 
The Heads of Ayr

By

Stuart Mackay

Copyright 2020 Stuart Mackay

Smashwords Edition

1

She took a hesitant step, breathing in the first fresh air she had tasted in days. She almost gagged as she tried to breathe in as much as she could, eventually with every breath she took she could feel her body being almost revitalised. She stretched and smiled at the pain as her dormant muscles came back to life, the enforced hibernation now over. Reluctantly she opened her eyes to the carnage that was unfolding in front of her; the bright lights after the prolonged darkness caused her to shield her eyes with her hands. Her hands were brushed away as she was barged aside as a man ran for his freedom, she turned to look back from where she had come from, an overcrowded tomb-like box that had been her prison for the past, she didn't know how long it had been. She could still taste the claustrophobic air and smell the decay of the people who never made it, her stomach wrenched but there was nothing to bring up, food and water were but a memory. An old woman staggered out the box, she managed to take two hesitant steps before her body gave up and she fell to the ground, the young woman thought about running over to help her fallen companion but an old man, most likely her husband reached for her and tried to pick her up but to no avail as he never had the strength, he just sat down next to her and waited for the inevitable. The young woman's eyes reluctantly scanned the people around her before focusing on her sister's lifeless body which was being trampled on as people ran for their lives, someone reached out to grab her but she managed to escape their grasp. She turned around and faced the barrier of bright headlights and flashing blue lights that were prevailing the dying embers of daylight, she didn't understand what was being shouted but she knew she had to run. She saw some of the others being dragged into the back of a van, the old woman who was standing next to her fell to the ground as if giving up, she looked up and motioned with her head to a gap between the cars before she was grabbed by two men and unceremoniously dragged to her feet without a fight, the young woman thanked her and ran, she had given up her freedom so she could escape. She ran as hard as she could, her legs wobbling slightly as the sensation of being free to move overwhelmed her, she ran through the gap between vans before someone grabbed her shoulder, she turned to face the man, he looked like a policeman, the uniform similar to the one they wore in her own country, she started to cry as she looked into the policeman's face, she knew it was over, her new life was just out of reach.

"Lynn?" the policeman said softly, he stared into the young woman's eyes, the eyes he had last seen 2 years previously, he shook his head, wiping away the memory of his beloved daughter.

He was brought back to reality when the young woman tried to shrug off his grasp. "Kawlunaa," she pleaded, her eyes now showing fear rather than a memory, her face smeared in dirt and her top ripped on the right-hand shoulder. "Kawlunaa," she pleaded again, her voice hoarse, a tear made its way down her face.

He looked at her and then the scene behind him, he turned back and stared into her eyes again, her eyes were now full of water as her tears were now in full flow, she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand before licking her hand to taste the salty moisture. He smiled at a memory of his daughter, the young woman in front of him smiled at him, he smiled back at her, even her smile brought back memories of Lynn. He turned his head and watched as his fellow officers were running about like Keystone cops as they tried in vain to catch everyone, "run," he said quietly to the young woman.

She didn't move, too shocked at being released, not fully comprehending or believing that she was free. The policeman gently pushed her away, she looked at him and bowed her head, "khwap jai," she said wiping away the tears from her eyes, "khwap jai," she repeated, she bowed again and then turned around and started to run away.

The policeman watched her run, for a brief moment he had stared into the eyes of his daughter, satisfied that he had made the correct decision he turned back and walked back to the melee that was still taking place.

"DS Devlin," barked a voice.

DS Dan Devlin's shoulders slumped slightly as he turned and walked over towards the man, "Sir," he replied as he turned briefly to watch a police van drive away before stopping a few feet away from his boss, he wasn't brave enough to take a further step forward, DI Dodds was infamous for his halitosis.

"A very successful night wouldn't you agree?" quizzed Dodds, he looked at the back of his hand rather than look at Devlin, more focused on a small scratch than his fellow officer.

Devlin looked towards the shipping container. The last of the bodies were being carried out and gently placed into the black van with its blacked-out windows. "People did lose their lives, Sir," the word Sir was encased in both sarcasm and disrespect but Dodds was too full of himself to notice.

"I guess they paid the price for freedom," he replied, chuckling lightly to himself.

"Prick," replied Devlin under his breath. "Do you not agree with the principle that people deserve a better life if they were prepared to travel in that," he pointed at the shipping container, his eyes focusing on a small panda toy just outside the container, it white patches now a mixture of mud and what looked like dried blood. "Do you not wonder how bad their lives were in their own country?"

Dodds shook his head. "As a police officer, I would have thought you would understand the rules and legalities of human trafficking."

"As a human, never mind," Devlin didn't feel the need to continue with the comment, he breathed in deeply and silently counted to ten.

Dodds continued ignoring what Devlin was about to say. "From what we can gather we managed to capture them all, well, apart it seems one that managed to escape your grasp, care to elaborate," he sneered when he said elaborate.

Devlin shrugged his shoulders. "One of those things Sir."

Dodds exhaled deeply causing Devlin to take a step backwards. "Look I know you have had some issues," he used air quotation fingers when he said issues, "but you have a job to do, we all have jobs to do and we all have people to answer to, you have been in my position, you should appreciate that I have to answer to upstairs as to why you let one of them escape."

Devlin clenched his fist and prepared himself for the consequences; he stared at the left check of Dodds's face and grinned at the image of his fist connecting with it.

"Sir," interrupted DC Kat Harper, she smirked slightly as she said the word, Sir. "Some of the press have arrived and they are looking for a statement." She smiled at him, Dodds eyes twinkled at the thought of the press hanging on to his every word, he smiled at Harper, yet another woman infatuated with him, he turned and stared at Devlin before marching regally towards the awaiting members of the press. "What a complete arse," stated Kat as she watched Dodds walk away, "if he was chocolate he would eat himself, or cover himself in it and wait until his imaginary harem of admirers licked it off his god-like body."

"You would need a lot of chocolate to cover that fat bastard," added Devlin with a grin towards his partner.

Kat looked at her watch, "its half past stupid o'clock, if we leave now, curry and a couple of beers," Devlin started to shake his head, "and a wee talk about why you let that young woman go. Get our stories straight, just in case," she turned and stared over towards Dodds who was being backlit by the light coming from a TV crew.

Dan Devlin nodded his head, "you are full of good ideas Cathubodua Harper," he grinned when he used her full name, her eyes narrowed as if contemplating some sort of revenge. "I just need to phone Alison and let her know." Kat nodded understandingly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Kat in-between a mouthful of her lamb and ginger Balti.

Dan nodded as he took a sip of his pint of Kingfisher and then placed the glass onto the beer mat; he moved the beer mat so it was perpendicular to the edge of the table. He looked at Kat, they had been partners for about six months before Lynn had died so she knew what he had been through, he turned his attention back to his Makai Ka Sewai pushing a piece of chicken around his plate, Kat allowed the silence, "she reminded me of Lynn," he eventually said, he gave up on the piece of chicken and tore off a chunk of Nan Bread.

"Ok, but if anyone asks, she kneed you in the nuts," replied Kat reaching for her vodka and very little coke. "Dodds really hates you," she started moving away from the subject of Lynn. "Any idea why?"

"Probably due to the fact that he took my job and that he thinks that one day I will get it back. He knows McMillan hates him."

"When you did get your promotion back, would you still share a curry with us mere mortals?" asked Kat.

"Promotion," he laughed, "I was ready to swing for Dodds before you came over tonight, this time next year you will be a DS and I will be in your position or more likely being given time to spend in my garden day after day. "

"DS Harper, I could get used to that." Kat grinned at him.

Dan shook his head, "have a life first before you get married to the force, being a DS or DI, let's just say I'm glad Alison is so forgiving about me cancelling plans all the time." He looked out the window and watched as people rushed by, "I missed a lot of things to do with the girls, I missed parent's nights, football games, the girls coming home having their hearts broken by, oh dad you wouldn't understand real love, boyfriends."

"So there were some good points then," joked Kat.

"Talking of boyfriends?" said Dan with a grin.

"Don't start," replied Kat cutting him off, "you want another beer?" she asked pointing at his glass with her fork.

Dan looked at his watch, "no its fine, the night is still young, you go out and enjoy yourself, go and break some hearts."

It took Kat 2 seconds to deem that this was a good idea, "you're the boss," she replied with a salute.

"I think Emma is out tonight as well, no doubt you will bump into her." His eyes giving a slight look of fear when he spoke.

"I'll look out for her and, you know, make sure she doesn't do anything crazy," she replied, her eyes full of mischief.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Dan replied, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, "tonight's on me, go out and have some fun."

Kat stood up and started to put on her jacket, "thanks boss," she paused for a moment, "is Alison home?" There was a look of concern on her face.

Dan smiled at her, "yeah she's home, don't worry I'm not going back to an empty house," he noticed her expression, "Pamela is visiting for a few days so I'm not exactly being missed; sisters," he added with a way of an explanation.

"Good luck," replied Kat, she had met Pamela a few times and she was unique to put it politely.

When Dan got home he briefly spent time with his wife and her sister before retreating to the sanctuary of the loft and the little haven he had created, rows of books on one side, rows of CD's on the other, the only other items in the room was his armchair and his Bang and Olufsen music system, well apart from tonight, Yards his trusty German Short Haired Pointer was curled at his feet, he was no doubt escaping Pamela as well, both of them spent the rest of the night losing themselves in the music of Pink Floyd, John Lee Hooker and Leonard Cohen. The only lapse in their music bliss was when Leonard Cohen's, "Famous Blue Raincoat," breezed into life; Dan cast his mind back to the young woman who earlier on tonight had reminded him of Lynn.

2

Dan woke early, his sleep interrupted by images of the young woman, he turned and looked at his sleeping wife, content that he hadn't woken her. He quietly got out of bed and made his way out the bedroom, he passed by Emma's room and listened to the gentle drunken snores escaping through the slightly ajar door, he smiled as it meant that Emma had got home, she always did, it was just a fatherly instinct to be sure, he continued down the hall and passed what had been Lynn's room, it was now the spare room, he had met some families that had left the rooms of their loved ones a shrine as if they weren't really dead, they were just down the shops or something. When he heard the foghorn snores coming from the room he wished they had kept it a shrine and not somewhere Pamela could pollute the peaceful tranquillity of an early morning.

He quietly walked down the stairs missing the creaky step as Lynn had called it and made his way into the kitchen, he opened the fridge and brought out the fresh orange, he took a glass from the cupboard next to the fridge and poured a generous amount into the glass before draining the fresh orange in one go, he put the carton back into the fridge and then washed the glass out before placing it gently onto the dish drainer. He looked out the window and smiled as the first rays of sunshine basked the early morning, he heard a noise and turned to see Yards coming into the kitchen, "morning Yards," he whispered to the dog, Yards wagged his tail in reply, "want to go for a run?" he asked the dog, Yards wagged his tail even faster.

Dan parked the car at the end of Maryborough Road and both he and Yards got out, before he knew anything Yards was already on the beach chasing the seagulls, this was where Dan always came to run, if the tide was out he would run on the sand towards Prestwick, if the tide was in he would use the esplanade.

Dan ran down the ramp and onto the sand, he looked ahead as far as he could and couldn't see anyone else on the beach, he whistled for Yards, the dog gave up on its frantic chase on the seagulls and ran towards Dan. Once he was close by Dan started his run, this was where he could think clearly, there were no distractions apart from the occasional jellyfish that were lying on the sand waiting for the tide to come back in. Dan was about 100 meters past the sailing club when he spotted someone, he normally saw the man about twice a week, he would nod politely as he ran past and the man would sometimes nod back or more than likely be lost in his metal detecting, listening for a beep that would make him rich, Yards, on the other hand, would always grab his attention as he danced around the metal detector, hoping it was some strange new game.

Dan reached the turning point of his run as he touched the wall of the old outdoor swimming pool, it closed around the same time as he was born but his grandfather often talked about the biggest swimming pool in Scotland, he did remember playing in a small outdoor kids pool and the crazy golf course next to it, with one hole being a concrete hill with the hole on the top of it, no matter how many shots he took he could never get the ball in the hole; a perfect day on the beach would finish with a trip to the café at Prestwick cross and having the best ice cream in the world and if it was a really special day he would have some Curries Red Kola.

Dan was brought back to reality by a woman talking to him; he shook himself from his daydream and turned towards her, "Mrs Jackson, sorry I was miles away, how are you?"

The woman smiled at him, "I'm doing fine DI Devlin."

"Good, but it's now DS Devlin," he shook his head, "long story, please its Dan," he said but she never called him by his first name, he smiled at her, "how is Karla?"

The woman smile widened, "she is sitting her exams this year, she is a brainy little thing, I don't know where she gets her brains from."

"I'm glad she is doing well, I hope she passes all her exams." Yards walked over towards them and sat down, his eyes full of excitement, his hair wet from the sea, "Yards say hello to Mrs Jackson," Yards barked lightly.

"Hello to you too," she turned her attention back to Dan, "well I won't keep you from your run, I just wanted to say hello, and thanks again for, everything."

Dan nodded his head, "I'm glad Karla is doing well; it's good when your job has a positive result, makes up for the bad days," he wasn't sure if he was saying this to Mrs Jackson or himself.

He watched Mrs Jackson walk back along the beach and up the ramp towards her car, he normally saw her every few months, he stopped asking why she was at the beach so early in the morning, it was just her way of saying thanks for what he had done.

He started to run back along the beach to where he had parked his car, he turned his gaze to his right and looked across the sea towards the Isle of Arran, then the tail end of the Mull of Kintyre and finally towards Ailsa Craig, if it was a clear day he would sometimes see the faint outline of Northern Ireland. Yards was running along playing a game with the tide, zig-zagging to avoid the water, Dan thought it looked like fun so he ran over to join him, Yards then thought it would be funnier to jump up on Dan as the tide came in resulting in Dan losing his balance and falling headfirst into the water, when he stood up Yards was far off in the distance, no doubt laughing at him. Dan looked at the curve in the beach and decided to swim back towards the car; he checked his pocket first to make sure his car keys were safely zipped away, he knew his keys would still work as this wasn't the first time he had swam back to his car, but he normally swam back in the summer, not at the start of spring.

He walked out the water and saw the Yards was sitting watching him, his head slightly bowed, "think your funny dog?" Yards stood up and started wagging his tail, "I'll send you to live with Pamela," Yards barked at him. They walked back to the car and Dan opened the boot, he took off his sodden trainers and socks and put on a pair of flip flops, he grabbed a towel and dried himself the best he could before putting the towel on the driver's seat, he then looked at Yards who was wet and covered with sand, Dan opened the rear doors and Yards jumped inside, Dan smiled at the thought that the next person who would probably be sitting in the back would be Pamela.

They arrived back at the house just as everyone else was getting up for the day. "Morning," he chirped at the 3 women who were nursing coffees around the kitchen table, Emma smiled at him through her hangover, but the less experienced Alison and Pamela only winced at his happiness, Yards wasn't as brave as he walked over and lay down on his bed, "you should have joined me for a run, it would have helped clear your head."

Dan walked over to the fridge and opened it before quickly closing it again, "why don't I take you lovely women to Monkton Lodge for breakfast, Pamela you can come as well," he added with a grin. Silent glances between the women deemed this to be a good idea, "ok then, car leaves in 10 minutes," announced Dan as he headed off for a shower.

Dan drove Alison's car as the whole back seat of his own was still wet, he didn't want to upset Emma. The women had found their appetite and were helping themselves to the buffet, when both Pamela and Alison were up getting another round of bacon, Emma looked at her dad. "I saw Kat last night."

"Hope she was behaving herself," Dan replied with a mouthful of sausage.

Emma looked to make sure the others were out of earshot, "are you ok?" she asked with a worried look on her face.

