As ever, Dr Marjorie Turner gave me insights into the pathology that I needed to know, particularly for the first death in the story. Imagination is one thing, bringing it into a credible fashioning of reality is quite another! Detective Sergeant Mairi Milne was also there to help me with details on a regular basis. Hard to remember when she was a wee lassie in my Second Year English class and I was her teacher. Seems the other way round nowadays!
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Detective Inspector Steven McMillan who gave me his time and insight into the sex trafficking case that was a joint operation between Slovakia and Glasgow. Listening to his stories as we sat together at Gartcosh, the Scottish Crime Campus, was a real privilege. (Imagine making up a story then finding its real counterpart happening practically on my doorstep!)
Thanks to Chris at the Apple Store, Braehead, who fixed my Mac when I was in despair: you were efficient and kind in equal measure.
Writing this book has given me different insights and reminded me of the important things in life: my friends, my family (John, the real Bird Man; Suzy, who shares my passions for words and gardens) and most of all, my beloved husband, Donnie. Thanks, my love, for sticking with me all this time!
Alex Gray, 2017
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Acknowledgements