Snapshot Read Free Page B

as well. I might have fell asleep again. No sure. Next thing I know the place is full of polis.’
    ‘Did you see the person that did it? Height, hair colour, anything?’
    ‘It wis dark, man, telt ye. Anyways, didnae lift ma heid tae look. Just listened.’
    ‘What did you mean when you said he was dragging something? Carrying something with him?’
    ‘Mibbes. Ah’ve nae idea. Carrying, dragging. Mibbes.’
    Addison shook his head despairingly then nodded Monteith back in to take the junkie away and finish taking notes.
    ‘Tell him anything and everything you remember and don’t go booking any foreign holidays any time soon.’
    ‘Aye, very funny. Any chance of a few quid for coming forward?’
    ‘Sure. See the officer at the cash desk on your way back out the market. Mind and duck in case there are any pigs flying past.’
    The skelf’s comeback about pigs died on his lips and he slunk off with Monteith’s meaty paw on his arm.
    ‘Sunday, bloody Sunday,’ moaned Addison. ‘Hurry up and finish photographing that muppet and bring your camera with you,’ he told Winter. ‘There’s a van down the street that does good grub even though most of the folk who go to it are too shit-faced to know the difference. You can photograph me eating two bacon rolls. Brown sauce on it and a cup of coffee. You’re paying.’
    Winter didn’t bother asking why. Just as Addison didn’t bother asking why he’d been photographing the dealer’s body with his Canon EOS-1D as well as the standard issue Nikon FM2. The same reason Addison didn’t ask why Winter had sneaked a shot of the haunted look on the skelf’s face as he stared down at Sammy’s corpse. Addison was one of only two people who knew about Winter’s collection. He’d even said Winter should stage an exhibition but that was usually when he was pished.
    Suddenly, Two Soups barged in between them, asking if they were quite finished. Big mistake. He could pull that shit with Winter but not with Addison.
    ‘Mr Baxter,’ he glared down at the forensic and growled. ‘I was interviewing possibly the only witness to whoever killed this guy. Tony Winter was photographing the body. Both of these tasks are vital to this investigation and it was imperative that they be done without delay. The body, on the other hand, isn’t going anywhere. I take it you have no fucking problem with that?’
    Two Soups blinked in disbelief at being spoken to that way and struggled for a reply. ‘Well I was just . . .’
    ‘Fine. I’m glad you agree. We are both finished so now you and the lab monkeys can begin your equally invaluable work. Winter has footprints to photograph and I’ve got stallholders to interview. We won’t keep you.’
    With that Addison took Winter by the arm and led him away from Baxter and the body, leaving Two Soups spluttering with discontent behind them before calling his forensic soldiers to the battlefield.
    ‘That man is an arsehole,’ said Addison with a grin on his face.
    ‘Where are these footprints?’ Winter asked him.
    ‘Two pairs of them together on soft ground near a wall on the north side. Suggestion is that it could be our man Sammy and whoever came in with him because they were heading in the direction of where Ross was found before they were lost on tarmac.’
    ‘So if they are on the north side, why are we heading this way?’ asked Winter with a quiet laugh.
    ‘Because I want bacon rolls. Jesus Christ, do you never listen to anything I say? Two uniforms have got the area secure and covered over, the footprints can wait but my stomach won’t.’
    Addison drove his hands deep into his pockets as he led Winter towards the van.
    ‘How many times are we expected to do this?’ he moaned. ‘If I’d wanted to sweep the rubbish off the street I’d have joined the council bin squad. At least I’d have been back in my fucking bed by now.’
    Bed. She’d still be lying there, thought Winter, probably sprawled over onto his side by now.