Read Pilgrim Soul for Free Online Page B

stolen goods. Unless you have any objection I’m just going to hand them back to the owners.’
    ‘Fine by me. Saves paperwork. We never took much interest in their departure in the first place. But we might need the bits and pieces as evidence to lock up the thief. Hang on to them for
a couple of days, would you? You say McGill gave you a name? Ah hope you didnae hurt him too much?’
    ‘Duncan, you know I was never one of the
beat them till they confess
brigade. I used moral persuasion. That and threatening to unleash you on him. And maybe a wee column about his
dodgy emporium in the
Gazette
.’
    ‘You might as well have hit him. So, the name?’
    ‘Craven.’
    ‘
Paddy
Craven?’
    ‘The very man. I never ran across him in my day, but I recall the reputation. McGill says that as well as being a thief he’s a hard man.’
    ‘That’s Paddy all right. An all-round villain and complete bampot. Only finished a seven-year stretch about six months ago. A wife and three kids who’ve seen little enough of
him in the past twenty years. Ah thought he was trying to mend his ways. Got a job, Ah heard.’
    ‘It wouldn’t be with the gas board, would it?’
    ‘Could be, now you mention it. Why?’
    I told him about some of the burglaries.
    ‘God help us. That’s the kinda ballsy thing Paddy would get up to.’
    ‘Do you know where to lift him?’
    ‘Might as well start at his hoose. Lizzie will be delighted to see me again.’
    ‘Lizzie, the wife?’
    ‘Common law. But aye. Shame. Used to be a nice lassie. But concerning Paddy . . . will McGill testify?’
    ‘He was near greetin’ at the idea that Craven might find out.’
    ‘Ah’m no’ surprised. Craven disnae gie a toss about who gets hurt. And somebody always gets hurt wi’ Craven around.’
    ‘Sounds like you’re going to struggle to get cooperation.’
    ‘Either he helps or he goes inside with Craven.’
    ‘That should encourage him.’
    ‘Does that mean you’re off the case? Crime solved? The Glasgow police force is no longer redundant?’
    ‘Break out the streamers.’
    ‘Easy money, Brodie. You could be tempted again.’
    ‘I’m hanging up my badge. And my spurs. Quit while I’m ahead. Pity, the pay’s good.’
    Sam and I were sipping celebratory whiskies in the kitchen while she donned an apron and attacked two slivers of rationed chicken. I wielded a knife on the tatties and carrots.
A scene of domestic bliss. I smiled. It felt good. I’d succeeded in this new role, I had money in my pocket, and Sam and I had settled into an easier relationship than I’d thought
possible a month or two ago. Scratchy friends; sporadic lovers; marriage a distant prospect if at all. Perhaps a bit too random for my tastes, but overall a delicate confection of shared needs and
common views – on most things.
    Just a pity Hamburg was looming large. The dread of it was mounting in me, almost as if I were going. She’d been sent travel documents and was due to fly out on Thursday, ready for the
start of trial a week later on 5 December. She was to be back for Christmas and then go out again until February. We were talking about anything else but her trip.
    ‘You should have stretched it out a bit, Brodie. Made it look harder.’
    ‘There’s a bonus coming, so I can’t grumble. And maybe they’ll give me a call if they need help in future. Find the lost ark. That sort of thing.’
    ‘Did it give you a taste for it?’ she asked casually.
    ‘For sleuthing? It hardly seemed like a proper job. It all fell in my lap. It’s not usually that simple.’
    ‘Maybe you’ve got better at it.’
    ‘Nah. Just a fluke.’
    But her question had coincided with my own thoughts. Was it just like old times? No. I had to answer to nobody, except the men who’d employed me. Was that better or worse than acting
within a police hierarchy for the general public good? Oftentimes when I had been out playing detective properly, it had seemed like I was battling my