Phosphate Rocks Chapter 41: Aladdin's Lamp

The clock ticks. A thin red hand moves inside a silver rim, progressing smoothly round the moon faced circle, passing the black numerals on a white face, one by one. There are two living people in Torphichen Street Police Station Interview Room Number 2: retired factory worker John Gibson and Detective Inspector Rose Irvine. They are looking at a tray that contains the last possessions of a third person, deceased, identity unknown. 

‘So,’ she says. ‘Let’s see where we are.’ She stares at the tray of objects. ‘Fraser Docherty is accounted for.’ 

Her sleeve slides back as she picks up the nutmeg grater and places it to one side, exposing a bare forearm lightly freckled and dusted in soft pink down. Today her scent has more citrus about it: a woman without brand loyalty. 

‘These were last seen with Blind Willy…’ She moves the elephant and sunglasses onto the table beside the grater. ‘But you attended his cremation, and we have his death certificate, which rules him out.’ 

‘Tall Willy is in China looking at steam engines,’ she continues. The air horn and key ring join the other three objects. 

‘Poor Polly McKay drowned. Her bairn was taken into care.’ She drapes the flower bullet on the silver chain around the neck of the Barbie doll and slides the legs of the doll through the hole at the top of the grater, forming a silver skirt a little less lustrous than the former platinum ballgown.  

‘Keith, the design engineer, is on time and budget on another project.’ She slips the arm of the doll through the brass washer, giving her an oversized bracelet.  

‘And any number of men in the SAI received one of these bottles of contraband whisky from Big Stu at some point in their career.’ She feeds the hairy string into the empty bottleneck and watches it twirl. 

‘Which leaves us with this.’ She points to the tenth object on the tray.