Page 29 of Miki

Fortifying my resolve, I opened the first envelope.

There was no choice. No matter what dirty little secrets were revealed, I had to know. This was evidence, and I was a detective.

All of this would be found during the official investigation at some point, anyway. As soon as I could find someone to trust enough with this information. After that, the secrets would be out in the open and it would be up to the police officers involved to deal with them.

Almost an hour later, I cracked my neck to release the tension and rubbed at the bridge of my nose. A headache was coming on. I needed to finish up soon and get out of here. There was just one more envelope, Aiden Mathieson’s, which I’d saved for last.

Opening it up, I poured everything out onto the floor. The first photograph that fell out showed Aiden Mathieson kissing my dad’s murderer.

I froze and stared at it.

Timmy Neilson was obviously not just a hired killer, as I had first assumed. He was Mathieson’s lover!

Revulsion coursed through my veins as I went through the rest of the photos, which showed the pair snorting coke, drinking, and having sex together or indulging in orgies. They were all pretty graphic, but that wasn’t the issue for me. What sickened me was that these were the men responsible for my dad’s murder. I hated they were out partying and having fun after what they had done. It wasn’t right.

Bile rose in my throat, and I gulped it back, grimacing, as I looked at the last couple of pictures. Dear god. Mathieson had killed his lover. Why?

And how did Roy get these photographs?

I shook my head. It didn’t matter. Roy was hiding evidence linked to an ongoing murder enquiry. Mathieson was walking around a free man because of him. Roy really was a bastard.

After stuffing the photographs back into the envelope, I returned it to the safe, just as I’d done with all the others when I’d finished with them.

Stretching my body was a relief. Between the sitting and the tension in my bones, I was bloody stiff. I was nearly finished, though. Only the lockbox needed to be checked.

Inside, just like with Mathieson and Martin, there were several passports with false names. I noted there was none for Aunt Maisie, but there was one for a woman I hadn’t seen before. A young woman about my age who looked a hell of a lot like me, in fact. Chills went down my spine as I stared at her image.

Poor Aunt Maisie, it looked like the bastard was cheating on her. The similarity to me, though, was uncanny and made me uneasy. Why did she look so like me?

It didn’t matter, I’d had enough. It was time to go.

Pleased with my findings, I closed the box, put it back in the safe and then checked the picture I’d taken at the beginning to ensure everything was back in its proper order. With how organised it had been, it was likely Roy would notice if the slightest thing was out of place.

Satisfied that everything looked as it should, I closed it up and headed for the door.

Peeking into Aunt Maisie’s room again, I checked she was still sleeping peacefully and left a note to say I’d got up early as I had to meet a friend. That way, she wouldn’t be concerned when I wasn’t there in the morning. Setting it on the table next to her bed, I slipped silently out of the house.

It was the early hours of the morning and tiredness seeped into my bones as I climbed into my car. The tension of the evening and the revelations uncovered in those envelopes had me exhausted.

As I pulled out of Roy’s street, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and goosebumps broke out on my skin. It felt like I was being watched. Checking my rear-view mirror, I sighed in relief. I was just being stupid. The roads were empty. It was just my imagination working overtime. There was nobody there.

Dismissing my concerns as paranoia, I turned my attention to who the heck I could trust with all the information I had gathered.

Roy’s boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Mathews, came to mind. He was the overall boss of the department, but I didn’t know how high the corruption went. Surely not that high?

But what if I was wrong?

It might be better going to COPFS instead. COPFS, formally known as the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, was the body that investigated allegations of corruption in Police Scotland. They’d be the best people to take my evidence to. However, after seeing so many files on people from that department, I’d need to ensure it didn’t go to one of them.

First thing in the morning, I’d start looking into the members of that department for someone that could be trusted.

With that decision made, I pulled into my driveway and parked.

As I climbed out, the overwhelming sensation of being watched returned. My skin prickled, and I shivered.

Spinning around, I froze and held my breath as I scanned the street, looking for the source of my unease.

Nothing moved. Utter silence filled the air, but I remained stock still, waiting just in case. Seconds stretched out and when there was still no sound or movement, I let out a slow breath and shook my head. I was definitely becoming paranoid.

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