‘You mean because I had to get up early?’
‘Yes. You were up before I was.’
‘I was, wasn’t I?’
‘You think we should do something about it?’
‘You’ve still got some Absolut?’
‘The bottle’s almost a half-full.’
‘Mmm,’ Mason said. ‘I’d better leave my car here.’
‘You’d better.’
‘Because you don’t want to tempt fate?’
‘Uh-huh,’ Knox said. ‘I think I’ve got all the temptation I can handle.’
The End
List of characters
Officers based in Edinburgh:
Detective Inspector Jack Knox – head of the Major Incident Inquiry team based at Gayfield Square Police Station, Edinburgh
Detective Sergeant Bill Fulton – Knox’s partner, second member of the Major Inquiry Team
Detective Constable Yvonne Mason – third member of the Major Inquiry Team
Detective Constable Mark Hathaway – fourth member of the Major Inquiry Team
Detective Chief Inspector Ronald Warburton – senior detective at Gayfield Square Police Station
Detective Inspector Edward (Ed) Murray – forensics officer with the Scottish Police Authority (SPA)
Detective Sergeant Elizabeth (Liz) Beattie – forensics officer and Murray’s assistant
Sergeant Cox – bereavement counselling officer based at St Leonard’s Police Station, Edinburgh
Gartcosh team:
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Naismith – officer in charge
Detective Inspector Charles Reilly
Detective Sergeant Gary Herkiss
Detective Sergeant Arlene McCann
Other officers:
Detective Sergeant Bob Lightfoot – photofit specialist
Detective Chief Inspector Ross Miller – liaison officer
Chief Superintendent Mullin – chair of tribunal
Chief Superintendent Dave Ramsey – tribunal officer
Chief Superintendent Nigel McCrone – tribunal officer
Chief Inspector Brian Forsyth – officer representing Mason
Detective Chief Inspector George Laidlaw – officer representing Reilly
Superintendent Sean Grainger – Armed Response Control officer
Sergeant Gordon Taylor – head of armed response team at Merchiston
Detective Inspector Stewart Campbell – Dumfries and Galloway control officer
Sergeant McCarthy – head of armed response team at Thornhill
Police Constable Rory Gifford – marksman on McCarthy’s team
Detective Inspector Quinn – investigating officer with the Broxburn office
Police Constable Cullen – officer with DI Quinn at Broxburn
Detective Inspector June Short – ballistics forensic specialist
Detective Inspector Brian Fraser – ballistics forensic specialist
Detective Inspector Dave Keller – officer at Penicuik police station
Sergeant Byers – Traffic officer
Police Constable Lyall – Traffic officer
Others:
Alexander Turley – pathologist
Peter Taylor – Longniddry resident who discovers Connie Fairbairn’s body
Mrs Ellen Fairbairn – murdered girl’s mother
John Masters – pseudonym used by the killer
Shona Kirkbride – Connie Fairbairn’s friend
Joe Turner – a man Masters meets at the Quaich pub, Grassmarket
Glenn Carnegie – Radio Forth news announcer
Roy Duttine – assistant manager at Bungo’s
Evie Lorimer – girl Masters picked up at Doonan’s pub
George Lawton – owner of Jackson’s Garage and stockist of Byrona tyres
Jackie Lyon – Central Lowland Television’s senior news reporter
Donald Russell – owner of Bluebird Parcel Services
Walter Coates – independent courier
Lee Spence – independent courier
Willie McGeevor – used van dealer based in Broxburn
Scott Reynolds – McGeevor’s business partner
Shafiq Khan – Bluebird courier
Maureen Somerville – Bluebird courier
Deborah Horsefall – Bluebird courier
Derek Norton – Bluebird courier
Mrs Norton – Derek’s wife
Jeff Norton – Derek’s son
Ryan Smeaton – Bluebird courier
Linda Smeaton – Ryan’s wife
Todd Mackenzie – Bluebird courier
Bernie Mackenzie – Todd’s father
Mrs Mackenzie – Todd’s mother
Archie and Elsie Grant – Master’s foster parents
Lena Weber – German tourist
Imke Fischer – German tourist
More fiction by Robert McNeill
Available on Kindle and in paperback:
THE INNOCENT AND THE DEAD
Book 1 of the DI Jack Knox mysteries
One girl is found dead – strangled in the woods. Another, the daughter of a rich, well-connected businessman, is kidnapped. Unassuming detective, Jack Knox, must solve these two cases. But the Edinburgh crime-solver will have a hard time getting his superiors to accept his unconventional methods. Will he gamble too much?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VWB8BBD/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VWB8BBD/
Other titles of interest
If you enjoy Scottish crime fiction, check out the best-selling nine-book series by Pete Brassett featuring DI James Munro and DS Charlotte West.
DI Munro is a burly Scottish policeman who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. DS West is an intelligent young woman, new to the force, with a lot to prove. When a missing person case lands on their desks, Munro is sceptical there is much to it but before long, a body is found.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SNV579K/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MKVVJ5/
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