"Back to your cells!" but the response was not immediate.
He turned and walked purposefully toward one particular officer, knocking against his elbow as he passed by.
"Look where you're going, Leach," said Pascoe.
"Sorry, guv," said Leach, and continued on his way.
***
Danny made his way back upstairs. He knew that Big Al would have already reported to surgery, but he was surprised that Nick wasn't in the cell. He sat down at the table and stared at the photo of Beth still sellotaped to the wall. It brought back memories of Bernie. They would have been at their local watching the match together, if... Danny tried to concentrate on the essay that had to be handed in by tomorrow, but he just went on looking at the photo, trying to convince himself that he didn't miss her.
Suddenly the shriek of a klaxon echoed around the block, accompanied by the sound of officers screaming "Back to your cells!" Moments later the cell door was pulled open and an officer stuck his head in. "Moncrieff, where's Big Al?"
Danny didn't bother to correct him-after all, he was still wearing Nick's watch, ring and silver chain, which had been given to him for safekeeping-and simply said, "He'll be at work in the hospital."
When the door slammed shut, Danny wondered why he hadn't asked where he was. It was impossible to concentrate on his essay with so much noise going on all around him. He assumed some overexuberant prisoner was being carted off to segregation in the aftermath of the English victory. A few minutes later the door was pulled opened again by the same officer, and Big Al ambled in.
"Hello, Nick," he said in a loud voice before the door was slammed shut.
"What's your game?" asked Danny.
Big Al placed a finger on his lips, walked across to the lavatory and sat down on it.
"They cannae see me while I'm sitting here, so look like yer working and don't turn roon."
"But why-"
"And don't open yer mooth, just listen." Danny picked up his pen and pretended to be concentrating on his essay. "Nick's topped himself."
Danny thought he was going to be sick. "But why-" he repeated.
"I said don't speak. They found him hangin' in the showers."
Danny began to pound the table with his fist. "It can't be true."
"Shut up, ya stupid fucker, and listen. I wis in surgery when two screws came rushing in-one of them said, 'Sister, come quickly, Cartwright's topped himself.' I knew that wis balls, 'cause I'd seen ye at the football a few minutes before. It hud tae be Nick. He always uses the shower when he's least likely tae be disturbed."
"But why-"
"Don't worry about why, Danny boy," Big Al said firmly. "The screws and the sister ran off, so I was left on ma own fur a few minutes. Then another screw turns up and marches mi back here." Danny was now listening intently. "He told me it wis you who'd committed suicide."
"But they'll find out it wasn't me as soon as-"
"No, they won't," said Big Al, "because I hud enough time tae switch the names on yer two files."
"You did what?" said Danny in disbelief.
"You heard me."
"But I thought you told me the files are always locked up?"
"They are, but no during surgery, in case sister needs tae check on someone's medication. And she left in a hurry." Big Al stopped talking when he heard someone in the corridor outside. "Keep writing," he said, and stood up, returned to his bed and lay down. An eye peered through the spyhole then moved on to the next cell.
"But why did you do that?" Danny asked.
"Wance they check his fingerprints and his blood group, they're gonnae go on thinkin' it's you who topped himself because ye couldnae face another twenty years in this shite-hole."
"But Nick had no reason to hang himself."
"I know," said Big Al. "But as long as they think it wis you on the end ay that rope, there's no gonnae be an inquiry."
"But that doesn't explain why you switched..." began Danny. He went silent for some time, before adding, "So I can walk out of here a free man in six weeks' time."
"Ye catch on fast, Danny boy."
The blood drained from Danny's face as the consequences of Big Al's impetuous action began to sink in. He stared at the photo of Beth. He still wouldn't be able to see her, even if he did manage to escape. He'd have to spend the rest of his life pretending to be Nick Moncrieff.