Dan smiled at his daughter, "I'm fine, I don't know, there was just something about her, she reminded me of Lynn."

"We all miss her," Emma cut herself a bit of egg before continuing, "I still can't listen to Madness without remembering her dancing like a dafty to Baggy Trousers."

"Yeah, but she called it Raggy Trousers."

"That's right," they both started to laugh at the memory.

"What are you two laughing about?" asked Alison as she returned to the table closely followed by Pamela.

"Just something Kat did last night," replied Emma.

"She's a crazy one our Kat," said Alison, "but she keeps him on his toes," she used her fork to point at Dan resulting in the button mushroom that was at the end of it to bounce off Dan's chin.

Their laughter caused a few heads to turn their way. "So what are your plans for today?" asked Dan.

Emma shook her head, "start work at 6, swapped with Tracy, date night," date night was said with wide eyes.

"Me and Pamela are getting the train to Glasgow, shopping," shopping was said with wide eyes, Dan groaned lightly at the thought of the next Visa bill. "What time does your shift start today?"

Dan looked at his watch, "in about three hours." Dan looked at his empty plate and then at the buffet, he got up and went over for a refill.

He walked into the office and sat down at his desk, he looked across at the already seated Kat, she was hugging a large cup of coffee, "boss," she croaked at him.

"Good night?"

"I think so," she replied, she lowered her head and sipped some coffee, no doubt the thought of lifting the mug would have been too strenuous.

"Emma said you were up to your usual standards."

She held up her hand, "my bad."

A uniformed police officer entered the room and caught Dan's attention, "McMillan wants to see you, Sir," he then looked at Kat, but quickly looked away, his face turning red. "Both of you."

Dan shook his head. "Any idea why?"

The police officer stared blankly at him, "as if they would tell me anything," he replied before making a hasty exit.

Dan and Kat looked at each other, "you didn't do anything stupid last night?" he asked Kat.

She thought for a moment, "no more than usual," as she stood up she looked at him, "did you?" Dan looked at her, "you didn't do a runner last night from the restaurant?"

"I still have the receipt," he replied patting his pocket.

"Maybe he just wants to have us over for coffee and biscuits," joked Kat.

"Speaking of which," he nodded to her mug, "finish your coffee."

"Come in," barked McMillan after Dan had chapped his office door, they both walked in, "take a seat," he ordered pointing to the two chairs positioned in front of his desk, both of them quickly sat down. "Do you know why you are both here?" Dan and Kat pointed at each other, McMillan laughed. "You're both right."

"What's Dodds said now?" asked Dan.

"He states that you let one of the container people escape last night," McMillan held up his hand to silence Kat before she said anything.

"Why is Kat here then if the problem is with me?" asked Dan.

McMillan shook his head and looked at Kat; "first thing first," he turned his attention back to Dan. "Look we know Dodds is a little shit, and once he gets his transfer to Glasgow you can get your old job back," he smiled weakly at him, "but for now he is your boss and a complaint has been made."

"And you are dishing out my punishment before he has me cleaning out the toilets with my tongue," replied Dan with a grin.

"Got it in one," he looked at Dan, "tomorrow you are in uniform."

Dan thought for a moment, "oh no."

"I'm afraid so," replied McMillan.

"Am I missing something?" asked Kim, her gaze alternating between both men.

"Cumnock are playing Auchinleck Talbot." Dan looked towards the floor and shook his head. "And it's a cup game."

Kat looked at Dan with a confused look on her face and then turn her attention towards McMillan, "eh boss."

McMillan clasped his hands together; the noise brought Dan back from his mood infused slump, "DC Harper, where do I begin?"

"What did you do Kat?" asked Dan hesitantly.

McMillan picked up a piece of paper, "by the looks of things you had quiet the night last night," Kat looked at him confusingly. "Seems you got thrown out of Rockets for helping yourself to the vodka."

"I can explain," said Kat.

He held up his hand, "don't worry Rockets are not pressing charges," he started to read the paper again, "you then proceed to sing, "hit me baby one more time," from the middle of the roundabout across from the bus station, don't worry Britney Spears will not be pressing charges for murdering her song."

"I can explain," repeated Kat.

"We are still not finished," Dan shook his head, Kat just slumped in her chair, "when two of your fellow officers arrived at the scene, you proceeded to flash them, lucky for you neither are pressing charges or had a camera phone at the ready; in fact, PC Wilson wants your phone number."

"Lucky for them," Kat responded under her breath.

Dan looked at her, "so quiet night then Kat."

"Someone must have spiked my drink," she replied with little confidence.

"Yes, well, you will be joining DS Devlin at the game tomorrow," ordered McMillan. "Oh, and one last thing, police cars are not taxi's, no matter how nicely you ask, or what you offer."

Kat stared at him, she could recall the singing, just, but she had no idea about a police car taxi, "must have been a good night," she thought to herself.

"Thanks boss," said Devlin as he got to his feet, Kat watched him and then did the same.

"Try and stay out of Dodds's way," replied McMillan, "both of you."

3

It was an hour before kick-off and Dan and Kat were sitting with several other officers in a police van, all of them looking out the window as the rain bombarded the ground, Dan wiped away the condensation from the window again and took another sip of what had been described as coffee from the polystyrene cup that was adding to the unique taste, all eyes in the van were fixed on a group of teenagers who were walking towards the turnstiles of Cumnock's Townhead Park, one of them went over to the police horse and pointed at its undercarriage, everybody could guess what he was pointing at and making jokes about it with his comrades, "maybe they will call off the game," offered one of the officers but they all silently knew this was wishful thinking. The police radios came to life reporting fighting outside some of the local pubs, nobody in the van made a move to help their fellow officers, someone opened the vans side door and throw out their coffee closely followed by a couple of other cups. A small group of old men were making their way to the ground, no doubt to stand at their spot, the same spot they had stood for the past 50 years. They were sharing a joke with each other, it was only when they got closer to the van that Dan could see that they were a mixture of Cumnock and Auchinleck fans, the men wearing their team coloured scarfs with pride or a sense of honour, several of the men turned towards the police van and nodded towards it, they had seen enough of these games to know it could be a crazy afternoon.

Midway through the first half Auchinleck took the lead, this led to a mini pitch invasion, Dan exhaled deeply before running onto the pitch and dragging supporters off it, one of his fellow officers wasn't so lucky as he slid on the wet grass and fell on his backside, at least it meant that for a brief second both sets of fans were allies again as they both cheered the fallen officer. The ref started the game again and all was well for about two minutes before someone threw a pie towards Dan, the pie exploded on the back of his neck causing grease and bits of pie to run down his back, he quickly turned round to scan the crowd to see if he could spot the person who had thrown the pie but all he saw was innocent faces, he turned back around and someone shouted, "you want ketchup with yer pie officer?" Dan turned back and growled at everyone who was staring at him.

"Bastards," he mumbled under his breath, the crowd quickly turned their attention back to the game as several of the players started to push each other as one of the Cumnock players lay withering on the ground, half the crowd cheered as the ref pulled out a red card and pointed it towards the Auchinleck number 7, this resulted in a section of the crowd questioning the ref as to if his mother and father were in fact married when he was born.

Half time arrived and the small kids in the crowd went on to the pitch and played an impromptu game of football. Several of the subs from both teams huddled together in the centre circle passing the ball to each other before retreating back to the dressing room as the rain started to fall again.

Cumnock had a player sent off early in the second half as his mistimed sliding tackle took out both an Auchinleck player and an assistant referee, the Auchinleck player aimed a kick at the Cumnock player and he too was sent off. Dan looked over to the other side of the pitch as he saw a fight break out between rival fans, then he looked towards the benches and saw that both managers were squaring up to each other, something else happened on the pitch resulting in another player from both teams heading for an early bath.

When the referee blew the full time whistle Cumnock had won the game 2 – 1 and there had been 6 red cards, both sets of fans made their way home with, "see you at work," being shouted at each other, well the lucky few were saying this, most would meet up at the dole office, the game was over and everyone was friendly again, most were friendly, there were still a few insults being shouted between rival fans, mainly consisting of peoples sisters or mothers or in extreme cases grannies.

There was a group of police officers in one of the rooms in the social club, the first-timers were just staring blankly at each other, the others who had been at the game before were laughing and joking and commenting about how it hadn't been that bad this year, a small cheer went up when someone came in with mugs of coffee, Dan looked over towards Kat and noticed the ashen look on her face, "you alright?" he asked her as he walked over towards her.

"That was crazy," she replied.

"That was nothing," replied Dan, "I've seen worse," Dan laughed at Kats expression, "Kat, for a lot of people around here, they live for that game, when the mines closed down lots -."

"Sorry," interrupted a police officer looking at Dan, he handed over a mobile phone.

Dan took the mobile and brought it to his ear, "Devlin."

"Dan, Maryborough Road Prestwick," replied McMillan, "bring Harper with you."

"Sir," replied Dan ending the call, he handed the phone back to the officer, "any ideas?"

The officer shook his head, "I've got a car waiting outside."

Dan turned towards Kat and felt a small piece of pie slide down his back, "we've been summoned," he looked towards the toilets, "back in a second," he walked into the toilet and stripped to the waist, he grabbed some paper towels and cleaned up his back the best that he could, he shook his t-shirt and smiled when bits of pie fell to the floor, he held up the t-shirt and shook his head at the stains that were now on the what was once white t-shirt, he walked over to the bin and throw the t-shirt inside, he had a quick look at his shirt and wiped away a small bit of meat from the collar and quickly put the shirt back on, once he was fully dressed he walked back out the toilets and followed the officer and Kat towards the car.

4

The car pulled up next to a police tent that was covering what was locally known as Bruce's Well, Dan got out the car and walked over towards McMillan, the rain had eased off and there was a rainbow over what were the remains of St Ninians church. "What have we got Sir?" he asked when he reached McMillan, the young officer who he had been talking to quickly took the opportunity to escape the bosses attention, she smiled quickly at Dan as if in acknowledgement that she may have escaped guard duty.

"We have a sick bastard," replied McMillan, he looked at Kat as she walked towards them, "has she got what it takes," he asked Dan quietly before Kat reached them.

"A crazy one outside of work, but a bloody good officer," Dan quickly replied.

"Enjoined the game, DC Harper?" McMillan asked with a grin.

She shrugged her shoulders, "if you can survive Argyll Street the Saturday before Christmas without punching someone you can survive anything."

McMillan stared at her, "my wife says the same thing, but normally about our marriage." He replied more to himself.

"So what's the surprise?" asked Dan nodding towards the tent.

McMillan looked down at the ground and kicked a loose stone, watching as it went further than he intended and quickly turned to look at Dan as a yelp from an officer was heard who had just been hit by said stone. "Your new case," Dan looked at him and then looked at the tent. "DI Dodds's wife went into labour, so..." he didn't carry on explaining. "Look the crime scene," he looked at the tent and then up at the rainbow, "it's only part of a body," he looked over Kat's shoulder and saw someone walking towards them, "Shit!" he exclaimed as he saw an old nemesis. "No comment Grant," he shouted at the journalist, "I'll get rid of this idiot," he said nodding towards the journalist, "you start your case," he walked past Kat and put a fatherly hand on her shoulder.

"Part of a body," said Kat quietly at Dan.

Dan started to walk towards the tent. He stopped and turned to look at Kat, a concerned look on his face. "Look, Kat, nobody will."

Kat cut him off with a wave of her hand, "thanks boss, but somebody needs to hold your hand if you get squeamish."

Dan walked into the tent first and saw the back of 2 SOCO's in their white jumpsuits, there was a third person to his right who was taking pictures of everything that they could, including both Dan and Kat, "DS Dan Devlin," announced Dan to the 3 scene of crime officers.

"Get yer arse outside and put a bloody bunny suit on," barked one of the SOCO's not bothering to turn round, "I can hear that you are not wearing one, I thought you were more professional than that."

A sheepish Dan and Kat backed out the tent ignoring the insults that were aimed at them. After they had suited up they went back into the tent, "you're a grumpy one this evening Dr Napier," a flash from the photographers camera momentarily blinded him, Dan shook his head trying to get his focus back, "I see your disciples, Jesus!" exclaimed Dan as he was blinded by another flash.

"That's enough Robbie," ordered Carol Napier, "we actually like this one," Carol lifted her head, she still hadn't turned around. She sniffed the air, "we also like the pretty one standing next to him, that's if Kat still wears Ghost."

"How do you know I wear Ghost?" asked a flabbergasted Kat.

"I can smell ambrette seeds," stated Carol proudly.

"Wow," replied Kat, "that's amazing."

Dan shook his head, "plus McMillan said he was sending us."

"Aye that too," replied Carol, still not turning around.

"Are you both blocking the body for a reason?" asked Dan to the 2 SOCO's officers who still hadn't turned around.

"There's no body to block," replied Carol matter of factly.

"What?" quizzed Kat, she looked down at the feet of the SOCO's and could only see 4 legs.

"Throw up outside if you need to," ordered Carol before eventually taking a step to the side.

"Well that's going to give me nightmares," announced Dan as he looked at the severed head that was on one of the spikes that made up the fence that surrounded the well. "Do we know where the rest of him is?" he gingerly asked.

"This is all we have found so far, nothing else around here or in the church remains. From the colour of the skin and the lack of blood, we can determine that this is merely the dumpsite, so the rest of him could be anywhere," concluded Carol.

"Has his mouth been stitched together?" asked Kat bravely taking a step forward, she was focusing on the mouth as the eyes were freaking her out, the cold dead stare sending a shiver down her spine.

"Indeed," replied Carol, "we will wait until we are back in the lab before opening up the stitches, any guesses as to what could be inside DC Harper?"

Kat giggled nervously before answering, "Hopefully a clue."

"Do we have an ID yet?" asked Dan taking back the control of the investigation.

Carol turned to look at him and then back at the body, "Aye, we ran fingerprints," she replied sarcastically. She exhaled deeply through her facemask, "once we are back at the lab, we can do dental records, ear analysis and other sciencey stuff," she continued in her sarcastic tone. "Sorry," she added in her normal tone, "I am supposed to be having a romantic meal with a very good looking young lawyer, but alas poor Yorick here has scuppered those plans, bloody heid the ba'."

"Any indications that he was alive when he," Dan paused for a second, "lost his head?"

The SOCO to Carols left giggled at the joke. "Don't encourage him Tanya." Carol looked at the head as if getting a second opinion, "I'm pretty confident that he was dead when it happened," she pointed with her pinkie at the neck, "it looks like the head was removed, skilfully, it's not frantic."

Dan nodded his head and quickly ran some ideas through his head, "so, doctor, butcher, surgeon, that type of person?"

"What about a vet or possibly a farmer, there is a lot of cattle farms in Ayrshire," added Kat.

"Looks like you have some leads," replied Carol, "as soon as we get an ID we will let you know."

"Thanks Carol," said Dan, he took one last look at the head and turned and walked out the tent.

"Hope your lawyer friend works out," added Kat before she followed Dan outside.

The rainbow and early evening light had been replaced by a now darker skyline, Dan gazed up at the gathering clouds and knew that rain was imminent; he looked over at the old remains of St Ninians church and started to walk towards them. He had grown up not far from here and this was one of the places he and his childhood friends use to come and explore, they had heard about Robert the Bruce and Bannockburn at school and the fact that he had stood where they were now standing made it seem all real. They were fascinated by the well that he had drunk from and gave his name to and in true schoolboy style wanted to drink from the same well and become a hero like him, this was until they found out he had drunk from the well to cure leprosy, and when one of the bigger boys from school told them that leprosy made your hands fall off, the petrified friends never ventured too close to the well until it was their turn to tell the story to the younger kids at school.

"You alright boss?" asked Kat as she approached Dan.

