Autographs In The Rain Part 56

'The Americans do; the FBI wage a real war on it, but there are places where even they can't go. The CIA have been involved as well; and even they can't cap it. p.o.r.nography has moved on from the corner shop... way, way on. It's a major Internet industry now, and it shows just what a dangerous thing the Net can be.

'There are all sorts of sites that can be accessed easily; some of them offer membership, some of them just one-off sales, but they all involve money, collected through credit cards. You imagine it and you can find it, and with the right kit and enough credit in your account, you can download it. Guys like us might lock you up if you're caught, but you won't be.

The softer of these sites are tolerated; the hardest might not be but they can't be stopped either, because they operate outside regulation, outside the US, outside Europe, in South America, in the Far East, in Asia ... in bandit country. Sometimes they move their administration around from place to place; that includes the accounts, always hard to spot, through which they collect their dough.

'Potentially the money in it is better than drugs, and easier.'

Skinner paused. 'Still with me?'

'All the way', said Mackenzie breathlessly.

'Okay; this is it. At the very end of the p.o.r.nography industry there exists something so awful we don't even like to think about it... the snuff movie.

A film which is the ultimate in s.e.xo-sadism, a film in which the torture and death on screen are not simulated. They are real.

'They've been around for a while, of course, since back before the video days, made mostly in South America. But with today's technology ...' He paused, letting the suggestion strike home.

'So, Bandit, what if, just what if mind, the lady with the video camera was making a snuff movie, with old John McConnell as the star?'

'Why, sir? Why?' the inspector exclaimed.

'Maybe you said it yourself. Fruitcake? But remember, on the Internet you can upload to a site as well as download from it.'

He took a sup from his cold coffee. 'I can't answer any more whys but here's another what if. What if this woman didn't make any mistakes? She

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AUTOGRAPHS IN THE RAIN.

couldn't have known that the old dear across the road would eyeball her taking the camera into the house. So what if by taking the syringe with her, and leaving the ca.s.sette box, she was leaving us a message?'

'Jesus,' Bandit Mackenzie whispered. 'What sort of a mind do you have?'

'I ask myself that sometimes. I suspect it's much like your own; it's been around longer, that's all, so it's more experienced in contemplating evil.'

He went on quickly. 'So back to my friend in the States. He's come up with a list of potential websites; the sort of Net location where one finds extreme p.o.r.nography. What I suggest you do, Inspector... suggest, mind, I've got sod all to do with this investigation ... is get yourself a computer with a modem and get looking.

'But be sure you use a mainstream connection. If you try to log on through the Strathclyde Police computer address, you might just find yourself blocked out.'

The DCC chuckled again. 'You got that pen handy?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Good. Here you are then. I hope you have plenty of paper... it's a long list.''So he's not talking?'

'Not a cheep, Andy. Not a d.i.c.ky-bird. I talked to him right up to the moment he went up before the Sheriff, and Geoff Lesser went as far as he could to persuade the lad to turn Crown Evidence, but he was having none of it. So he went into court, the charges, murder and theft, were read out, he made no plea and he was remanded in custody.'

'He'll be in Saughton by now.'

'Honour among fish rustlers, d'you think?'

'Maybe, but more likely terror. I think that he's just plain scared of someone, another member of the gang.'

Andy Martin heaved a sigh. 'Maybe after he's been locked away from them for a week or two he'll start to feel braver. Tell Lesser that there's a deal on the table; we'll drop the murder charge in exchange for names in the witness box. We'll also ensure that he never spends a single day in the same prison as another gang member.

'That will be open to him until we catch the rest of the gang ourselves, with indictable evidence against them.'

Til tell him,' said Dan Pringle. He looked at the Head of CID. 'Christ, Andy man, you look knackered.'

'I feel it,' the DCS confessed. 'I've been up most of the b.l.o.o.d.y night.'

'Karen no' sleeping, is she?'

'That was the night before last. No, we've got an operation going up in Edinburgh, and it took a bad turn on us. I wound up rousting three unsavoury citizens out of their bed ... and I mean bed ... at about half four.'

'Have you not been home since?'

Martin grinned. 'Sure, but by that time Karen was awake, and being sick.'

'She no' over that yet?'

'Not quite. I'm told we go on to cravings next; spam and mango pizzas at two in the morning, that sort of thing.'

244.

AUTOGRAPHS IN THE RAIN.'Not necessarily. With my wife it was just baked beans; but they can bring problems of their own . . . especially in the winter, when ye canna'

sleep with the windows open.'

'Anyway,' said the Head of CID, steering the discussion back on to professional lines. 'With one thing and another, I decided to scrub the Monday briefing altogether and come down to Gala to see you instead.

'Give me a state-of-play report on the fish farm investigations.'

Pringle nodded. 'Sure, but let me get McGurk in.' He stepped out of his office for a few seconds, and returned with the bean-pole sergeant following behind.

'Right sir,' he began. 'The story so far.

'We have Raymond Anders in custody and charged. He denies killing the girl, but admits to driving one of the trucks at the Alvarez place.

'We have Mercy Alvarez spending the night on which her farm was raided in bed with Glenn Lander, after having dinner with a.s.sistant Chief Constable Chase and Mrs Chase, who stayed long enough to clear them of any possible involvement in the robbery.

'We have Glenn Lander spending the night on which his farm was raided in bed with Mercy Alvarez, having entertained another cousin until just after midnight.

'We have Raymond Anders making contact with Glenn Lander at Raeburn Place on the afternoon after his farm was done, we believe to tell him that the stock had been moved successfully.

'We have the robbery taking place the day before Anders was due to meet Kath Adey to sell her a security system.

'We have the gang going along to Country Fresh prepared to restrain and blindfold the girl, only for her to be killed when she fights back.'

Martin nodded. 'Yes to all those; we've got Anders and through Jack's sighting at the Accies match, a strong link to Glenn Lander.