Prayer for the Dead: A Detective Inspector McLean Mystery Read Free Page B

godfather any time soon, I hope.’
    ‘Rae’s …’ Phil paused a little too long, out of practice at talking to his old friend the detective. ‘Rae’s fine.’
    ‘Not taking to California then?’ McLean slowed his pace, eking out the time before he reached the station and had to end the call. Then he realised hewas in the wrong street, stopped, looked around. He’d started walking home without realising it.
    ‘Damn. Forgot who I was talking to. Yeah. She’s not really enjoying it all that much. And truth be told, she does want kids. Just not sure this is where I’d want to raise them, you know.’
    McLean didn’t say ‘and you think over here’s any better?’, even though he wanted to. It surprised him that Philwould even consider having children, but then it had surprised him when his old flatmate had got married too. People change.
    ‘Might be better off coming home. Who knows? Could be an independent nation in a month or two.’
    ‘Don’t joke about it, Phil. The whole thing’s a bloody nuisance.’
    ‘You don’t think Scotland could go it alone?’
    ‘Could? Aye, course it could. Should? Well that’s a questionfor a long evening of beer and pizza. Probably a bottle of whisky to round it all off.’
    ‘Sounds like a date. Next time I’m over. Listen Tony, it’s been great chatting but—’
    ‘You still need to phone Gordon. Whoever he is. Yeah, it’s good to hear your voice, Phil. Should call more often. And you know you can, any time, right?’
    ‘Yeah. I will. Maybe see you soon, too.’ And with that the phone wentdead.
    McLean stood at the edge of the Meadows, watched the afternoon walkers, the students lazing on the grass or playing kick-about football. A couple walked past, their young daughter holding one hand each. She swung crazily with every third or fourth step, totally trusting in their grip, certain she could come to no danger. Such innocence was both touching and troubling. Bitter experiencehad made a cynic of him, but that didn’t mean it had to be the same for everyone. He shook his head at the strange thought and the even stranger circumstance that had brought it. A glance at the clock on the corner of the old Dick Vet building told him it was late enough to consider not going back to the station, heading home for a well-deserved evening off.
    But that was never going to happen,was it.

4
    They always pick on the little ones.
    They’d pick on me, only I know the teachers have been talking. Telling everyone about mum and dad. I can see it in their eyes, the way they won’t look at me, or speak to me. They want to bait me like they did last term,but something stops them. They still talk about me behind my back, though, just quiet enough that I can’t really hear. Johnson and Bain and Cartwright, they know they can’t be mean to me, and that just makes them want to do it more.
    So they take it out on the little ones.
    This boy’s new. His folks live in the big house around the corner from mine. Just moved back from overseas, wherever thatis. The bullies have been working at him for a week now, and he just won’t rise to their bait. That’s not good. I learned the hard way. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away, just makes them crueller. He’ll learn, but how long will it take? And how badly will they hurt him?
    He’s in the corner now, surrounded by them. Johnson’s maybe a year older than me, Bain and Cartwright my age. They’reall big, and stupid. The new boy’s tiny. Like he’s only four or something. He doesn’t really stand a chance. And he lives just around the corner from Gran’s house, which is maybe why I step in.
    ‘Leave him be, aye?’ My voice wavers as the words comeout. As I realise what I’ve done. Never draw attention to yourself, that’s the first rule.
    Johnson turns slowly, his piggy little eyes searchingto see who’s interrupted him. At first I think he’s going to hit me. Won’t be the first time, won’t be the last. But then he