"Just remembering," he turned to look at her, "I grew up a few streets from here," he nodded towards where the well was hidden by the police tent, "when we were young you would dare someone to go to the bottom of the steps before the leprosy made your hand fall off."

"Leprosy," replied Kat, "what's leprosy got to do with anything."

"Don't they teach you anything at school these days," Dan shook his head, "Robert the Bruce," he stared at Kat, "tell me you know who he is."

"£20 pound note guy," replied Kat sarcastically.

"Aye, he's yer man. It's said he visited the well to cure his leprosy."

"And you think that finding someone's head is in some way related to leprosy?" asked Kat almost straight faced.

Dan shrugged his shoulders, "as daft as it sounds we might as well start with that theory." He looked up at the clouds and felt the first thick droplets of rain, "I'm going home for a change of clothes and a quick bite to eat and then head into the office, no doubt you have plans on a Saturday night, DC Harper."

She shook her head, "my first murder investigation, and some sicko has cut the guy's head off, no chance I'm missing that," Dan nodded approvingly at her, "you better phone Alison as there's an extra person for dinner, I'm going to text Emma and see if I can borrow a pair of jeans and t-shirt off her, oh and possibly that blue jacket I like." Dan just did what he was told; when it came to Kat and his family he would be in trouble if he said no.

Dan walked into the living room and the room fell silent, he looked at Kat and shook his head, "you know you are not allowed to discuss an open case, even with family members."

"We were actually discussing a birthday present for you next month," replied Alison.

Dan wasn't sure if he believed them or not, "oh," he replied as nonchalant as possible.

"C'mon Kat," ordered Emma as she stood up, "you grab a shower and I will look out some clothes for you," she turned towards her dad, "is a little black number too much for work?"

"I think so yes," he looked at his daughter, "Kat needs to look and act professional," he then turned to Kat, "even when she has had too much to drink, eh Britney."

"Britney?" asked Emma before being dragged away by Kat.

"Dinner will be ready soon; do you know how long you will be at work?" Alison asked him, a look of concern on her face.

"Might be a while," Dan replied, "the first forensic reports will be coming in and I need to get in touch with Carol Napier."

Alison nodded understandingly; she had met Carol a few times at various police dinners and fundraisers so she knew what type of work she was involved in. This also meant she knew what kind of investigation Dan was working on, they had an unwritten rule that they didn't talk about his work but Dan would say who he had to meet, it seemed to work for them, the fact that they were still married after 23 years when most police marriages lasted less than half that time proved that their system worked.

"Make sure you eat properly, both of you," Dan smiled at her, Alison had never really bothered with Dan's partners throughout the years, she was polite to them, they may have gone out to dinner as couples but that was about all, but Kat was different, they had only been partners for about 6 months before Lynn died but she became the rock they all came to, especially Emma, in no way was she replacing Lynn in the family unit, she was more the person to blame when an extra place at dinner was automatically set out, the nervous glances shared before someone would say that they thought Kat was coming round.

"Britney won't be long," announced a giggling Emma as she walked into the room before flopping onto her chair, "you ok mum?" she asked noticing the look on her face.

"I might have burnt the chicken," she lied as she got up and made her way into the kitchen.

"You know she likes to worry," added Dan, "keep a wee eye on her will you."

Emma nodded, "what about Kat?"

Dan nodded her head, "big mouth will be fine, she will prove a few people wrong."

"But it's her first, you know."

Dan stared at his daughter wondering where all the years had gone; she had probably seen some horrors as a nurse, "she will probably solve the case, raise a few eyebrows and then ruin it all by doing something stupid whilst drunk."

"Sounds like our Kat."

Alison came through from the kitchen and handed Dan a plate, "watch its hot," she warned him before going back into the kitchen, she returned a few seconds later and gave Emma a plate, "watch its hot," Dan and Emma grinned at each other, Alison went to the bottom of the stairs, "Kat, dinners ready," she shouted up the stairs, the sound of someone coming down the stairs like a herd of elephants indicated she had heard her, Kat walked into the living room, her hair all over the place and sat down on the sofa, a few seconds later Alison walked into the room, "watch it's hot."

"Smells amazing," replied Kat taking the plate from Alison.

"Thank you, Kat, I'm glad someone appreciated my cooking," this was followed by her staring at both Dan and Emma.

"Smells amazing," mimicked Dan when Alison walked out the room, Kat just stuck her tongue out at him.

Alison walked back into the room with her own plate; she gently slapped the back of Dan's head, "I heard that," before sitting down next to Kat.

Dan had finished his meal and was looking longingly at his wife, not out of love more the look for a desert, his mobile started to ring, he shared a nervous glance with Kat, "DS Devlin," he said as he answered the phone, he listened for a few seconds and looked at the clock on the wall, "we are on our way, thanks," he added before ending the call, "Carol has an ID on our guy."

"That was quick," replied an impressed Kat.

"Maybe he was in the system," he smiled weakly at Alison, "sorry we need to go," he paused for a second, "we also need to borrow your car, mine is at the station."

"I'll give you a lift," replied Emma.

"Thanks Em, bye love," he said to his wife before heading out the room.

"Thanks for the change of clothes," said Kat who then turned towards Alison, "and the dinner," she added with a smile.

"Be careful," Alison replied.

"Careful is my middle name," replied Kat.

5

"Thought you might be hungry," announced Dan holding up a pizza towards Carol.

"Sorry it doesn't come with a young lawyer," added Kat.

"That better have pepperoni on it," she eyed the box before turning back to her computer screen, "Victims name is Andrew Hopkins, 52 years old, originally from Saltcoats," she turned back to eye the pizza, the oven-fresh aromas taking over, "bugger it I'm starving, Kat you can read can't you?" she asked nodding towards the computer, Kat grinned at her and swapped places with Carol.

Dan watched as Carol grabbed the pizza box and took a slice of pizza, she folded the slice and crammed as much of it in her mouth as possible, several pieces of pepperoni fell back into the box, "not the usual level of professionalism Dr Napier."

Carol just stared at Dan, an evil look in her eyes, her mouth still moving frantically as the pizza worked its magic, Dan held up a finger and went into his jacket pocket and pulled out a can of Irn Bru before handing it to Carol, "thanks," she said as she swallowed the bit of pizza, "you will always be one of the good guys," she added a wink for good measure.

"Andrew Hopkins," began Kat as she took control of the room, "lived in Main Street Monkton, married to Iona, one son Grieg."

"Is he in the system?" asked Dan.

Kat tapped a few buttons on the keyboard and nodded, "domestic violence, but it never went to court." Dan nodded, Kat looked at him, "you don't think the wife did it?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"The most common murderer is someone the victim knew or was related to," Dan replied.

Kat nodded understandingly before she turned her attention back to the computer, she continued to read the screen to herself; she looked at Carol and then pointed at the screen. "I think I'll leave the technical stuff to the expert." Carol held up two fingers, "god you must be hungry."

Carol finished the remains of the can and smiled at Dan, she went back to her computer screen and Kat walked back to stand beside Dan, "the head was removed in one movement, it's a very clean-cut, no serrated edges to the weapon, the cut was from right to left, it was also a straight cut, and from what we can gather the victim was either on his knees at the time or was sitting on a chair."

"Any idea on what sort of weapon?" asked Dan.

Carol looked at him, "something very sharp, as I said it looks like it was done very cleanly and in one movement."

"Do you think it was done by a machine or by a human hand?" asked Kat.

Carol looked at her and then back at the screen, "machine," she said as if pondering the idea, "I would lean more towards a human doing this, there is something personnel about facing someone and decapitating them."

"What about a time of death?" asked Dan.

"Within the last 10 hours, I will know better when we run some more tests," Carol replied.

"Was he, alive?" Kat hesitantly asked.

Carol lowered her head ever so slightly, "Yes."

"Anyone else's DNA or?" Dan asked wishfully.

Carol shook her head, "we haven't found anything as yet." She grinned weakly, "We are still running tests."

"Was there anything in his mouth when you opened it?" asked Kat.

"Early indications are that the mouth was stitched together to stop the screaming, there are signs that the victim tried opening his mouth, one of the stitches on the left-hand side of his lips was ripped through." A ping from Carol's other computer distracted her, she turned to the computer shaking the mouse to waken the screen, she pressed a few buttons on the keyboard, she read what was on the screen, she turned towards Dan and Kat who were now leaning forward, she laughed lightly at them, both were probably unaware that they were leaning so far forward. "Nothing," she said more to herself than the others. She turned to Dan, "I need the rest of the body, has anything been found yet?"

Dan shook his head, "nothing so far, going by how the head was found we can presume that the body will be somewhere public, the person who did this is after publicity."

"You reckon they are making some sort of statement?" asked Kat.

"The body wasn't hidden or buried, meaning the killer wants to show something either to the police or someone in particular," he turned to Kat, "we need to start with Andrew Hopkins, he knew or had contact with his killer. This wasn't some nutjob watching too many movies and thinking I could do that, this was something personal."

"Ok, where are we starting then, family, friends or workmates?" asked Kat.

Dan looked at her and grinned, "home is where the heart is, maybe the rest of the body is in their freezer."

"Using humour as an escape from reality Dan, I thought you were more professional than that," said Carol as she turned her attention back to her computer.

"I know," replied Dan nodding his head, "most officers use the bottom of a glass as a means of escape, but to tell you the truth I can't keep up with Kat here when it comes to that department."

Kat never replied as she took that as a compliment.

"Thanks for the pizza," said Carol, her head still focused on her computer, "and if you can find the rest of the body that would be great."

"C'mon Kat, let's not ruin Carol's Saturday night anymore, even though her young lawyer would have probably stood her up.

"Remember Dan, I know how to kill you and leave no trace," replied Carol coldly.

"I don't doubt it Miss Napier," replied Dan as headed towards the door.

"You're on the list for next girl's night out," said a grinning Kat towards Carol, "I bet you've got tons of good stories."

"And I know where some of the bodies are buried, metaphorically speaking," Carol replied.

"C'mon Kat," barked Dan from the corridor, "leave your new BFF to get on with her work."

6

Dan and Kat got into the car; they were talking to each other, both unaware that they were being watched.

"Mrs Hopkins," announced Dan, "I'm DS Devlin, this is DC Harper, we are both sorry for your loss."

Mrs Hopkins looked like she had aged 10 years in the past few hours, "can I get you a tea or a coffee, I think there are some jammy dodgers in the cupboard," she started to stand up, Kat put a comforting hand on Mrs Hopkins knee and she sat back down again.

"No thanks, would you like one?" asked Dan looking at the bereavement officer that was sitting on a chair at the dining table.

Mrs Hopkins looked at the clock on the wall, it was a Tennents Lager clock that looked out of place in its surroundings, "Grieg should be here soon," she turned to look at the bereavement officer, "are you sure he knows what has happened?" the bereavement officer nodded her head. "I better fix him a sandwich, he will be hungry," she made a move to stand up again.

"Mrs Hopkins," announced Dan, "we need to ask you some questions, about Andrew."

She started to cry again at the sound of his name, she looked up at the door, "I can't believe he will never," she brought her hands up to her face and started crying even more.

"Iona," said Dan in a soft tone, she stopped crying and looked at him as if a spell had been broken when he used her first name, "we need to ask you some questions, we know you are probably not ready to answer them but we need to find out what happened, will that be ok?"

She took out a tissue from the box that was on the coffee table in front of her and started to dry her eyes, she exhaled deeply and started to nod her head, "I'm ready."

Dan looked at Kat indicating that she was to start the questions. "Did Andrew have any enemies to speak of or have any arguments recently?"

Iona thought for a moment, "no one that I can think of, he was a bit of a hothead when we first met but after Grieg was born he became a new man, a big softy," she added.

"There was a report of a domestic," Dan started to say before Iona held her hand up to stop him.

"That was years ago," she looked towards the ceiling as if stifling the urge to start crying again, "he was the victim," she turned to look at Dan, "I thought he was cheating on me, I had a lot to drink and just," she shrugged her shoulders, "started on him, he never hit me back." She turned her attention back to the clock before continuing, "the police arrested both of us that night, bloody neighbours," she gazed at the wall as if trying to look through it to the neighbours on the other side before she shook her head, "I swung a punch towards him and he ducked out of the way," Iona started to laugh lightly at the memory, "he ducked, I kept going and basically lost my balance and fell against the table and I cut my cheek." She turned towards the bereavement officer, "the police didn't believe us, I suppose they are used to us wives making excuses for their loved ones," she turned back to Dan, "but it's true."

"Can you think of anyone who could have hurt Andrew?" asked Dan.

"No," she paused for a few seconds, "he was a good man," she turned and stared into Dan's face, "how did he die?" she turned to the bereavement officer, "I've only been told that he was murdered."

Dan looked at the bereavement officer who then turned and looked away from him, "at this stage, I can't give you that information."

"Why not?" exclaimed Iona, "I'm his wife, I have a right," she turned to Kat, "do I not have the right to know?"

Kat looked at her and smiled weakly, "because it's an on-going investigation we can't tell, even you," she looked at the expression on Iona's face, "it's the rule for every case, the less people know the better."

Iona nodded her head as if understanding that she couldn't be told, then a penny dropped somewhere in the depth of her mind, "am I a suspect?" she asked a strange look on her face, not a worried look just a look that couldn't be determined what it was, the expression didn't go unnoticed by either Kat or Dan.

"When is Grieg due?" asked Kat leading the conversation away from whether or not Iona was a suspect.

Iona looked at the clock again, "soon," she replied more to herself than the others.

When Grieg arrived they had finished with the questioning with his mum, they asked him the same questions about enemies, etc. but his replies were the same as his mothers, apart from the fact his father was a hothead before he was born, Dan didn't see the point in tarnishing a sons memory of his father. Grieg was not a suspect as he had been flying back from Ibiza at the time and a quick call to Glasgow airport backed up his story.

"You don't think she is a suspect do you?" asked Kat as they got back into the car.

"Unlikely," replied Dan, "but I'm not ruling anyone out at this stage."

They had been driving for several minutes. Kat looked out the window and watched as a group of drunken revellers staggered by, she looked at the clock on the dashboard of the car, "God it's nearly midnight."

"I can drop you off if you're tired," replied Dan.

"Nice try but you ain't getting rid of me that easy," she looked back out the window as they passed the florescent lights of a kebab shop, "fancy getting a kebab to take back to the station?"

"You know I don't eat regurgitated dog shit," replied Dan.

Kat looked at him, "I'm sure I could sweet talk Raz and get him to do you some fresh tandoori chicken and chips, and not the stuff they put by for the drunks," Kat looked at him as he drove, she could tell by his eyes he was thinking about it, "Alison did tell me to make sure you ate." She watched as his eyes narrowed. "Maybe with some cucumber and mint sauce."

"Fine, probably better than cold pie and beans from the canteen."

"That's the spirit boss; keep your energy up until we catch this sicko," Kat replied.

"I already said yes, you can cut the act."

"Act," she replied sounding hurt, "Alison said."

"Yeah yeah Alison said," he shook his head, "you're as bad as Emma, both of you have her wrapped around your little finger."

They were sitting in their office, Kat was demolishing her doner nan with an extra helping of doner meat and Dan was gently making his way through his tandoori chicken and chips, a few heads appeared in the office doorframe as the smell wafted down the corridor but evil glances from Kat kept them at bay. Dan looked up as he could feel Kat's eyes on him, "are you going to finish that?" she asked looking at his food.

"How the hell do you stay so slim, you drink like a fish and eat like a horse," he shook his head, "unbloodylelievable, and yes I intend to finish this, go and get a Mars bar or something from the machine." Kat was halfway out the door by the time he finished his sentence, he heard her scream get out the way to some poor person who must have been blocking her run.

"Has there been a development?" asked McMillan as he walked into the office.

