Gringo stared at her for a moment then dipped his head, shaking it as if to loosen the grip of whatever emotion had seized him. He balled his fists. Dan shifted in his seat, ready to spring between Shona and Gringo. He glanced up at the prison officer, who had also clocked Gringo’s body language and was rocking on the balls of his feet, one hand on his radio to call for back-up. Shona didn’t move.
But when Gringo finally lifted his head, she could see tears in his eyes. ‘Was it the dope? Always thought it would get her.’
‘Someone killed her. Threw h
er body in the Solway Firth,’ Shona said bluntly. ‘I recovered her myself. DC Ridley was there too.’
Dan reached into his pocket. ‘I’m very sorry, Mr Gregor.’ He slid a folded paper tissue across the table top. A sound somewhere between a grunt and a sob escaped Marcus Gregor’s lips. He picked up the tissue and rubbed it across his face.
Given that he’d half-killed Isla himself, Shona thought he didn’t deserve Dan’s sympathy, but it wasn’t her place to judge. The court had done that and passed their sentence. She needed him calm and willing to talk, and if Dan got him there that was fine by her.
‘I’ve seen your file,’ Shona said. ‘Friends on the outside with previous form for violence.’
‘Think I’d let anyone touch her?’ Gringo swallowed hard. ‘What’s he doing here, you lot always swim in pairs. This an official interview? Do I need my solicitor?’ he said, making a half-hearted attempt at defiance.
‘Look, Marcus. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot.’
‘You assaulted me with a baton.’ It came out as a little boy whine.
‘You decked a special constable and came at me with a bottle. I wasn’t going to let you get at Isla, was I?’ said Shona calmly.
‘I wouldn’t hurt her. I mean, I didn’t mean to hurt her in the first place. I was high. But I was out on licence, if she went through with the complaint, I’d be back in jail. I only wanted to tell her…’ He hung his head, radiating self-pity.
‘You’ve a parole hearing coming up. If you’ve got anything to tell me, better do it now. Co-operating with the police will help your case.’
‘I loved her. Ryan? What about Ryan? Is he okay? I hurt her, but I hurt myself too.’ He shook his head, blinking back angry tears. ‘I let her down and now she’s dead. I wasn’t there to protect her. The worst thing that could have happened to me already has, so you can threaten me all you like.’
‘Okay, Marcus,’ Shona said.
‘You want to know who killed Isla? Ryan’s dad,’ Gringo spat. ‘That bastard, Duncan Saltire. Wouldnae leave us alone. He was stalking her. I told him to back off and he had two of his thugs do me over. That’s what we argued about the night… the night I hit her. I told her to keep away from him, but she said she needed money and he’d pay for her to keep quiet about how they used to score when they were together. Now fuck off and do your job.’ He slumped in his seat and with a dejected flick of his hand, summoned the prison officer like a waiter and told him he was ready to go back to his cell.
* * *
‘For someone who didn’t want to hurt his girlfriend he made a damn good job of wrecking her life. But did he kill her? What did you make of him?’ Shona asked Dan as they drove out of the prison car park.
‘Weren’t you worried?’
‘What? That he’d see it as a chance to get even? I was banking on it.’
‘How?’
‘If he refused to see me, I’d need to interview him formally. He was banged up at the time of the offence, so a solicitor might raise objections. I was counting on his curiosity, his desire for revenge. He wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to try to humiliate or embarrass me. He gave it a go, he’s just not very good at it.’ Shona indicated and turned onto the main road. ‘I needed to see his reaction to the news of Isla’s death. Was there was any hint of triumph? Did he know already?’ Shona shook her head. ‘He was devastated, that wasn’t put on. I think his regret about hurting Isla and the guilt he carries was the one perceptive thought he ever had in his whole life. Pity it’s too late for Isla.’
‘What if he’d reacted badly?’ Dan persisted. They stopped at the traffic lights.
‘Well, I had you there to protect me.’ She grinned, but instead of smiling back he looked crestfallen and embarrassed.
It had come out wrong. She’d meant it as light-hearted reassurance, something she could have said to Murdo or Ravi, and they’d have come back with a wry reply.
She felt a wrinkle of irritation. He’d obviously heard the story of how the last encounter with Gringo had ended. Did he really think she’d put them both at risk? That a detective inspector of her experience would needed rescuing? It was an insult both to her as an individual and a senior officer. Ridley had overstepped the mark. They travelled the short distance back to Cornwell Mount in silence.
Frowning, she pulled into a free bay in the car park. But her displeasure was tempered with the thought that he’d cared enough to be concerned. In a police officer of any level that was a reassuring quality. It was also something to be valued in a colleague, and a friend. She switched off the engine and unclipped her belt, turning to look at him.
‘It wasn’t that I didn’t trust your judgement,’ he said, as if reading her mind. ‘I’m just trying to understand. You have some history with him. Murdo told me what happened when he attacked you at the hospital. That meant he was already hyped up. If he’d taken the news of Isla’s death differently… he could have struck out at either of us, or a prison officer. He’s a big bloke. Someone could have been badly hurt.’
‘I’m aware of that, and took those points into consideration when I set out my interview strategy. I also spoke to the governor about Gringo’s mental state before we arrived. They’ve been working with him and he’s made good progress with anger management. Sometimes you have to hold your nerve, provoke an honest reaction, if you want to find a proper lead.’
Dan nodded. ‘Okay, I get that. Duncan Saltire?’