White Nights - Ann Cleeves [123]
‘Did he say what sort of work it was?’
‘“Promotional street theatre”.’ Perez could hear the quotation marks in Taylor’s voice, thought that might describe the pantomime at the cruise ship and in Lerwick. He wasn’t sure it covered the drama at the Herring House though.
‘Rita thought it was weird that he’d consider doing work like that. She said usually he was a bit picky. He liked real theatre, not the arty stuff. She thought it would be some sort of conceptual theatre – whatever that is – because he said it was linked to an art gallery. When I told her what was actually involved she said she was surprised he hadn’t just left and come home. It wasn’t acting at all. A kid straight out of school could put on a costume and hand out a few flyers. And Booth could be very arsy when it came to work.’
‘So she thought he’d been hired to do the work by the gallery?’
‘That was the impression he gave at first. Later he said what a great opportunity it was – a chance to get close to a real celebrity. “This could be my big chance, darling. The time to hit the jackpot. My little bit of luck. And if I hadn’t been watching the telly the other night, I’d never have known.”’ He went all mysterious on her after that. She didn’t really take any notice. He was always talking about hitting the big time. All actors do.’
Perez sat for a moment in silence, wondering how this information fitted in with his ideas about the case.
‘Do you have any idea which television programme he was talking about?’
‘Wouldn’t it have been that documentary about Roddy Sinclair?’
Perez didn’t watch much television, but the uncertain theories in his head about how Booth had died suddenly shifted and came into focus.
‘What documentary would that be?’
‘It was one of a series. Sort of a fly-on-the-wall look at contemporary artists. The cameras followed Roddy round for a week.’
‘I think I read about it in the Shetland Times,’ Perez said. ‘The BBC came here to film him during the music festival last year.’ Then he remembered that Kenny had talked about it and been involved in it too.
‘Some of it was set in Glasgow. Him playing at a folk club, meeting up with his friends, talking about his music – but there were a couple of scenes in London and quite a long piece filmed in Shetland. The Herring House featured, I think, and there was an interview with Bella. I remember one part where they followed Roddy into the Biddista shop – there was a bit of banter with the customers – and another of him playing music in the school where he used to go.’
‘The high school?’
‘Nah, these were little kids. It must have been the local primary.’
‘In Lerwick?
‘Out in the wilds somewhere, I thought.’
‘Can we track down a copy of the film?’ Perez asked.
‘If you think it’s important.’
Perez didn’t answer, but he was thinking it would confirm to him who’d killed three people. Proving it, though, would be quite a different matter.
Perez arrived at Middleton School just as the children were leaving. He’d asked Taylor if he’d like to come too, thought Taylor could do with a break from the incident room, some fresh air, cold turkey from the caffeine. And if Perez did the driving he might even catch some sleep in the car. But the conversation with Booth’s agent seemed to have had a strange effect on Taylor. He sat at his desk, frowning, oblivious to the activity around him. He was quite still. The restlessness and fidgeting seemed finally under control. He didn’t even ask why Perez wanted to go to Middleton. He seemed preoccupied with concerns of his own.
‘Are you OK?’
Taylor turned then, flashed a grin, which immediately disappeared.
‘Yeah, fine. Things on my mind. You know. Nothing to do with this case. Work-related, stuff happening back in Inverness.’
Perez didn’t think he could push it. They’d reestablished a delicate balance in their friendship. He wanted to keep things that way.
It was classic Shetland weather, breezy with flashes of bright sunshine,