The Amulet by William Meikle

report on Edward Macey?"
    "Nothing," Jimmy said. "He's squeaky clean. His daddy got him the job. I suspect he pulls the wings off flies in the quiet of his own home, but he's too scared of losing his position in society to do anything even slightly dodgy. Now his daddy-he was another story."
    "Bent?" I asked.
    "As a nine-bob note. He was into everything he could get his hands on."
    "Could he be the fence for the amulet?" I said.
    "Not unless his health has improved. Last I heard he was in a nursing home in Skelmorlie. He had a stroke-a massive one."
    "And there's no chance the boy is involved?"
    "Next to none. He's chasing some society blonde-it would queer his pitch if there was anything dodgy going on."
    Yet another dead-end. I had to start finding roads that went somewhere.
    "Remember the photo," Jimmy said, and hung up on me.
    Next I phoned Doug.
    "Any joy on the case?" he asked.
    "Nothing yet. This town is like the three wise monkeys-nobody's heard, seen, or said anything."
    "So, when are we going for a beer?" he said.
    "Not until the case is over," I said. "It's getting a bit complicated. Have you still got Internet access at home?"
    "Yes. Do you need something?"
    "Anything you can get on Arthur or Artie Dunlop."
    "The one that's been in the papers? The gangland guy?" he said.
    "That's the one," I replied, and another thought came to me. A coincidence that might turn out to be something else entirely.
    "And while you're at it, can you cross reference with Gilbert and Sullivan or The Mikado ?" I asked.
    "Weird shit," Doug said. "What do you hope to find?"
    "Anything, nothing, I don't know. I just thought I'd keep you away from the porn for a wee while."
    There was an embarrassed silence on the other end of the line before he spoke again.
    "Come on, Derek. You know I only use the web for research."
    "Oh yeah," I said. "Etruscan strippers, Aztec nudes... that kind of thing? I've heard there's some good sites depicting Babylonian orgies that have great pictures of dusky maidens with big knockers."
    He gave me a nervous giggle.
    "I could tell you where to find them, but then I'd have to kill you. I'll see what I can do on your query. Ring me tomorrow," he said abruptly, and hung up on me.
    I liked being around Doug. It was just too easy to wind him up. I'd have to stop it...sometime when it wasn't quite as much fun.
    When I turned away from the phone there was a little old lady waiting behind me.
    "Have you finished, son?" she said. "Only I need to phone my boy...he had an appointment with the consultant in the Western General this morning about getting a wee problem with his waterworks sorted out and...."
    I stopped her. I knew the type-let her get started and you would be there for twenty minutes or more.
    "That's okay, I'm finished," I said.
    "Thanks, son," she said. "I just hope it's not one of those new fangled phones. I can't be doing with all this technology. It was much easier in the old days when..."
    "Excuse me," I said, and brushed past her. "My coffee's getting cold."
    "Oh, I cannae abide cold coffee," she said. "I remember the time when..."
    I turned away from her, but she'd already aimed her conversation at one of the waitresses, and kept going without even breaking flow. It would be some time yet before her son got a phone call-I thought he might be relieved at that.
    * * *

I spent the rest of the afternoon drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, and hoping that Durban wouldn't leave the shop until I'd had a chance to speak to Eileen. The clock clicked, painfully slowly, around to three.
    I was on my fifth cup of coffee, and feeling over-heated and bloated when Eileen touched my arm and sat down opposite me.
    "You're a savior," I said. "Watch the antiques shop. If Durban comes out, give me a shout."
    She spoke to me, but I didn't hear. I was already on my way to the washroom. Only another man will understand the blessed relief that visit gave me. I was thankful that she was still looking out across the road when