In the Necroscope’s Bonnyrig house they drank coffee (Harry would prefer good red wine but needed a re-supply), and split the list of Frigis Express depots down the middle. They would work through them alphabetically until they found what they were looking for. Jordan would take the day shift with Harry supplying the transport; Harry would do nights with Jordan for lookout. The telepath had asked what was the big deal with this job and Harry had showed him a series of vivid mind-pictures taken from Penny Sanderson and Pamela Trotter, and now Jordan was as eager as he was. There was a monster loose in the world and he had to die.
‘There’ll be night watchmen on these places, I’m sure,’ Jordan said, studying his half of the list, ‘but at this hour of the morning they’ll be kipping off: asleep in some secret corner. We could do a few depots right now, before the drivers or packers or whatever get in.’
The bloke we’re after is a driver,’ Harry said. ‘He uses the Ml and possibly the Al or A7. Maybe we should start with depots close to those major routes.’
Jordan had been glancing through the files on the murdered girls. Penny’s report seemed to interest him greatly. Ignoring what the Necroscope had just said, he asked, ‘Harry, did you know Penny’s body was found in the gardens under the Castle’s walls?’
Harry frowned. ‘Yes. Is that significant?’
‘It could be,’ the other answered. ‘There are quite a few small, specialized units housed in the Castle. For all we know our man from Frigis delivered meat to the various messes and cookhouses that night, and when the coast was clear he bundled Penny over the wall.’
Harry nodded. ‘I’ll check out the exact spot where she was found. I remember looking over the wall. There are places where it rears over grassy ledges and steep banks, where the drop is only a few feet and if she fell – or was tossed – her body might slip and slither a bit without breaking anything or suffering any real damage. Because apart from the damage and suffering he had caused her, she wasn’t in bad shape.’ His gaunt face had turned angry as he remembered Penny as she had been the first time he saw her. Shaking his head to dismiss the memory, he growled. ‘Anyway, I’ll look at it. If it seems at all likely or even possible . . . well, it could be you’ve narrowed down the field a little. Thanks, Trevor.’ And then, ruefully: ‘As you can see, I’d never have made the grade as a detective, or even a common or garden policeman!’
‘Listen,’ Jordan told him. ‘You drop me off in Edinburgh right now and let me follow it up. Let’s face it, you’ve been seen up in the Castle. People may remember you. But they don’t know me. I’ll take this file with me. I still have an old E-Branch identity card I picked up from the flat. It’s as good as a policeman’s uniform for getting me into places to gather information. Then, while I concentrate on this end of the job, you can get on with checking out the list of depots.’
Harry saw the sense of it. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘And we’ll meet back here tonight. Meanwhile, we can easily contact each other if anything breaks. But you have to understand that the sun hampers me. It might stop me getting through to you or you to me. On the other hand, if the day is dull everything will be OK. The only thing is . . .’ He paused uncertainly.
‘Yes?’ Jordan waited.
‘You’ll be on your own,’ the Necroscope continued. ‘If the Branch decides to move on me, they’ll be picking my friends up, too.’
‘But picking them up’ Jordan repeated him. ‘Not picking them off! And anyway, Darcy said he’d take care of that.’
Harry nodded. ‘But he can’t take care of the fact that I’m a vampire. And you know the Branch won’t be taking any chances, Trevor. In fact I’d lay you odds that my warrant has already been issued, and that right now they’re busy closing off any boltholes. For now . . . they’ll probably lay off this place, because it’s mine and I know it better than they do. But sooner or later even this house of mine won’t be safe. Hell, it would be the perfect place to settle with me! Out of the way, alone and lonely.’