Read Online Cowboys and Indians by Ed James - Free Book Online Page A

to balance them, you buffoon.’
    ‘Buffoon?’ Cullen spun round to Methven. ‘You see what I’m dealing with here? I’m two heads short, means I can’t balance anything. Prioritising the team based on your instructions is as good as I can do.’
    Methven scanned down the list. ‘All of this needs worked on.’ He handed the sheet to Cullen. ‘Get on it.’
    ‘I can’t. I’ve got no resource to play with.’
    Methven held Cullen’s gaze, looking away first. ‘Leave it with us.’
    Cullen started away from the board and felt his phone buzz.
    A text from Rich. If you read the article, you’d see the source is close to the case.
    He tapped out a reply. Police? Waited for the reply.
    Two more guesses, caller.
    He stepped back towards Methven, glaring at the retreating Holdsworth. ‘Sir, there’s something else. Rich McAlpine used to be my flatmate.’
    ‘Sodding hell.’ Methven closed his eyes for a few seconds. ‘Did you leak the identity?’
    ‘Of course I didn’t. But really, would I tell you if I did?’
    ‘Sergeant, you need to reassure me your cowboy days are behind you.’
    Cullen held out his hands. ‘I’m a signed-up sheriff’s deputy, sir.’
    ‘You’d better be.’ Methven replaced the cap on the pen. ‘So where did your chum get the story from?’
    ‘I’ll find out.’

Eleven

    ‘Sergeant?’
    Cullen got to his feet and held out a hand.
    Alan Henderson marched across the Alba Bank reception area, paw outstretched, green eyes darting around. Shirtsleeves rolled up, suit jacket hung over a shoulder. Firm grip of the ex-military. ‘We meet again.’
    ‘This is DC Jain.’ Cullen gestured at her. ‘We wanted to speak to a William Yardley or Wayne Broussard.’
    ‘Let’s take a walk upstairs.’
    Cullen followed him down the corridor, Jain scowling at him.
    Henderson smiled at a few people in the winding queue outside Caffè Nero. The south face of the Alba Bank pyramid towered above their heads, the glass specked with early morning rain. A six-storey brick building dotted with windows met the peak above them. Four lifts ran up and down. He got in and hammered the button for Four.
    Cullen leaned against the back wall. The elevator ground up, looking out across Register House and the pair of hotels guarding North Bridge. ‘Quite some view.’
    ‘Comes at a cost.’ Henderson shook his head, his tongue darting over dry lips. ‘We’re considering selling up and relocating out west. John Lewis have first dibs on this site.’
    ‘Should you be telling us this?’
    ‘It’s an open secret.’ Henderson shrugged, swiping his ID badge through the lift door and striding across the tiled floor. ‘This is the pinnacle of the building for most of us. Sir Ronald has the top floor, Bill and Ailsa the one above this.’ He stopped by some police tape blocking the way and pointed round the corner. ‘This was VDM’s office. Don’t know what you’re expecting.’
    Cullen peered through the floor-to-ceiling glass at a team of SOCOs working away inside and glanced at Jain. ‘And Mr Yardley or Broussard?’
    Henderson waved down the corridor. ‘Lorna, can you come here?’
    A woman in her thirties strode over, dark hair tucked behind one ear. Knee-length skirt and leather boots, blouse done up to the second-top button. She smiled at Henderson. ‘What is it, sir?’ West-coast accent, maybe North Lanarkshire.
    ‘Lorna, can you arrange for William to come here?’
    ‘Will do, sir.’  
    Henderson shook out his jacket and put it on. ‘I’ll have to love you and leave you, I’m afraid. Got a meeting.’
    ‘Of course.’ Cullen folded his arms, watching Henderson pace away from them, fiddling with his BlackBerry.
    Lorna frowned at Cullen and offered a hand. ‘Lorna Gilmour. I’m Jonathan’s PA.’
    ‘DS Cullen.’ He shook her hand. ‘This is DC Chantal Jain. We’ll need to have a word with you in due course.’
    ‘Certainly. I’ll just round up William.’ She walked back over to her