Page 127 of Better the Devil

‘I like people,’ Reeve announced. ‘I mean, you know, some more than others, but in general. I like people. I like animals more because, you know, I’m not a psychopath, but I do like people.’

Logan had no idea what sort of response he was supposed to give to that, if any, so he barely bothered to acknowledge it at all.

‘And I think I understand people. Not all of them, and not everything, but enough. And, uh’—Reeve glanced down, choosing his words carefully—‘I’m sorry about how things went with your… foster daughter?’

Logan’s brow furrowed, like the shifting of a tectonic plate.

‘What?’

‘I didn’t catch all of it, obviously. But I saw you taking her into the room, Bosco told me a few things, I heard DC Neish mention the pathologist. Shona, right?’

He winced, like this was not going to plan. No doubt the look on Logan’s face played some part in him thinking that.

‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’

‘No, you shouldn’t,’ Logan agreed.

Reeve nailed his smile back on. ‘I hope things work out,’ he said.

‘It’s none of your concern,’ Jack told him.

‘Sure. You’re right.’ Reeve held up his hands. ‘Should’ve kept my mouth shut.’

He moved to go, then stopped again.

‘Oh. Shoot. One thing.’

Logan sighed. ‘What now?’

‘Bosco. Mr Maximuke.’ Reeve’s gaze flitted to one of the upper floors of the station. ‘You did remember to let him out, right?’

‘Where fuck you been?You leave me in here for hours. For four hours. Five!’

‘My arse. It’s not been five hours, Bosco,’ Logan told him. ‘It’s been ninety minutes. Two hours, tops.’

Bosco was on his feet and red-faced with anger. Or maybe he’d been burning off a lot of energy pacing around and trying to force the door open.

‘I could have died. Thirst. Hunger. What if I needed piss?’

Logan ran a hand down his face. ‘Again, it was an hour and a half, Bosco. I’m sure you could’ve tied a knot in it.’

‘I should complain! I have right to complain!’ the Russian cried. ‘See what bosses say then, yes?’

‘I could charge you,’ Logan spat back at him. ‘You gave a false confession. You wasted polis time. If I arrest you, then you end up back in the nick. No trial, no more plea bargaining. Just bang. In you go. See you in a few more years.’

Bosco’s chest rose and fell, like a racehorse after a sprint.

‘So, will we overlook this little oversight?’ Logan asked him. ‘Or do you want to escalate it further?’

Bosco wriggled his shoulders, like he was trying to shrug something off. He sighed, breathing out all the fight that had been in him.

‘I did not need piss, anyway.’

‘Good. Glad to hear it. I’ll get Uniform to take you downstairs.’

‘Push me downstairs, you mean?’

‘Nice as that would be, no. You can take the lift if you want,’ Logan told him. ‘But I want the address where you’re staying, I want a contact number, and if you so much as think aboutleaving town in the next few days, Bosco, I’ll personally cut both your legs off.’