Murder at Flood Tide

by Robert McNeill

  ‘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

  Connie Fairbairn – murdered girl

  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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