Page 12 of Better the Devil

‘I’ve done that,’ Tyler said, to the amazement of everyone within earshot.

‘You’ve done it?’ Logan asked. ‘Already?’

‘Sure did, boss,’ Tyler confirmed.

‘What, without anyone having to tell you?’

‘Aye.’ Tyler’s smile faded a little. ‘I mean… is that alright?’

Logan shoved his hands into his coat pockets and rocked back on his heels. ‘Oh, right. Aye. I see what this is.’

‘I don’t follow, boss.’

‘The interviews. The DS job. This is you making a play for it, isn’t it?’ Logan leaned in Shona’s direction. ‘Him and Sinead are both going for it. They’ve got a competition going on to see who gets it.’

‘Sinead will, surely?’ Shona replied.

Tyler’s face remained a picture of innocence. ‘OK, one, I resent that. And two, I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about, boss. Just thought I’d get ahead of things. Give us a wee head start.’

‘My arse,’ Logan said. ‘But go on.’

‘OK. But you might want to hold on to your hats,’ Tyler warned them. ‘Because this is some serious shit.’

He drew in a deep breath and glanced across their faces to make sure they were all listening, before making his big announcement.

‘Victor Belov.’

The reaction was not as spectacular as he’d been hoping for.

‘Who’s he when he’s at home?’ Logan asked.

Tyler’s shoulders sagged. ‘Aye, well, I hadn’t heard of him either, but I thought you two might’ve been paying more attention than I was. He’s on CID’s hotlist. High up in the local drug scene. Allegedly. They’ve never been able to make anything stick. But he’s one of the big boys. They’ve been trying to connect some seized shipments picked up in Aberdeen to him and his brothers. Reckon they were getting close.’

‘Wait,’ Logan said, holding up a hand to stop the DC before he could go any further. ‘And you found all this out?You?’

‘Just a couple of phone calls, boss. It was nothing major,’ Tyler said.

‘You’re bloody up to something,’ Logan replied. ‘I can tell.’

‘Again, boss, I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Tyler insisted, but the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth said otherwise.

Logan turned and looked back at the car. The tent was mostly assembled, shielding the vehicle from the elements, protecting the evidence.

A big-time drug dealer with his throat slit in a lay-by.

Not some random killing, then. Not by a long shot.

‘Someone should go talk to the family,’ Hamza suggested. ‘See about them making a formal ID once he’s been brought in.’

Logan checked his watch. ‘I can do that. Get the details and ping them through. I’ll drop Shona at the house first, and thenshe can be at the hospital for the body arriving.’ He met Hamza’s eye. ‘I can leave the rest to you, aye?’

Hamza swallowed. His mouth, when he spoke, made a series of faint clicking sounds.

‘No bother, sir,’ he confirmed. ‘I’ve got it all under control.’

The shake in his voice didn’t really sell that idea.

‘Oh, I know you do, son,’ Logan told him. ‘I have complete faith.’