Chameleon

Chapter 24

Do this, do that, do the other! If she sits down I'll bloody well sing to her!

Chief Superintendent Piggott was not in a good mood. The "spook" had arrived and wanted to see everything that had been compiled so far. And could she speak to the officer in charge of the case?

No, she sodding well couldn't, because DI Bannerman had gone walkabout in the middle of a murder investigation, chasing ghosts from twenty-odd years ago!

It irked Piggott to admit that Bannerman's theory held at least some water. He just wished the man would be a bit more orthodox in his methods.

'Rafferty!' Piggott shouted across the canteen.

Rafferty jumped and nearly choked on a mouthful of spotted dick.

'Yes, sir?' he mumbled around a mouthful of custard.

'Where's Bannerman?' Piggott asked.

'Pursuing enquiries, sir.'

'I know that, Rafferty. I mean, where is he precisely, and are we likely to be graced by his presence sometime in the near future?'

'He phoned in this morning, Sir. Didn't actually say where he was, not to expect him back today. Said to carry on with the usual routine.'

'The usual routine!'Piggott spluttered. 'This is a murder hunt, not a bloody circus!'

'Yes, sir,' said Rafferty meekly.

'Right,' Piggott continued. 'As he's not here, you'll have to do it.'

'Do what, sir?'

'Play nursemaid to that snooper from London. She wants everything we've turned up so far on her desk in an hour.'

'Yes, Sir,' Rafferty replied.

'Oh, and one more thing.' There was an evil gleam in Piggott's eye. 'She also wants to see the corpse. Take her down to the morgue as soon as you've had your lunch, will you.'

Piggott turned on his heel and marched out.

Suddenly, Rafferty had lost his appetite.

* * *

'Come on, Sid. I've heard the CD; this guy's brilliant!'

It was Lenny Pepper's third call to Sidney Brass in two hours.

'I tell you,' Brass growled, 'I don't know what you're talking about!'

'Stop kidding around, Sid,' Lenny wheedled. 'The posters are all over town.'

'I know,' Brass thundered. 'Some bastard's even plastered them all over the front of the club!'

'And you really have no idea what's going on?'

'For the last time, no!'

'I'll call you back, Sid. Ciao.'

Lenny sat for a while, thinking. If this was a hoax, someone had gone to a lot of trouble if they don't intend to show up. Maybe Sid doesn't know anything about it, not yet anyway, but Saturday is still three days away.

'Okay,' he told Marjorie. 'We go with it. Reschedule tonight's show with this as the main feature. Find out everything you can in the meantime. See if we can get some guests in. I have a gut feeling this is going to be big!'