"Just Kat needing a sugar fix," replied Dan, he watched as McMillan walked over and sat down on Kat's chair stealing a few chips from Dan in the process, "you're here late," he added as he put the last of the chicken in his mouth, you can take my chips but not my chicken Dan thought to himself.

"Marion is out for the night and I would only fall into a bottle of malt if I went home," explained McMillan.

"And how is wife number 4 treating you?" asked a grinning Dan.

"We can't all find the perfect woman first time Dan, some of us take a few tries to get it right."

"Hey lardarse, get off my chair," bellowed Kat as she walked back in the office, her face turned white as she recognised McMillan, "shit, sorry, Sir, I didn't see it was you, can I get you a coffee or do you want the rest of this," she thrust the remains of her Mars Bar at McMillan.

McMillan started laughing as he got up from the chair, he bent down and wiped the chair with the back of his hand, "just keeping it warm with my lardarse DC Harper, good to see you at work on a Saturday night and not doing something crazy that I will see a report of on Monday morning."

"The weekend is still young boss," she replied weakly with a grin.

"Sorry Sir," Dan intervened saving Kat from further stupidity, "this is Kat's way of dealing with our case when she can't get her free drinks at Rockets."

McMillan knocked on the table and then pointed at her, "when you catch this bastard DC Harper I will make sure you have a night, no a weekend on the town with every drink paid for and I will personally drive the police car that takes you home," he turned and nodded towards Dan, there was no need for words between them, and then he walked out the office.

When Kat got herself together after McMillan's motivational speech she looked at Dan, "we are going to catch this bastard," she then put the rest of the Mars Bar in her mouth and nodded to herself.

7

She crawled out her cardboard box that had been her home for the last few nights and started to stretch, trying to warm herself from the early morning chill and straighten out her body from sleeping on the hard ground. She folded the box and hid it behind a large abandoned skip, she looked to her left, her nose picking up the smell of fresh bread, she gingerly walked towards the smell, hoping for the same result as yesterday morning, a man had come out the door, his face was white with dust, he caught her as she was looking in the bin for something to eat, he spoke to her but she didn't understand what he said, he didn't move towards her but instead went back inside and returned a few seconds later with some bread and a can of some drink, he walked over to a bin that was near him and placed the can on top of the bin and then the bread on top of that, he then returned to the doorway and started to smoke his cigarette. She had eyed him wearily but her attention was more on the bread, as bravely as possible she moved forward and took the bread and can, the man just nodded his head and carried on with his cigarette, "khwap jai," she said to the man, the man just nodded his head again. She walked towards the door and noticed the bread and can on the bin again, she rushed towards it and grabbed them, there was a small paper bag next to the can, she hesitantly picked it up and looked inside, she didn't know what it was but it looked like food, she took out the item and looked at it, she put it to her nose and sniffed at it, it smelled like pineapple, she quickly took a bite and almost yelped at how good it tasted, how long had it been since she had tasted something so good. She looked at the door but it remained closed, the man didn't appear, she must have slept longer than the previous night and missed him. She now had two heroes in her life, the man who gave her food and the policeman who gave her life.

8

"Have you even slept?" asked Alison as Dan walked through the door.

"A couple of hours at my desk," he replied tiredly.

Alison looked over his shoulder, "is Kat with you?"

"No, I dropped her at her flat, I ordered her to get some sleep."

"And do you think she will listen?"

Dan nodded his head, "I explained she is no good to me running on empty."

Alison seemed happy with his response, "go and take a few hours' sleep, I will wake you at 10," she said looking at the clock, "I'll have a breakfast ready for you both."

"Both?" replied Dan silently hoping Pamela hadn't returned.

Alison just looked at him as if he was daft, "Emma's on a night shift so she can pick up Kat on the way home and then I can be satisfied that you are both eating properly."

"We had something," he paused for a second, trying to remember if it was last night or very early this morning they had eaten but a quick look at Alison told him it was a rhetorical statement she had made. "Thanks that sounds like a plan."

Dan made his way downstairs having taken a quick shower and sat down at the breakfast bar across from a very tired looking Emma and a tired and confused looking Kat. Kat poured him a coffee from the percolator and topped up Emma's and her own cup while she was at it, Dan looked around the kitchen floor looking for Yards, "I took him for a walk while you were sleeping," said Alison as if reading his mind, "he is out in the garden sleeping in the sun," Dan looked out the patio doors to see a very contempt dog lying in the sun. Alison then walked over to the table and placed an omelette in front of Emma, "chicken and prawn, you look like you had a tough shift last night."

"Usual Saturday night, everyone gets drunk and think they are invincible," replied Emma, she winked at Kat.

Alison then brought over a plate for both Dan and Kat, a huge fry up faced them both, Kat's eyes lit up and she attacked the food with vigour, Dan and Emma looked at each other and without speaking Emma halved her omelette and placed it on her dads plate who then gave Emma half the fry up, Alison just shook her head as she brought over a pile of toast, "aren't you having anything?" Dan asked his wife.

"Me and Yards have already eaten," she replied as she sat down with a fruit juice and proudly watched the others eat.

Dan finished his second cup of coffee and looked at Kat, "you ready?" she nodded her head.

They had just arrived at the office when DC Logie told Dan that he was to phone Dr Napier as soon as he got in, he shared a quick glance with Kat. "When did she phone?"

"About 5 minutes ago," replied DC Logie.

Dan went over to his desk and sat down, he took out his mobile and scanned the phonebook for Carol's number before dialling it from his desk phone, "have you been working all night?" he asked her when she answered the phone.

"No I trust the others when I need to sleep or take a dump," she sarcastically replied, "I may be the Queen in your eyes but alas," she couldn't think of anything to add. "We may have a lead."

"Great!" exclaimed Dan, "what did you find?"

"A possible connection to another case," Carol replied.

"Another case," replied a stunned Dan, Kat looked at him a worried look in her eyes, she mouthed something at him but he didn't notice.

"8 years ago, a man named Denis Baxter was found beheaded in Liverpool," replied Carol.

"Why do you think there is a connection?" asked Dan.

"One of the guys here used to work in Liverpool and worked on this case, the beheading was a straight cut."

"Thanks Carol I will look into it, but, I know beheadings are not that common here."

Carol cut him off, "I left the best to last, Denis Baxter was born in Prestwick, and both men attended Prestwick Academy, they were also born within 5 years of each other so there is a good chance they were there at the same time."

"Jesus!" exclaimed Dan.

"I prefer God," replied a gloating Carol. "I still want the rest of the body; I hate the thought of it lying somewhere waiting for some unsuspecting poor sod to find it. Oh, and your mobile has no bloody reception."

"I know, we will find it," replied Dan who was starting to realise how much he was being controlled by strong headed women.

"What do we have?" asked Kat.

"Look into a case from Liverpool, man's name was Denis Baxter originally from Prestwick, murdered 8 years ago." Dan turned his attention to his computer as it sounded indicating the arrival of a new email, he opened the email and then opened the attachment, "never mind," he said to Kat, "Carol has emailed the information to us."

"Why is she a bitch to everyone apart from you?" asked Kat, "does Alison need to be worried?"

Dan looked at her and raised his eyebrows, "Carol had a wee sister, Megan, she died around the same time as Lynn," he stared at Kat, "nobody really knows about it, she only confided in me because I could understand what she was going through, and not be an idiot like some of the others around here who would just say things that they thought she would want to hear."

"Christ I didn't know," replied Kat

"Kat, you still don't know, ok?" Kat nodded her head.

They spent the next half hour in silence as they drank coffee and went through the Baxter case. "Apart from the style of beheading and the fact they were both from Prestwick I can't find a link," stated Dan, "the Liverpool end looks like it was gang related, the head was found next to the body in the boot of a car in a scrap yard, not exactly in a public show like our man Hopkins."

"I agree, but we need to keep it in mind as we have bugger all else to go on," added Kat, she looked at Dan, "so what now?" Dan shrugged his shoulders. "What about speaking to the wife again, she may know Baxter."

Dan thought it over, he nodded at Kat, "phone her and ask about Baxter."

Kat put down the phone and shook her head, "back to the square root of nothing."

They were reading the Baxter report for the third time when an excited PC ran into the office, "they found a leg," he said looking at both of them as if seeing who was going to praise him first.

"Where?" asked Kat, she noticed the look on his face and smiled at him, "where did they find a leg?"

"Macrae's monument near Monkton, someone was walking their dog and they found it," he replied still as excited as before.

"I suppose you want to come with us?" asked Dan.

The young PC looked like all his Christmases had rolled into one, "really!" he exclaimed in the voice of a 9 year old girl.

"Yeah," added Kat, "grab that camera and you can take the photos," she said pointing at the camera on her desk. The young PC grabbed the camera and ran towards the door.

"£5 says he is throwing up by the fifth photo," said Dan.

"£10 says less than that," replied Kat.

"You're on," replied Dan.

Dan parked the car next to the other police cars and they all got out and started to walk towards the monument, the monument itself was on a hill in a farmer's field, no doubt an unhappy farmer once the police were finished at the crime scene, the young PC led the way, he reminded Dan of Yards when they went to the beach, as they approached they saw that Carol and her team hadn't arrived, there was a makeshift tarp over the leg, it was being held up by two officers, each were facing away from the leg, Dan nodded between the young PC and the leg indicating that he should start taking photos, he brought the camera up to his eye and adjusted the zoom lens and before he even managed a single photo he ran to the side of the field and started being sick.

"Pay up loser," said a grinning Kat.

"What a bloody wimp," replied Dan shaking his head as he watched the green faced PC continue to throw up.

Dan stood about 6 feet away from the leg and looked at it the best he could, "has anyone touched it?" he aimed his question at the 2 officers that were holding the tarp, both shook their heads, Dan turned at the sound of commotion that was coming from where the cars were parked.

"I hope nobody has touched the bloody thing," shouted a voice that was frantically making its way towards the crime scene.

"Nobody has contaminated the scene, Dr Napier," shouted Dan.

"I'll have their balls if they have," Carol shouted back. She continued to march up the hill and straight towards one of the officers who was holding the tarp, "have you touched my bloody leg," her face was inches from his.

"No Ma'am," he replied shaking his head.

"What about your pal over there?"

"No Ma'am, neither of us have contaminated the leg," the other officer replied.

Carol turned and smiled at Dan and Kat who were sniggering at her, "when I said I wanted the rest of the body I was hoping it was going to be in one piece," she grinned and turned back towards the 2 officers who were holding the tarp as Carol's team set up their SOCO tent, "Tanya, make sure those 2 officers don't touch our leg."

"No problem," she replied without a giggle.

"Takes years of practice," said Carol as she watched the 2 officers make their way down the hill towards the small group of others at the informal car park, "I love winding you guys up."

"So," said Dan, "are toe prints the same as fingerprints?"

Carol looked at him to see if he was taking the piss or not, "don't be a smartarse in front of Kat."

They were standing in the SOCO tent, Dan and Kat stood back and watched Carol and her team at work, Kat nudged Dan, "last time I was wearing one of these in a field," indicating the white jumpsuit, "it was a rave on the Isle of Arran."

"I didn't know they were legal now," replied Dan.

"Kat was that the 09 one or the 08?" asked Carol as she continued examining the leg.

"08," replied a startled Kat, "I didn't even know there was a 09 one," she turned and looked at Dan.

"Don't look at me," he replied.

"You didn't miss much, the 08 was a lot better."

"I didn't take you as a raver Carol," said the still startled Kat.

"Yeah me and Tanya here were really into it back then," said Carol as she pointed at Tanya, "but after seeing a car full of our friends wrapped around a tree after one too many e's it was time to find a new scene. It looks like our leg was cut off in one go, most likely with the same weapon."

"Can you tell if he was alive at the time?" asked Dan slightly relived the conversation was back on the present day.

"We will know more when we get back to the lab, we will also be able to compare DNA and see if it's a match," explained Carol.

Dan and Kat exchanged worried glances, they hadn't even thought that it wouldn't be a match, "we presumed."

Carol held up her hand, "never presume, always let science have its say."

9

Dan put down the phone and nodded to Kat, "leg belongs to Hopkins and so far no foreign DNA has been found on it."

Kat shook her head. "So, we still have nothing to go on."

"Just one less body part left to find," replied Dan.

"Yeah but how many more pieces are we going to find before this is over?" asked Kat.

"That's what's worrying me."

"What's the story with the monument, any connection to the first location?" asked Kat.

Dan shook his head, "nothing obvious, the Macrae monument is named after James Macrae, local boy did good, was something important in India and then came home and bought most of the land around the area of the monument, I'm sure the land that the airport is on was his as well, but nothing I can think of connects him to Robert the Bruce."

They were quiet for a while before Kat looked at him, "what if we frame Dodds and you can get his job and I can get yours?"

Dan looked at her, "if we don't find this bastard we may just do that."

"We keep referring this bastard in the singular context, what if there is more than one killer."

"What it's some religious sacrifice or something Kat," he thought for a moment, "parts of the body, leprosy," he said more to himself than Kat, he looked up at her, "there is a university professor in Glasgow, Whittle, Little, something like that, anyway he's a historian on ancient Scotland, maybe there is a link with leprosy, if I remember my local history Macrae spent time in India, maybe he worked in relation to leprosy, it's a long shot I know but we have bugger all else."

"It's Sunday Boss, the university will be closed, we might need to wait until tomorrow," explained Kat.

Dan shook his head, "start with Emma and she will phone someone and before long we will have his number."

A few hours later they were sitting in a bar on the Southside of Glasgow talking to Professor Lister, the Professor took a sip of his Belhaven Best, he licked away the froth from his top lip and then looked at both Dan and Kat in turn, "so you want to talk about James Macrae," he picked up the menu absentmindedly, "interesting man our Mr Macrae."

"Would you like to order some food?" asked Dan as the Professor started playing with the menu.

"Sorry," replied the professor, "force of habit, I need something in my hands when I speak, usually its notes but if I haven't got notes, anything really," he said picking up the menu, "a bit Pavlovian I know," he added laughing at his own joke, he put down the menu before quickly picking it up again, "yes well, James Macrae," he looked at both Dan and Kat, "he was born 1670, his family were poor, so when he was old enough he left for a life on the open seas, by the time he was in his 50's he found himself the governor of Madras in India," he paused for a second and glanced at the menu that was still in his hand. "I use to love a chicken Madras, bloody ulcer." He shook his head before continuing. "After a few years, he returned home a very rich man. He eventually bought the Monkton Estate, if you know the area there are a few things called Orangefield, that was our Mr Macrae, a big admirer of William of Orange. Anyway, years later when they built the airport they used his house as the airports hotel, it's gone now," he looked up at Dan, "the hotel, not the airport, the airports still there," he chuckled to himself.

"Did Macrae have anything to do with leprosy?" asked Dan.

The Professor looked at him, he thought for a moment before continuing, "not that I can recall, he may have encountered it in his travels but there is no documentation of it. Why do you ask?"

Dan glanced at Kat, "just part of an investigation that we are conducting."

Professor looked at the menu as if he was processing information, "Robert the Bruce was said to have visited a well on the other side of Prestwick from the airport. Now I know he had a few run in's with the old leprosy."

Dan and Kat sat listening to the Professor for another 20 minutes before a phone call turned Dan's world upside down.

He ran down the hospital corridor closely followed by Kat, "how is she?" he asked the young doctor who was talking to Alison.

"She'll be fine," replied Alison, "you remember Dr Caffrey from the hospital fundraiser a few months ago."

Dan looked at the Doctor and forced a smile, "what happened?"

"Emma was assaulted in the car park," he replied.

"Did they catch who did it?" asked Kat frantically.

"All I know is the police are downstairs going through the CCTV footage," Kat never heard the rest of what he said as she was already halfway down the corridor.

"She'll be fine," said Alison as she put her hand on Dan's arm.

"How," Dan just looked into his wife's eyes.

