Page 7 of Better the Devil

Logan and Shona both regarded him in silence for a few moments, then they split up, weaving past him on either side like he was a rock in a river.

‘Aye, very good,’ Logan said, brushing him off.

Undaunted, Palmer hurried along in their wake.

‘You not going to ask why I did all that?’

‘Apparently not, no.’

‘You’re not curious?’

Logan stopped, angling himself to block Palmer’s path, so Shona could crack on with her part of tonight’s proceedings. It was taking one for the team, and then some.

‘No, Geoff. I’m not. I’m about as far removed from curious as it’s possible to be. I mean, what’s the opposite of curious?’

Palmer answered on autopilot. ‘Indifferent?’

‘Aye. Aye, that sounds about right,’ Logan told him. ‘I’m indifferent.’

‘I’m going to be in an advert,’ Palmer announced, apparently not having heard a word the DCI had just said. ‘It’s for teeth.’

Logan was annoyed at himself for even asking the question, but it was out of him before he knew it.

‘What do you meanit’s for teeth? How can they advertise teeth? We’ve got teeth, we don’t need to buy more of them.’

‘No, like dentures, or implants, or some shite like that,’ Palmer said. ‘Toothpaste, maybe, I don’t know.’

Logan’s gaze flitted to the Scene of Crime man’s mouth, and the slabs of yellowy-brown contained therein.

‘And they’ve got you advertising them?’

‘Yep!’ Palmer said, rocking back on his heels. ‘I’m the before picture.’

‘You’re the…? So, what’s…?’ Logan tutted and shook his head, furious at himself for still being involved in this conversation. ‘How is that acting, Geoff?’

Palmer’s smile didn’t fade in the slightest. ‘Well, telly, isn’t it?’

‘Alright, boss?’

Logan let out a chirp of relief as DC Neish appeared beside him.

‘Tyler, thank Christ. Look after Geoff, will you? Make sure he’s got everything he needs, so I don’t have to continue talking to him.’

‘Eh, aye, no problem, boss,’ Tyler replied, before a throaty sob from Palmer cut him off.

Both detectives turned to look as the Scene of Crime man screwed up his face and tried to squeeze tears from his ducts. With his chubby red cheeks, he looked like a baby suffering from colic. It was a face that only a mother could love, and even then, only if she didn’t look too closely.

His upset lasted all of five seconds, before his grin fought its way to the surface.

‘Huh? Yeah?’ He pointed at both men, then drew himself up to his full, unimpressive height. ‘Acting.’

Logan met Tyler’s eye. ‘Sorry, son,’ he said, then he turned on his heel and went marching off to join Shona at the car.

Detective Constable Dave Davidsonrolled his wheelchair past the line of police vehicles on the Aviemore side of the cordon, headed for the unmarked car that had been lurking at the back of the line for a while now.

The man who sat gripping the steering wheel snapped his head up in fright when Dave rapped a knuckle against the driver’s side glass.

‘You alright in there?’