, until then, I hadn't dreamed that I was working with corrupt police. In fact, I really never believed there were any at my station. Oh, I knew there had to be some in the force; I wasn't that na?ve, just not in my station and not among those I knew.

Shaking my head, I couldn't believe the depths I was going to for the information I needed to end that corruption. If I was discovered, I could lose my career and end up in jail. Tears sprung to my eyes. I just hoped that wherever my dad was, if he was watching me, he understood what I was going to do.

"Sorry, Dad," I whispered, and hoped he would forgive me.

Breaking into Mathieson's office was definitely not how we had foreseen my career as a detective going.