Dr Caffrey coughed lightly, "Emma has some damage to her right knuckle, we are presuming she fought back." Dan turned to look at him, the doctor laughed lightly, "we thought she was kidding when she said she could take anyone in a fight." He looked down the corridor as a nurse was walking towards him. "Look she is a little shaken up but she will be fine, I'm sorry I need to go," he said nodding in the direction of the nurse.

"Thanks, Doc," replied Dan. He watched the Doctor walks away. "Are you ok love," he asked Alison.

Alison nodded her head, "just remembering the last time one of our daughters was in a hospital bed," she wiped away a tear before it left her eye.

"Come here," he said as he grabbed his wife and wrapped his arms around her.

Dan took his daughters left hand and looked at her face, she had a cut above her right eye and the bridge of her nose, her right cheek was heavily swollen and her right hand was bandaged, she held up her right hand. "Think the bastard broke my hand."

"How are you?" Dan asked her, a worried look in his eyes.

"I'm fine, they are just keeping me in overnight for precaution," she smiled painfully at her dad, "honestly I'm ok, they are keeping me in so the new trainees can practise on me, they are just getting their revenge for all the times I annoy them."

"Do you know who did this to you," Dan was hoping she said yes, there was always the very slim chance it was related to the case.

"Where's Kat, I need to see her," she looked at her father, he nodded his head understandingly.

Alison noticed the exchange. "Care to tell me your plans?"

Dan looked at his wife and then back to Emma, "Kat will deal with the investigation," replied Dan.

"Kat or DC Harper?" she asked them both.

"Kat," replied Emma, "Dad would just batter him; Kat will do that and scare the hell out of him as well."

"And you approve of this?" asked Alison.

Dan nodded his head, "I'll inform McMillan about us not pressing charges with," he looked at Emma, "whoever it is."

"Oh and he will agree to this?" she asked.

"By the end of tonight we will be back on the case we are working on and," he saw the expression on his wife's face, "you know what I mean, Emma is my top priority which is why I'm letting Kat deal with it and not making it official and then they get off with it in six months due to a technicality."

"Emma?"

"Dads right, look I'm fine, my face will heal in a few days and my knuckles, well they might take a wee while longer."

"I'll go and find Kat and sort out the other police downstairs," said Dan as he turned and walked towards the door.

"What's the bastard's name!" exclaimed Kat as she barged through the door closely followed by Dan, Alison jumped with fright, "sorry Alison," said Kat sheepishly.

Alison turned and looked at Emma before walking over towards the door, she kissed Kat on the cheek, "make sure you give him a kick from me," she demanded before walking outside followed by Dan who closed the door behind him.

A minute later Kat stormed out the room, her face was red with hatred, "I'll get you back at the station Boss, give me a couple of hours."

"No problem Kat, take your time," replied Dan as casually as possible.

10

"Oh shit!" screamed the man as Kat grabbed him, "I'm sorry."

Kat head-butted him, she could hear his nose break, "Neil bloody Cairns," she punched him in the stomach causing him to fall forward only to be stopped by Kat's right knee connecting with his most prized possession. "You little shit bag," she said punching him at the same time, "did, you, think, you, would, get, away, with, it?" every word was followed by another punch. She pushed him and he fell to the ground in a pathetic heap, "what are we going to do with you?"

"Maybe stop hitting me," he yelped back.

Kat kicked him in the chest, "don't speak I'm trying to think," she kicked him again for good measure.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered at her but this only resulted in another kick.

"Have you heard of a club called Alcatraz?" she asked him, he shook his head, "answer me when I'm talking to you," she kicked him again.

"But."

"Shut up," she said kicking him again, he started to cry, kick, "stop crying," kick. "Not much of a tough guy now are you," kick, "you had to take on Emma when her back was turned," kick, "you little maggot," kick. Kat stopped kicking when she heard water, she jumped back, "oh Jesus, did you just piss yourself," she went to kick him again but stopped herself. "You need a wash now; looks like you're not going to Alcatraz then, looks like it's the river for you."

"But I can't swim," mumbled Neil.

"You're not going for a bloody swim ya Muppet, I'm going to drown you," she kicked his shins as they were dry.

"Ouch," yelped Neil, "let me apologise to Emma," he begged.

Kick, "you're not allowed to say her name."

"Please stop kicking me," pleaded Neil.

Kat leaned forward and started to flick his ear. "Is that better for you?"

"Jesus, I'm really bloody sorry, I love Emma."

Kick, "I told you not to say her name."

"What's going on here?" bellowed a new voice.

Neil looked in the direction of the 2 men that were walking towards him, "officers, this women is beating me up, can you arrest her?"

"Hey Kat," said one of the officers, "who is your friend?" he pointed at Neil who was squirming on the ground.

"That," said Kat pointing towards Neil, "that is the man who put DS Devlin's daughter in the hospital."

"Emma's in the hospital?" asked the other officer, "is she ok?"

"She'll be fine," replied Kat, "no thanks to this guy," she kicked Neil again.

"Can't you stop her?" pleaded Neil.

The 2 officers looked at each other, "we are nearly finished our shift."

"Too much paperwork," said the other officer finishing off his colleagues sentence.

"You can't just stand there and watch her kick me, do your bloody job and arrest her," demanded Neil, he spat out some blood when he was finished speaking.

"You are correct in your assumption, we can't just stand here, as my colleague said our shift is about to finish." With that, they both about turned and started to walk away.

"Bastards," shouted Neil.

The officers stopped and turned around and walked towards Neil who was starting to get to his feet, "don't be too long here Kat, someone may use this lane for a short cut," one of the officers said out the corner of his mouth."

"Thanks guys," replied Kat.

"Please stop hitting me," pleaded Neil.

Kat just smiled at him and took out her mobile, Neil never heard the conversation but a few minutes later a van appeared in the lane and 3 men jumped out and throw him in the back, "thanks guys, oh and our friend likes it rough."

11

"Everything ok Kat?" asked Dan as she entered the office with a bag.

"Bit of a queue at the kebab shop," she replied holding the bag up as evidence, her hand had a bandage around the knuckles. "Apart from that, no issues, oh you may want to thank Jones and Allan; they helped us out with our inquiries."

Dan nodded at her, "I'll make sure I do that."

"Any developments?" asked Kat hopefully.

Dan shook his head and then watched as Kat brought out a kebab and placed it on her desk, he looked at her and then the container that was still in the bag, "Raz says hi," she said as she handed over the bag.

"Thanks," he replied before he stood up, "back in a minute," he said as he walked out the door, he turned back and grabbed the bag and put it in his desk drawer locking it in the process, "just in case," he said with a grin, Kat just shrugged her shoulders.

Kat was on the phone when Dan got back into the office, "yeah I'll tell him," she said as she ended the call.

"Who was that?" he asked, "is Emma ok?"

"Relax ya big softy, it was Jones and Allan saying thanks again, seems someone is paying for an Indian for them tonight."

"That's nice for them," replied Dan as he unlocked his drawer and took out his food, he opened the container and moved it to the edge of his desk next to Kat's, "help yourself."

He put the empty container in the bin and looked at the clock, "we can still make it for at least a few beers, my treat?"

Kat jumped out her seat and quickly put her jacket on, "yes Sir," she replied, giving him a mock salute in the process.

Dan looked at her hand that was already starting to bruise at the knuckles, "you sure you are ok," he nodded towards her hand.

"I can still hold a glass so I won't need a straw," she grinned at him, "but thanks for the concern."

The pub was half full of police officers having an end of shift drink, most gave Dan a friendly pat on the back, hoping his daughter was ok and almost all of them insisted in buying Kat a drink, "news travels fast," said Dan as another drink was trusted into Kat's accepting grasp.

"Shit!" exclaimed Kat as she nodded her head towards the door, Dan turned around and watched as McMillan walked over to the bar.

"Relax will you," said Dan.

"He's walking over to us," said Kat.

"Evening Dan, Kat."

"Sir," replied Dan, Kat just smiled at him.

He handed over a drink to Kat, "I believe it's your birthday Kat, and everyone is buying you a drink to celebrate. Vodka and coke."

"Something like that," replied Dan.

"How's Emma?" McMillan asked.

"She's fine, a little shaken up."

"Good," he turned his gaze to Kat, "shame we never caught the guy." The grin on his face made Kat chuckle slightly.

"Sir," replied Kat, conjuring up the courage to speak.

McMillan just nodded his head and then turned around and walked out of the pub.

Dan finished his pint and looked at the 6 empty glasses that were in front of Kat, and then the dozen or more that were still full, "I'm going to see Emma, police visiting hours type thing." Kat looked at the drinks in front of her, "I'll give her your regards, I'm sure she will understand."

"Thanks, Dan," she replied. Dan laughed slightly, "Boss," she added through her drunken giggles...

"No Kat, thank you," he got up, "start when you feel up to it tomorrow, I'll cover for you."

12

Dan slammed on the brakes of the car and watch as the young woman turned the corner out of sight, he shook his head, maybe it was just his imagination, a car horn sounded behind him and as he looked in his rearview mirror some frantic hand gestures were aimed in his direction, the car then overtook him and as the driver pulled alongside him Dan was given a few more gestures, he calmly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his police ID and slammed it against the window, the other drivers face turned to shock and quickly drove away, Dan turned his attention back to the corner but the woman was out of sight.

As Dan got into the office he saw that Kat was already at her desk, "Morning," he said to her.

"Morning," she replied, "coffee?"

Dan just stared at her, "that would be great," he watched as she stood up and walk towards the office coffee machine, "you ok this morning Kat?"

She nodded at him, "slept here last night, thought it would be easier, was in a bit of a state last night, guys were coming into the pub mid-shift just to buy me a drink."

Dan nodded understandingly, "when it comes to one of our own we tend to take it personally."

"How's Emma?" Kat asked as she placed a coffee in front of him.

Dan took a sip of the coffee, "back home catching up on sleep, said she had enough of the trainee's wanting to take her blood pressure every hour, they kept waking her up."

Kat smiled and picked up the phone, a few seconds later, "hey Emma, I heard you were home, I hope you weren't sleeping," she laughed at the response, "I hope you don't speak like that in front of your parents."

Dan started looking at his emails as Kat carried on the phone call with his daughter.

Dan's phone started to ring, "DS Devlin," he said as he answered the phone, "morning Carol," he could hear Kat quickly ending her own call. "Were on our way."

"What's happened?" asked Kat.

"Carol thinks she knows what the murder weapon is," replied Dan.

They walked into Carol's office, Carol lunged at them with a sword, "sorry, did we catch you shaving your legs?" joked Dan.

"This sword is a very similar one to your murder weapon," Carol announced still playing with the sword.

"Do you think you could maybe put it down Carol," asked Dan politely. Carol then started making noises like a lightsaber from Star Wars, "ok Leia, we are not the droids you are looking for."

Carol put down the sword and looked at Dan, "if you are going to quote from Star Wars make sure you get the fact right."

"Ok," replied Dan, "live long and prosper."

Carol picked up the sword again, "don't start," she said pointing it at Dan, "or I will demonstrate to the lovely Kat here how your guy cut off someone's head."

"What's the story of the sword then?" asked Kat getting the conversation back to the real world.

"I'm glad you asked," replied Carol. "As I was saying the Shashka is from Russia, it dates back to the 12th century hailing from the mountain tribes of the Caucasus, obviously ours dates from more recent than that, ours is more likely to be a Don Cossack type Shashka which has a slightly straighter blade, it's also very light considering the damage it can cause."

"I take it they are rare?" asked Dan his eyes focused on the sword.

Carol nodded her head, "probably expensive as well, judging by the blade it could be a few hundred years old."

Kat stared at her, "you can tell all that from the cutting pattern?" she sounded surprised in what Carol was saying.

"You found the murder weapon?" asked Dan.

"Yeah that as well, the team are running tests on it now," replied Carol, she saw both of them were looking at the sword Carol had finally placed on her desk, "oh that's a French Military sword we had lying about, I just wanted to have some fun with you." She looked at the sword, "for some reason I can relax more when it's just us, most of you lot are scared at what we can find out about someone so they are scared to really talk to us."

"I'm glad we can help," replied Dan, he wasn't sure what he was glad for.

"Where was the sword found?" asked Kat, Dan cursed himself in not asking the obvious question.

Carol looked at them both, "you ready for this," they nodded their heads, "the groundsman found it in the penalty spot at Somerset Park when he opened up this morning." She grinned at them, "he wanted to keep it as it's the first bit of silverware Ayr have had in years."

"Another symbolic location, Bruce's Well, Macrae's Monument and now Somerset Park, all of which are well known in the local area." Dan looked at Kat who was nodding her agreement with him, "maybe we should have a couple of patrol cars keeping an eye on other local landmarks."

"Might not be the worse idea in the world," replied Kat.

"Maybe the killer works for the tourist board," said Carol, "or owns a chain of hotels in the area."

"Do you need a licence to own one of the swords?" asked Dan hopefully.

Carol shook her head, "the internet has put a stop to that these days, if you find the right website and pay the right price, anything is possible."

"Might still be worth a try," added Kat, "there might even be a sword dealer who could help us."

"I wonder why the killer has given up the murder weapon?" asked Dan.

"Maybe he couldn't look at it anymore after what he had done," replied Kat.

"Anything else for us Carol?" Dan asked hopefully.

She shook her head, "nothing yet but you will be the first to know if we find anything."

"Thanks Carol, looks like we have a few leads to go on," added Dan looking towards Kat.

When they got back to the office DC Knox was waiting for them, "I was just about to call you Sir," he explained.

"What you got for us Billy?" asked Dan.

"Name and address of Iona Hopkins boyfriend" he replied smugly.

"Seriously?" asked Kat.

Billy nodded, "seems they have been together for over a year."

"Good work Billy, looks like we may have our first lead, a jealous boyfriend," Dan took the piece of paper that Billy was holding and started reading it. Billy look smugly at Kat, she just stuck her tongue out at him.

"Let's go Kat, we have a Marco O'Flannigan," he looked at the name on the paper, "seriously?" he asked Billy, Billy nodded his head.

Dan parked the car outside the semi-detached house on Caelaverock Avenue in Prestwick, as he got out the car he looked at the recently painted white house and its immaculate manicured gardens, he looked over to Kat and saw the movement of the curtains from the house opposite, he gazed down the street and a few others were twitching as well, "do we look like the police that much?"

"Seems so, well you do, I probably look more like the baddie you just caught," replied Kat.

Dan looked at the garden again, "looks like he is married," he said nodding to the garden.

"How are we playing this?" she asked him.

Dan laughed at her, "you watch too many movies Kat," he took a step towards the door, "the guy is innocent until we think otherwise." Dan continued up the path and chapped the green door; he stifled a laugh at the colour choice of a front door.

The door was opened by a young girl, no more than 5 or 6, and then her identical twin appeared next to her, "the O'Flannigan residence," they announced in unison.

Kat let out a laugh, "so cute," she said to the girls. "Are your parents' home?"

They nodded in unison and shout for their mum. Their mother appeared in the doorway, she looked like an Italian goddess, apart from the flour that was at the end of her nose, no on second thoughts it added to her aura, "Mrs O'Flannigan," asked a slightly stunned Dan, he was trying to comprehend why a man would cheat on his wife with a 50 year old woman when his wife looked like she should be on the runway at a fashion show rather than walking down Prestwick high street.

"Miss O'Flannigan," she corrected them, "how can I help you," even her voice was perfect, she ushered her daughters behind her.

"Sorry," Kat went into her jacket pocket and brought out her police ID card, "we are looking for Marco, I presume he is your father."

She nodded her head, "is he in trouble?" she asked, a worried tone in her voice.

Dan took over the conversation, he looked at the two girls and smiled at them, "no, we just need to speak to him."

Miss O'Flannigan looked at them both and then smiled, "come in, he is out in the back garden," they followed her into the house and then through into the kitchen.

"God that smells amazing," exclaimed Kat in an unprofessional manner.

"Thank you," she replied, "but it only Ciabatta bread," she sniffed the air, "that's the Oregano, the girls love it, but it's not Granma's recipe, she would turn in her grave at the thought."

"Papa," she shouted into the garden after she opened the back door, "you have guests," she pointed out to the garden and the greenhouse, she turned back to the officers, "I will bring you out some coffee," before they had a chance to reply she was back at the cooker, she took a lid off a pot and more aroma's filled the air.

Marco O'Flannigan looked outside from the greenhouse, "I've been expecting you," he said grabbing an old cloth and cleaning his hands, he looked at them and seemed satisfied they were clean held out his hand towards Dan, "Marco O'Flannigan."

Dan looked at the hand, being offered a handshake was not the normal practice in this environment, "DS Dan Devlin," he replied shaking the hand, "this is my partner DC Kat Harper."

Marco looked over to the closed door that led into the kitchen, "can we possibly speak out here," he said nodding towards the kitchen, "I will answer all your questions just," he smiled a pleading smile towards Dan, "Gina has been through enough recently," Dan and Kat exchanged glances.

"Why don't we sit over there at the patio table and chairs," suggested Kat.

They had just sat down when Gina appeared from the kitchen with a tray, on it sat a coffee percolator, the aroma of which wafted from the kitchen, milk and a sugar bowl, she put the tray down and removed a cloth, steam rose from the oven-fresh bread, she pointed at the bowl of olive oil, "it's better with the oil, but if you prefer butter."

"Thank you but we are fine," replied Dan. Kat shot him a look.

Gina looked at her father, he shook his head, "I'm sorry Gina, they have found out that I stole you from heaven when you were a bambino." He smiled at his daughter and then waved at his 2 granddaughters who faces were pressed against the kitchen window.

Kat smiled and turned towards Gina. "Ma'am we are on a mission from God," Kat had waited years to quote that line.

Dan just looked at her. He waited until Gina was back in the kitchen before addressing Marco, "Iona Hopkins, you and she are?"

Marco nodded his head, he took another look towards the kitchen, "we are friends, yes we, but, we are just really good friends, we enjoined each other's company," he started to pour out the coffee's, gazing at the coffee as it filled the pristine white cup. "It is never going to lead to anything, we both understood that."

"What about now?" asked Kat.

"What do you mean?" quizzed a confused looking Marco.

"Well," Kat looked at Dan who nodded at her, "her husband is no longer around," she looked at his hands, "is there a Mrs O'Flannigan."

He shook his head, "not for the last 10 years, not since she lost her battle, nobody will ever replace her," Marco crossed himself, he paused for a moment, "I suppose I must be your number one suspect, but I can assure you it was not me, as I said we were merely friends," he held up his hands, "so Andrew was," he paused for a few seconds, "not in my way."

"How did you and Iona know each other?" asked Dan.

Marco grinned, "we met at a local book club, we both have a love of books, we would sometimes bump into each other at book shops, started talking, sometimes go for a coffee, we enjoyed each other's company," he looked at Dan, "it was never a love story, it's just 2 people who happen to share the same interests and happen to be of the opposite sex."

Dan stared at him, his gut was telling him that Marco wasn't their man, "did you ever meet Andrew?" he asked.

"Once," he looked at the bread and coffee, "please take some bread, my Gina is an amazing cook," he turned his attention back to Dan, "I met him very briefly, we were both at jury duty," Dan looked at him with some interest, "neither of us got picked." Dan's slim hope of another lead disappeared.

"These are amazing," said Kat through mouthfuls of Ciabatta. "Boss, you have to try this," Dan turned towards her with daggers in his eyes, Kat shook her head, "he's not our guy," she pointed at Marco with the bread and watched as some oil narrowly missed his arm, "oops."

"I will tell her that you like her cooking," he smiled at her.

"Beautiful and a great cook," said Kat, "some guy won the lottery there."

Marco bowed his head slightly, "he died two years ago in, his armed personnel carrier tripped a landmine," he didn't continue, he just stared at his coffee.

"I'm so sorry," said Kat, she leant over and touched Marco's arm.

"He was a good man and a great father, we are all very proud of him," Marco crossed himself again.

Dan squirmed in his chair, "sorry I have to ask this," said Dan, Marco looked at him with concern in his eyes, "but O'Flannigan, you don't seem very Irish."

Marco looked at him and laughed, "why because I am growing tomatoes and not potatoes."

"It's more your mannerism's," replied Dan.

Marco nodded his head, "My great grandfather was from Dublin, somehow he ended up in Italy and being the randy little Irishman that he was, he fell in love and then he started a family and by the time he died his little family grew into a small village," he laughed at a memory, "the local mayor of the village has been an O'Flannigan since my grandfather's time."

Dan started to stand up causing Kat to ram as much bread as possible into her mouth, Dan shook his head at her, "what if he was our guy, would you still be stuffing your face?" Kat looked at him and nodded, it was the most convincing nod he had ever seen.

"Thank you for your time Mr O'Flannigan," he extended his hand towards him, Marco shook his hand.

Marco turned towards Kat and as she extended her hand he turned it and kissed it, "I only wish I had a son, you would make him a very happy man.

Kat was about to say something but Dan shook his head at her, there was a sound from the kitchen as the twins ran out towards their grandfather, "I hope it was ok," said Gina, "it looked like you were finished your conversation."

Dan smiled at her, "thank you for the coffee and the lovely bread," he turned towards Kat and pointed. "My colleague by the look of her really enjoyed it," Kat nodded and blew a kiss towards Gina, using her fingers to emphasize it.

Once they were back in the car, Kat looked at Dan, "she was gorgeous."

"Miss O'Flannigan was a suspect's daughter," replied Dan.

"And did you see her, I mean her eyes, her lips and her cooking, woman of my dreams," stated Kat, "she is the mark that everyone else has to beat."

Dan looked at her, "I thought Scarlet Johansen was the marker?"

"Who, fallen by the wayside, Gina O'Flannigan has just taken over number one spot," Kat checked her pockets. "Boss I think I left my pen."

"Forget it, Kat," replied Dan cutting her off from her daydream.

Kat just crossed her arms and huffed like a bad temper little kid who wasn't getting its way and gazed out the window, "spoilsport," she mumbled to Dan.

13

The next morning Kat was on the phone to a local sword expert, he was saying he had time to talk to them but he didn't recall selling any swords that matched the description, he promised he would phone a few others to see if they had sold one recently but because of the internet making their jobs even harder, any idiot could by one online, only a true collector would buy it from an expert, paperwork he explained. Kat thanked him and ended the call; she shook her head in Dan's direction as she saw him watching her.

"This is getting bloody ridiculous, we need a break in this case and we need it now," Dan slammed the top of his desk causing a few pairs of eyes to look his way.

Kat looked at him, "Saturday we found the head, Sunday the leg, yesterday the murder weapon," she threw a pen at him, he looked up at her, "something will turn up today, I mean it must be starting to stink by now."

Dan looked at her and then around the room, "Higgins," he shouted.

"Boss?" replied a worried Higgins.

"Got a job for you," replied Dan.

Higgins sank slightly in his chair expecting the worse, "Ok Sir."

"I want you to visit every butcher in Ayr and Prestwick and ask to see their meat freezers, if any say no, let me know," ordered Dan.

Higgins thought for a moment, "on it Boss." He got up and grabbed his jacket and waltzed happily out of the office.

"You know he will just take the piss," replied Kat, Dan just shrugged his shoulders.

"His breathing annoys me," replied Dan, "he needs to lose weight."

"Very thoughtful of you," replied a slightly stunned Kat, "I didn't know you care that much for us, I'm touched."

Dan shook his head, "I would end up being one of the pallbearers," he nodded towards Higgins empty chair, you could almost hear it sigh with relief, "I would give myself a hernia lifting him."

"That's the boss I know," replied Kat.

Dan looked around the room, "let's go to the canteen, my treat."

"Not exactly a treat," said Kat a little too loudly, Dan chose to ignore her.

They sat down at a table away from everyone, Kat looked at her bacon roll, she picked it up and squeezed the two ends of the roll together, she then watched as the grease fell to her plate, she threw down the roll causing some of the grease to escape the plate and land on the table, she picked up her napkin and wiped away the mess. "Finished?" asked Dan.

"They should be prosecuted under the trade description act, no way is this bloody food," moaned Kat.

"I saw her again," Dan announced in a hushed tone.

"Gina!" exclaimed over excitedly.

Dan shook his head, "no the girl from the container that night."

Kat didn't know what to say so she just looked at him, silently praying he would continue speaking.

"Did you hear me, Kat?"

Kat nodded her head, "in Ayr?" she asked, hoping he wasn't going to say a dream or something.

"Yeah, I saw her in near Tam's Brigg."

She looked at him, "so what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," he replied, "but I'm glad she is free."

"Look if anyone finds out you let her go."

"I know Kat, I know."

Kat turned and looked out the window, the pregnant grey clouds would soon have their water broken, "what can we do, even if we find her. We can't report her as it would involve too many questions," she was silent for a moment, "let's catch sick bastard first and then we will come up with a solution to your friend."

Dan's mobile started to ring, "Sir," he said when he read the caller ID, "on our way."

"Where we going?" asked Kat.

"McMillan wants to see us ASAP," he replied.

Kat looked at him, "I've not done anything stupid lately, honest."

"Relax," he looked at the worried expression on her face, "he will just want a progress report."

"Well that won't take long."

"Come in," barked McMillan, Kat and Dan walked in, "well don't just stand there take a seat," he pointed at the two chairs in front of his desk. He clasped his hands together and looked at them both in turn. "Look I know it's only been a few days but I have the press at my arse constantly, that bastard Grant is practically stalking me." He turned towards Dan, "Dodds is also phoning asking if I want him to come off his paternity leave and take over."

"Bastard," said Kat.

"No Kat, a conniving little bastard," replied McMillan. "Look I know it's early in the investigation but, I need something."

"What about leaking the story about the sword," suggested Kat, "it's not as if we are getting anywhere, you never know someone may have been bragging about having one."

McMillan thought for a moment, he looked at Dan who was nodding his head in agreement, "Kat that's not a bad idea, I'll give Grant the scoop; it will freak him out that I'm being nice to him." He went to pick up the phone, "wee bastard is probably standing outside as we speak."

"Sir, far from it for me to interrupt your phone call," McMillan stared at her, he raised his eyebrow at her, "but if you care to look out the window you will notice it is now pissing down, I would hate for these lovely chairs to get wet by the wee bastard."

"Thank you for the weather report next DS Kat Harper," he smiled at her, "I do like your way of thinking." He made a display of picking up some old paperwork from his desk, "I'll just go over these reports first."

"Sir," said Dan getting to his feet, closely followed by Kat.

They were making their way back to their office, "DS Bloody Harper," sniggered Dan, "hell must be freezing over."

"Just wait," replied Kat, "because when I'm your boss."

"Will be the day I retire," replied Dan sharply.

They walked into a very hectic office, "what's going on?" asked an excited Dan.

"Someone just walked up to the front desk and confessed," replied DC Mason.

"Our guy?" asked Kat.

"No Bible John, of course, our guy," replied Mason bravely, he looked at Kat and smiled apologetically at her.

"Where is he?" asked Dan.

"Interview room one, we were waiting for you Sir," replied Mason.

Dan looked around the room at the experienced colleagues that were on shift, he turned towards Kat, "you're with me," he said, Kat looked rather surprised, a few colleagues looked rather pissed off.

"This is DS Dan Devlin, also present are DC Kat Harper and PC Jane Martins," he looked at the man sitting across from him, "can you state your name please."

"Robert," the man weakly replied.

"Full name," asked Dan.

"Robert Farthingham Cuthbert Telford Jones," the man replied.

"And you know why you are here?" asked Dan.

"I did something bad," Robert replied.

"And you understand this is just a preliminary investigation, you have not been arrested," continued Dan, already knowing that he was talking to an attention seeker.

Robert nodded, "and I don't want one of those lawyers, they just bleed you dry and get in the way."

Dan resisted the temptation to comment on what he had just heard, "very well Mr Jones, or is it ok to call you Robert."

"Roberts's fine," he replied.

Dan nodded his head, "can you give me your whereabouts for the last few days?" asked Dan, he wanted to get a feel for the guy.

Robert looked at Kat as if noticing her for the first time and leered at her, "you're a pretty one," Kat just blew him a kiss, he laughed lightly and turned back to Dan, "well I was at your crime scenes wasn't I," he looked at his middle finger on his left hand as if it was the focus of his world, "well I was there before you, obviously," he dragged his attention away from his finger and looked at Dan, "obviously," he repeated again.

"Look is this going to take long I need to get back and feed Arthur."

"And who is Arthur?" asked Dan.

Robert looked at him as if he was daft, "my cat, Arthur's my cat," he laughed briefly; "you're not a very good policeman if you don't know that."

"Police officer," Dan corrected him.

"Whatever," replied Robert with a shake of his hand.

"How did you kill the victim?" asked Dan taking control of the investigation.

Robert stared at him or rather right through him, "if you don't know how I killed the person I'm not exactly going to give away my method, it may come in handy in the future."

"Did you know the victim?"

Robert shook his head, "no I didn't know the person."

Dan exchanged a glance with Kat, Robert noticed the exchange and jumped around in his seat, "is the pretty one going to question me now?" He turned around and looked at PC Martins, "you're a pretty one as well, no need to get jealous though, my bed is big enough for the 4 of us."

"4?" asked Kat.

"Arthur sleeps in my bed with me."

"How romantic," replied Kat.

Dan slammed the table with his palm causing everyone to jump, "hey Casanova, how did you kill the victim?"

"Slowly," replied Robert with a grin.

"Did she knock you back when you tried to get her into your bed?" asked Dan.

Robert grinned as he saw the policeman make his first mistake, "no she didn't knock me back, I can have any woman I like," he turned and winked at Kat.

Dan smiled at him, "so why did you kill her," the her was said extra loud.

He just shrugged his shoulders, "she deserved it, they all do."

"Robert you are not our killer," Dan switched off the recorder, "but you are several sandwiches short of a picnic," Robert grinned at him, "oh and you will be arrested for wasting police time and probably sent for psychoanalysis as well."

"What about Arthur?" he was now close to tears.

"Arthur will be better off without you," Dan replied.

Dan was sitting at his desk, he looked up at Kat, "every major investigation you can count on at least one oddball saying he is the killer."

"So there could be more?" asked Kat.

Dan nodded his head, "and when people find out about the sword I can guarantee someone will come in and their name will be Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod and they are immortal."

McMillan appeared in the office and walked over to Dan. "Let's go," he said quietly, "you as well Kat."

McMillan didn't speak again until they were in the car. "Another leg has been found," he looked at Dan who was in the passenger seat.

"Why the secrecy?" asked Kat from the back seat.

"Its location" replied McMillan.

"Airport or Burns?" asked Dan hesitantly, he couldn't think of another local location that would cause a meeting in a car.

"Burns," replied McMillan, "we can't have any uniform on the scene, SOCO are there now but we have a works tent over their tent, we can't lose the tourist income, that's from higher up the chain."

"Can we attend the scene?" asked Dan, he knew how the upper system sometimes worked.

"Dr Napier insisted you attend, she wouldn't start until it was promised you were allowed," replied McMillan, he then started the car and drove out the station car park and headed towards Alloway. That was the end of the conversation; the only sounds in the car were the wiper blades at full speed trying to clear away the relentless rain and the demister failing to keep the windscreen from steaming up.

McMillan parked the car on the road next to the bridge, he was grateful of the rain as it was putting off even the most persistent tourists, they got out the car and made their way over to the tent that was now covering half of Tam O'Shanters Bridge. They walked past the work in progress signs and opened the flap of the outer tent, the plain-clothed officer who was wearing a high viz and hard hat nodded at them, "talk about cloak and dagger," said Dan quietly to Kat as they put on their white overalls before opening the flap of the inner SOCO tent.

As per usual one of Carol's team took their pictures, the flashlight blinding them for a few moments, "every bloody time," moaned McMillan, "you know what we look like son."

There was another flash from the camera aimed directly at McMillan, "sorry," the female voice said.

"No problem love," replied McMillan, "Jesus," he covered his eyes with his hands when another flash exploded in his face.

"Oops," she replied.

"Stacey, stop playing with the nice police officers," ordered Carol calmly.

McMillan took a quick glance at the leg and shuddered, "well Dr Napier I have personally brought Kat and Dan for you, so if there is nothing more I will be getting back to the office," Carol nodded at Stacey who took another picture of McMillan. "Cut it out," barked McMillan, "Dan, Kat, I'm sure your playmates here can drop you off when you are done." He pulled back the flap of the tent and made a hasty retreat.

Carol laughed, "the higher up the chain the easier they are to annoy, good one Stacey," she nodded behind her to where Dan and Kat were probably standing, "Stacey, the handsome one is Dan Devlin and his partner in crime is the scrummy Kat Harper, these two are the exception to the rule, we like these two, Dan, Kat, this is Stacey Page, newbie from Edinburgh but don't let that put you off."

"Stacey," replied Dan before turning back to Carol. "So, you have a leg for us."

"It's on this table," she moved so they could get a look at it. "We had to move it, it was hanging over the side of the bridge by a piece of rope."

"Please tell me the rope was not horsehair," stated Dan.

"We haven't fully analysed it fully yet, early signs show that it is" replied Carol, she glanced quickly at the rope, "for the uncultured among us, Kat."

Kat cut her off, "would the horsehair come from a horse called Meg?" she asked smugly.

"My, my, our DC Harper is turning into a smartarse before our very eyes," joked Carol.

"It's not too late to go back to Edinburgh Stacey," said Kat.

She shook her head, her white SOCO suit making strange noises as she did so, "and miss all the fun here, no thanks."

"Back to your leg Carol," said Dan.

"Keep dreaming, anyway, it looks like it was cut with the same sword, it doesn't seem to have been frozen," she paused for a second, "maybe stored just above freezing, but judging by the decomposition I would hope that we find the rest of him soon."

"So you're sure it's the same guy?" asked Dan.

"It's the same size as the other one, there is also the same fungal disease on the toes as the other leg, so we are pretty sure this is our guy." She turned to face Dan, "I will summon you when I have 100% conformation on both the leg and the rope.

"Do you think you will have prints on the rope?" asked Dan hopefully.

Carol nodded her head, "I would say there is a good chance, but it might not be our killers."

"Yeah that would make things too easy," Dan paused for a second, "I wonder if there is any CCTV in the area?"

Carol turned to him, "me SOCO," she said patting her chest, "you police officer," she added pointing at Dan.

"When was the leg found?" asked Kat.

"Just after 10 am, a local spotted it, she thought it was part of a mannequin, thankfully," replied Carol.

Dan looked at the bridge, "what was the rope tied to?" he asked looking for something obvious.

"Fishing line," replied Carol, "the line was tied to the end of the rope and then over the bridge, those stones there," she pointed at two stones, "they formed a kind of channel for the line to stay in place, it was then tied to a large stone and because the stone went into the water, the flow of the river kept the leg in place," she turned towards the spot it had been tied to, "I'm actually impressed in how he managed it."

"I will pass on your regards when we catch the bastard," replied Dan.

"If you can catch him by Saturday that would be great," said Carol.

"Hot date with a young lawyer?" asked Kat.

"If only, no its Tanya's 30th," she pointed at Tanya, "Kat you should come, it will be a great night, we can teach you how to immobilise someone just by touching a pressure point on their body. We can practice on Stacey."

"Thanks," replied Stacey.

"Sorry," said Carol, "Dan if you want to come," she didn't finish the sentence.

"I'm honoured."

Carol cut him off, "great we will give you a call when we pour out the last club, ladies, three cheers for Dan, he is going to drive us home, make sure we get home safely." She turned to Dan, "we will need to drop Tanya off first, she has wandering hands when she's drunk. If you look at the top of the leg," the conversation flowed back to the crime, "it looks like it was definitely cut at the same time as the other leg."

"Was it cut left to right or right to left?" asked Dan.

Carol moved closer to the leg, she touched the cut with her latex gloved right hand, she nodded as if satisfied with her assumption, "looks like it was the same guy, but the way its cut doesn't indicate if the killer was right or left handed I'm afraid," she turned to Dan, "if what we assume is correct and all three body parts were sliced off at the same time, the cuts are perfect, that's impressive, the person would have a great deal of upper body strength, it's not as easy as it looks," she clapped her hands together excitedly, "this calls for a demonstration. Tanya, get us a pig, and not the Friday night type that you normally pick up."

"I believe you, Carol, we don't need a demo," replied Dan.

"The hell we don't," said Kat, "Carol as part of my development into being a better officer I think it's my duty to experience it."

"Great than that's settled then," replied Carol.

"It will be months before you eat bacon again," warned Dan.

Kat looked at him and thought for a moment, she then shrugged her shoulders, "you always say I eat too much."

Dan took out his mobile and called a number from the call list, "Higgins," he said when the call was answered. "Any luck with the local butchers?"

"Aye, got a couple of steaks and some nice sausages," Higgins replied.

"That's nice, what about in terms of your bloody job, you know, what you get paid for?" shouted Dan in reply, "found anything interesting in a freezer?"

"Nothing so far, but I will keep looking," Higgins paused for a second, "I could try the local restaurants, they may have big freezers."

Dan shook his head, he held out his phone and looked at it before returning it to his ear, "aye great idea, mind and save room for dessert that way you can go to the ice cream shop and check there as well."

"Great idea, you can tell why you got your promotions," Higgins coughed slightly, "sorry sir, I didn't mean, you know, with your demotion, I wasn't, I mean."

"Jesus, Higgins I need to go, someone just confessed to killing time," Dan ended the call, "what a complete arse."

"Sir?" said Kat.

Dan pointed at her, "when the next sergeants exams come round, your name better be on it," he pointed at the mobile in his other hand, "and if that dumplin is your competition," he just shook his hand with the mobile. "Arse," he shouted at it.

"Is it your time of the month or something Danielle?" asked Carol.

"Sorry," he exhaled deeply, "Carol, do you know a Kev Higgins?"

"Say no more, my team will be more than happy to assist you," she replied and nodded slightly towards Stacey who then took a picture of Dan, "make sure I get a copy of that one, I don't have a grumpy Dan in my collection."

Dan looked at the roof of the tent, "sounds like the rain is off. Kat let's have a look for any camera's, you never know, we may get lucky."

"Oh Kat's getting lucky, hear that girls," mocked Carol.

Dan looked at her and winked which resulted in Carol being slightly speechless, "back soon," he said as he opened the flap and stepped out the tent.

Once they were outside and were standing next to the car, "can I ask you a question?" Dan nodded and glanced at the tent.

"You want to know why Carol is a nutjob?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"Imagine your day is spent investigating murderers, rapists, paedophiles and the general scum of society, and then the police want to speak to you, find out what you have found out, but they want out of there as soon as possible because it freaks them out," Kat nodded, "and then after work you go home and if you are lucky, really lucky, you will have someone there waiting for you, they don't want to know what you did that day but hopefully they will understand why you do it. That's probably why Carol is dating a lawyer, he will be aware of the evils that people are capable of. You think our job is hard," he looked back at the tent, "I couldn't do that job, Carol Napier and her team are an amazing group of very talented people, but as I told you before me and Carol have a bond, and I think she respects us more because we can laugh and joke and carry on when we are next to a dead body," Dan stopped and looked at Kat, "the only exception is when we are looking at a young child. Years ago there was a body found of a 4 year old girl," Dan shook his head at the memory, "she had been battered and raped and God knows what else. I walked onto the SOCO tent and Carol then ordered everyone out except me, she then walked over to me and basically cried on my shoulder for a few seconds, after that the very professional Carol Napier was back."

Kat looked at the tent, "I understand."

"Obviously, this conversation never took place."

"What conversation?" asked Kat.

Dan stood in the middle of the road and looked around, he took a quick assessment, "too many blind spots, we will have a look but."

Kat looked up at the darkening clouds, "he may have walked here, a long raincoat wouldn't seem out of place in this weather, he could have come the other way," she added pointing over to the other side of the bridge.

"Excuse me," a nasal American accent said.

Dan turned to look at the man and his florescent coloured wife, "can I help you?"

"Is that Tom Shatners bridge?" he asked, his jacket looked like it was ready to explode, the seams on the zip ready to give up the fight and let his belly escape.

"It is that," replied Dan, he resisted the temptation to laugh when he noticed the man was wearing pink shorts, which matched his face to perfection, "but I'm afraid it's closed for some repair work."

"Bloody haggis were having a fight last night and knocked a few stones off," added Kat.

"Really!" exclaimed the wife, her cheeks still wobbling several seconds after she finished speaking, "you hear that Wally."

"Well I'll be," replied Wally, he adjusted his baseball cap and looked at the bridge again, his eyes slightly wider this time.

"Have you been to the Burns museum yet, it's just round the corner," Dan looked at them both, "it's really interesting."

"It's got a café as well," added Kat.

"Great," replied the wife, "I hope it has scones there, eh Wally," the word scones sound like it had a W in it.

"Just round the corner you say?" asked Wally, Dan nodded and pointed in the direction, Wally looked at his wife, "maybe we should drive Hun, looks like rain is about to start again, his wife nodded, "thanks for your help," Wally said to Dan and Kat, they waddled over to their hire car, the husband was halfway to the passenger door when the wife let out a screech of laughter, "wrong side of the car, we drive on the other side back home," he shouted at Dan and Kat.

Dan pointed in the direction of the museum just in case Wally got lost, they watched as Wally crammed himself into the car, they heard the gears protest as he fought to put it into gear and after stalling once they finally drove away. "Have a nice day now," said Dan in a poor American accent.

Kat waved at them as they drove away, "love your shorts."

"Find out what bus comes this way and get someone to check the footage of the vehicle for everyone who got off the closest stops from here," instructed Dan.

"You reckon he came by bus?" asked a surprised Kat.

"You said a long raincoat wouldn't seem out of place, maybe he was carrying a few shopping bags as well," Dan looked at her, "get someone who has been annoying you to do it, it's a tedious task."

14

Dan had left the office only a few hours late that night, he decided to go home to make sure Emma was ok after the assault, Kat had joined him, no doubt for the chance of a home cooked meal as well as see Emma.

Dan woke up early, he had been tossing and turning most of the night, the case doing wonders for his sleep, he grabbed a quick drink of fresh orange, had a banana and then he and Yards made their way to the beach for a morning run.

He parked the car in his usual place, the only other car was a clapped out old Ford Fiesta, so he knew he would see the young woman with the black Labrador. Dan got out the car and looked at the waves as they were attacking the beach, there must have been storms last night as there was a lot of debris on the beach, this gave him the easy choice of running along the esplanade, he had been running a few minutes when he overtook the young woman and her dog, he said a quick hello but her reply was lost in the wind, as he reached the sailing club he lost sight of Yards, it was only the noise coming from the beach gave him an indication where Yards was, Dan stopped his run and walked down the ramp towards the sand, "Yards, come here, stop annoying our friend."

The man with the metal detector looked up as Dan approached, "leave him, he's helping me," he laughed at Yards; he is a faster digger than me as he watched Yards flick up sand in every direction.

"Found something good?" asked Dan.

"Detector was going wild; think the storms must have." Yards started to bark causing the man to stop and turn towards the crazed dog. "You found something?" he asked Yards excitedly.

"What have you found Yards?" asked Dan as he took a few steps closer, Yards was sniffing at a metal box he had just dug up.

"Please be gold, please make me rich," the man had put down his metal detector and was dancing a wee jig to himself.

Dan went over and picked up the box and handed it to the man, "only one way to find out."

He gingerly accepted the box from Dan, he shook it slightly, he started to grin when he heard movement from the inside of the box, "make me rich."

"Open it or I will open it for you," pleaded a now excited Dan.

The man nodded his head and opened the box, the lid eventually came off, he gazed inside, "its coins," he said looking up at Dan, he stuck his hand in and brought a few coins out. "They are Edwardian," he looked at Dan, "what do I do with them?" he moved the box closer to his chest, "do I tell the police, someone may be looking for them, I could get in trouble," the man's euphoria was quickly draining away.

"Can I see them please?" asked Dan, the man quickly passed him the box as if shifting the blame, Dan looked the box over and then at the coins inside, he shook his head, "this box has been buried for years, all the coins I can see are over a hundred years old. Keep the box; it's a reward for doing this in all weathers."

"But the police," he said a hushed tone, "I could go to jail; Diane always said this would happen." He looked at the road that led to the sailing club as if expecting the police to arrive at any minute.

Dan looked at the man, "look, sorry I don't know your name."

"Eric, Eric Peters," replied the man.

"Dan Devlin," Dan held out his hand, the man started to shake it, "Detective Sergeant Dan Devlin."

The man looked at his wrists half expecting Dan to put a set of handcuffs on them, "I should keep the box?" he asked hesitantly.

Dan nodded his head, "if I hear of anyone missing a box of coins I know where to find you."

Eric smiled and Dan, "thank you," the smile turned into a grin, "I can't wait to show these to Diane, this will shut her up."

"Yards," shouted Dan. "C'mon, let's leave Mr Peters to his winnings." Yards started to bark before running after some seagulls that had decided to land on his beach.

"Thanks for your help, look I have an antique shop in Ayr, near the Sandgate," Dan nodded at him, "I have a lot of old police stuff if you're interested, very good price," he said holding up the box.

Dan shook his head, "the wife wouldn't want them in the house, thanks anyway," Dan was about to reset his run, "you don't deal in swords at all?" asked Dan hopefully.

Eric thought for a moment. "Not really my strongest area of expertise, I know less about swords than I do about coins."

"Worth a try," replied Dan.

"You should try Felix Huth, he has a wee place in Kilmarnock, what he doesn't know about swords is not worth knowing," replied Eric.

Dan looked at him, "thanks for that, Felix Huth you say."

"You better tell him you spoke to me; he can be funny with authority sometimes, well most of the time," Eric paused for a second, "make that all the time, tell him you spoke to Beep Beep, he will know who you mean," Eric looked at him metal detector and laughed, "maybe he better think of a different name now."

"Thanks, do you want me to tell him," he nodded to the box.

Eric shook his head, "I want to see his face." He looked along the beach, "I think you better go after your dog."

Dan turned and looked along the beach, Yards was but a distant blur, "crazy dog, thanks for the help."

Dan reached the wall of the old swimming pool to find Yards sitting watching him, he was sure that if Yards had a watch he would have looked at it in what kept you type way, "you're not funny Yards," Yards barked in reply, probably the bark meant that he was. Dan picked up a stick and threw it as far as possible into the sea; Yards ran after it, Dan started running as fast as he could back towards the car. He had reached the old crazy golf by the time Yards had caught up with him, the dog stood next to his master and then shook all the seawater off his coat and quickly ran away before Dan could shout at him. Dan was convinced that his dog was more intelligent than most people he knew.

Dan got out the shower fresh and refreshed after his run, he phoned Kat to say he would pick her up and that they were going to Kilmarnock; he quickly checked the internet to get the address and then started to cook some scrambled eggs on toast, Emma took his first attempt whilst Alison said she was happy with just toast. Dan looked at his daughter, "are you sure you are up to going back to work?"

"Yes, I am being stuck in an office for the next week or two so I will be fine, well apart from going stir crazy being stuck in an office with farty pants Shepard that is."

"That's not nice," said Alison.

Dan looked at his wife, "I've met Miss Shepard and Emma is being polite."

"How's Kat?" asked Emma, "coping ok with the case."

Dan put down his fork full of scrambled eggs, "we are fine, thank you for asking about us."

Emma grinned at him, "I didn't think Supercop wouldn't be able to cope." She had first called him Supercop when she was about 6 and had watched an old episode of Scotch and Wry where Rikki Fulton's character wanted to arrest Taggart, Dan was with the motorcycle department at the time, "that's just like you daddy she had said pointing at the TV, Lynn didn't know what she was talking about but she started calling him Supercop as well."

"Ok Sterling out the car," joked Dan reliving the past.

"Now you are more like Taggart," added Alison.

Dan glanced at the clock on the wall, an old Daffy Duck clock that had been the girls favourite when they were young, a subtle link to the past. "I better get going," he picked up his coffee and finished it.

"Do you want me to make you some sandwiches up for you," asked Alison.

"It's ok love I'm with Kat, I have no option but eat," he stood up and kissed her on the forehead, he then walked around the table and done the same to Emma, he couldn't remember the last time he had kissed his daughters forehead. "We need to go to Kilmarnock so no doubt Kat will want to stop for some Killie pies."

Kat got into the car and looked at Dan, "can we stop for some Killie pies?" she smiled at him, "please."

Dan laughed. "The last thing I said to Alison was I bet Kat wants to get some Killie pies," he said as he drove away.

Kat got out a mobile and pressed a few buttons, "hey it's me, do you want us to bring you some pies back from Killie, we could drop them off before we go back to the station." Dan just stared open mouthed at Kat before a car horn grabbed his attention back to the road, "watch where you're going," said Kat pointing at the road, "Alison, I don't know how you put up with him," she then was silent as she listened to Alison, "that sounds good, do you want us to pick up some tatties, we could swing past that farm shop near Troon," Dan just shook his head, "oh strawberries and cream sounds good, hold on I'll ask him, you want strawberries or raspberries?" she asked Dan, "we can just do both," she replied without giving Dan a time to answer, "yeah that sounds good, ok I'll make sure he does that, ok, bye." She turned to Dan as she put her phone away, "if we let Alison know when we are leaving the office she will put the tea on."

"Am I even invited?" he asked sarcastically.

Kat looked at him, "I presume so, do you want me to check?"

"Why don't I convert the garage to a little bachelorette pad for you."

Kat shook her head, "we should keep work and private life apart."

"But," he gave up as he would never win.

They could only find a double yellow line to park on, no doubt there would be a ticket waiting for them when they returned, any chance for the Killie boys to get one over on Ayr. As he locked the car he noticed a traffic warden turn the corner, "Kat," he said nodding towards the young male warden.

"Hi," she said in her best seductive voice, she held up her ID, "I know we are parked on a double yellow, but there is nowhere else to park," Dan cringed when he listened to her, "we are working and we won't be long, pretty please." The young warden nodded excitedly to her, "thanks," she replied, she walked back to Dan, "putty in my hand," she said quietly to him. Dan waved thanks to the warden but he only received a hateful look in reply.

"If he only knew," Dan laughed lightly.

"None of them need to know, I'll prove I don't need to sleep my way to the top," replied Kat curtly.

"Unless you count DI Steel up in Aberdeen," Dan replied bravely.

The walked into the shop, it was full of random brass objects and paintings of animals with a scattering of things that reminded of his grannies house from when he was a wee boy. "Mr Huth?" asked Dan as he walked up to the shop counter.

Mr Huth eyed him, his eyes narrowing, "Beep Beep said you would be coming, you are police aren't you?"

Dan nodded bringing out his ID, "DS Devlin, DC Harper."

"Kat," she said holding out her hand, "the serious one is Dan."

"Felix," he smiled as he shook their hands.

"Beep Beep said you were interested in swords?" asked Felix.

"A certain type," replied Dan, "a Don Cossack type Shashka."

Felix raised his eyebrows, "nice sword, can do some damage that one."

"Can't they all," asked Kat.

Felix shook his head he reached under the counter and pulled out a sword, "this one is pretty harmless," he handed the sword over to Kat, both sides were extremely blunt."

"Ok point taken," replied Kat.

"Now the sword you are talking about," he paused for a moment, "must be 10 years since I last even seen one of those."

"The one we are interested in would be about 200 years old," added Dan.

Felix looked at them both, "must be closer to 15 years since I saw one that old."

"Here?" asked Kat hopefully.

Felix shook his head, he thought for a moment, "Albert was selling one."

"Albert?" asked Dan.

"Albert Younger," Felix held up his hand, "Albert died about 8 years ago, don't know why he was called younger he was about 92 when he died."

"Was he local?" asked Kat.

"He had a shop for years in Irvine, but when it got too much for him he started doing car boot sales, said he made much more doing that," Felix looked around his shop, "makes you think."

"Can you think of anyone else?" asked Dan.

Felix shook his head, "we are but a dying breed, all you need now is a smartphone and you have the world in your hand," he looked around the empty shop, "I even use it sometimes," he tapped his temple, "memory isn't as good as it used to be."

Dan handed over his card, "thanks for your time Felix, if you remember anything let me know, my numbers on the card."

Felix nodded and looked at Kat, "do you have a card?"

Kat smiled at him and handed over her card, "where's the best place to buy Killie pies."

He pointed out the window, the woman behind the counter noticed him and waved, "that's Betty, she will see you get the best."

"Don't suppose you can tell me what Beep Beep found?"

Dan shook his head, "sorry, he wants to see your face when he shows you."

"Damn, I always feared he would rub it in my face," replied Felix.

"Look, thanks for your help," said Dan, he turned to say something to Kat but she wasn't there, Felix pointed out the window, Dan tuned round and Kat waved at him from the bakery counter. "Can't take her bloody anywhere."

"You'll forgive her once you taste one," replied Felix, he held up Dan's card, "if I can think of anything I will let you know."

They were back at the office after a detour at the farm shop and Dan's house. "Any luck with the cameras?" he asked the room.

"Nothing so far, but we are still waiting for a couple of bus downloads," replied Higgins, "we asked the drivers but nobody stood out to them.

Dan was clock watching, it was nearly 1 pm and they still hadn't discovered another body part, "maybe he is skipping a day," suggested Kat as if reading his mind.

Someone's desk phone rang, quickly followed by the phone being slammed down, "put up another for Highlander." Higgins was closest to the whiteboard so he got up and put another one against Highlander.

"Bloody hell," exclaimed Dan, "that many?" he asked nodding towards the board.

Higgins looked at the board, "13 for Highlander, 4 for Rob Roy, 6 for Errol Flynn, we even have 2 for Harry Potter."

"There are swords in Harry Potter?" asked Kat, Higgins shrugged his shoulders.

Another phone rang, "fiver says Highlander," said Higgins.

"Bugger off Higgins," someone else shouted, Dan tried to see who it was but couldn't narrow it down, whoever it was Dan was slightly proud of them.

Dan's phone started to ring, "don't say a word, Higgins," he pointed at him, "DS Devlin." Dan listened to the call and then put the phone down, "let's go," he said to Kat.

"What we got Carol," he asked as they walked into her office.

"You were right about the rope," stated Carol, "definitely horse."

"Don't tell me it was also old," replied Dan.

Carol looked at him, "about 50 or 60 years old."

"How many sets of DNA?" he asked not wanting to know the answer.

"At last count, we were in the mid-twenties, they are also from different ages" she looked at Dan, "looks like it was used somewhere publically."

"Can you tell where the horsehair originated from?" asked Kat.

"May take a while but yes we can do that," replied Carol, Kat seemed slightly surprised that they could, Carol noticed her reaction, "when this is over Kat you should spend the day here, might give you a better insight into what we do and what officers like yourself can look for at a crime scene."

Kat looked at Dan, "go for it, not many get the chance to see inside the forensic world and people like Carol are the way forward."

"Thank you, Dan," replied Carol, "nice to see that some of you lot don't see as some sort of voodoo."

"Find anything on the leg?" asked Dan hopefully.

"Nope, this guy is good, he doesn't leave a trace," replied Carol.

"Are you thinking someone from a medical background, surgeon perhaps?" Dan knew he was clutching at straws.

Carol shook her head, "for some reason I still think someone in an animal background."

"Why?" asked Kat.

"Don't know, just a hunch," she paused for a moment, "a doctor or surgeon would have feelings towards a human, a butcher or someone who works in an abattoir doesn't have the same emotional connection."

"We will get Higgins to check abattoirs," started Dan, "on second thoughts we will do that, Higgins would only try and get some freebies." He looked at Kat, "there can't be that many in the area."

Carol turned her attention to her computer, "ten past three and we still haven't got todays clue."

"Maybe he is having a day off," joked Kat.

"Why are we sure it's only one killer," Dan turned towards Carol, "from the legs can you work out the guys weight? I mean the photo's we had showed he was a big guy."

Carol got to work on her computer, several minutes later she had an answer, "judging from the legs and the fat build-up he was about 17 stone, we know the killer has good upper body strength so he could probably move him easily enough."

Dan thought for a moment, "Carol I'm starting to agree with you about it being someone who works with animals."

Carol nodded, "look more to the butchery side than the abattoir, a butcher would have more knife skills."

Dan's mobile started to ring, all eyes in the room turned towards him, "DS Devlin," he listened for a while, "we are a bit busy for a missing person, hold on what, when," Dan looked up at Kat, "email me his address, we will go and see the wife."

"What's going in?" asked Kat when Dan finished the call, "we have a missing person case now."

Dan nodded his head, "we do when he knows Andrew Hopkins."

Dan parked the car across the road from Prestwick Academy, he shivered as he remembered some unhappy years he spent at there, he quickly turned his attention to the semidetached house, "want to take a look around the school for old time sake?" teased Kat as they got out the car.

"Would love to Cathubodua, but we don't have the time," he replied, he took a swift glance in her direction, her eyes were narrow and he could almost see the fire in them. "Blame your parents, they gave you the name, I like it, I think I will use it more often."

He never heard Kat's response as a distressed woman was asking quick fired questions at them, Dan looked up and down Newdykes Road, "why don't we go inside," he suggested.

Kat took the cups off the woman as her hands were shaking that badly she was worried there would be no coffee left, Dan smiled at her as she sat down. "When did you last see your husband, Mrs Cooper?"

"Please it's Olivia," she looked down at the floor, when she looked back up there were tears in her eyes, "not since Friday," she looked at Kat, "I only got back this morning, I was in Bath visiting my sister," she then turned to Dan, "I heard about Andy, oh god, do you think he could be dead as well?"

"Or a suspect," said Dan to himself. "How well did Darren and Andy know each other?"

Olivia wiped away a tear, "since school, thick as thieves those two," she looked quickly at Dan, "not that they were thieves, just figure of speech."

"You would have no idea how many times people say the wrong thing to us," Dan smiled at her and started to look around the room. "When does it look like Andrew was last here."

"I left him a Beef Curry for his tea on Saturday, but it's still in the fridge."

Dan and Kat looked at each other, Kat smiled at her, "did he know you were coming back today."

Olivia shook her head, "I was supposed to come back last night but we ended up going to the theatre so I left early this morning, I tried to call him, I just thought he got the voicemail and didn't reply because I was at the theatre."

"Do you have any children?" asked Dan.

She looked at him before her head dropped slightly. "No, we tried but, it just wasn't to be." She looked at a photo on the wall, "Darren is Godfather to Grieg, but it's not the same as having one of your own." She started to cry again, "where do you think he is?"

"Do you know what he had planned for the weekend?" asked Kat.

"Probably fishing, or wild camping somewhere with a few bottles of Whiskey, he would be doing something that he calls, "getting away from it, that's why he likes it when I go to my sisters."

"Anywhere in particular?" asked Dan.

She looked out the window, no doubt at the space where Darren's car should have been, "I know he has a wee spot over on Arran that he likes."

Dan nodded his head, "what did Darren do for a living, did work colleagues not wonder where he was?"

Olivia shook her head, "he is a self-employed plumber, so he no doubt cancelled his jobs for the past few days and made a long weekend of it."

"How did he seem when you last saw him," asked Dan.

Olivia laughed lightly, "he is not suicidal if that is what you are thinking, and anyway, we are going to Canada in a few months, he's always wanted to go there."

"I wasn't thinking that," reassured Dan, "more did he have that look in his eyes, you know when the cats away."

Olivia nodded, she cast her mind back and started to nod her head, "I bet he is away fishing somewhere, I'll kill him when he gets back."

"Would Andrew Hopkins have gone fishing with him?" asked Kat.

"No, Andy didn't like to fish, golf, the two of them would play it every day if they could."

"When did Andy and Darren last see each other?" Dan asked.

"Last Tuesday, Andy had a leaking tap and Darren went after his work, he wanted to make sure Andy was there, something about Iona recently."

"What about Iona?" Kat leaned slightly forward in her seat, Dan calmly took a sip of coffee.

"Maybe it's nothing but," Olivia paused as if thinking should she share her thoughts, "in the past year she has changed," she quickly looked up at the officers, "I'm not saying she changed into an evil killer, she just seemed more distant," she put her hand to her mouth, "God that's a terrible thing to say after what happened. How is she, you know, coping?"

"We have very good professionals who are with her to help her through this difficult time," Dan replied in both a comment and a statement.

A phone started to ring from somewhere in the house, "that might be him now," said Olivia as she sprang up and practically ran to the phone. "Darren," she said excitedly, "oh hi Dore, no nothing yet, look I need to go the police are here, no, yes, of course, I will." Olivia walked back into the room his shoulders were slightly slumped, she smiled at Dan, "that was Darren's mother, God I hope she doesn't turn up, I can't deal with her at the best of times."

"Do you have anyone close by that can pop in etc." asked Kat, "you know," she added.

"I'm in the WRI."

"Enough said," replied Dan.

"WRI?" asked Kat.

"Women's Rural Institutes," replied Olivia, "we are always looking for fresh new faces," she added to Kat. Olivia started crying again. "Where is he?"

Dan took that as the point to leave, "Mrs Cooper, you have given us a few leads as to where we can find him," he stood up, "I'll inform the team."

"Team?" she asked.

"Of course, there will be much more than just us looking for him," Dan replied.

"Oh thank you," she replied a small smile on her face. "Bloody idiot better have a good excuse for putting everyone through this."

"Or at least a good few trout," added Dan trying to sound positive.

Dan and Kat got back in the car and started to drive away, the academy had just opened its door so there was now a large group of spotty teenaged school kids taking over the road, "we ain't going to find him are we," asked Kat.

"You never know, we may get lucky," he replied, "out the bloody way," he yelled beeping the horn of the car as a group of kids just ran onto the road.

"Piss off granddad and I like your daughter," was shouted back at him from various spotty faced youths.

"Least they like me," replied Kat smugly, "sorry granddad."

"You want to walk back to Ayr?"

Kat took out her phone, "I'll get someone to check the Calmac sailings to Arran, shit, we didn't get the make of his car or even the reg."

Dan looked about him as he had more or less reached the edge of the swarm of kids, "they are police, I'm sure them will be able to find that out," he gestured to a couple of kids to get off the road, "just don't phone Higgins." He glanced to his right trying to remember which garage was the old tuck shop; he shook his head at the memory of the amount of sweets they used to eat. They drove down the road and Dan pointed at where the old café used to be. "When I was a kid, the ice cream from there was amazing, the guy use to make it himself," he smiled at a distant memory, "a game of Asteroids and a Curries Red Kola floater."

"I think I've got that game on my phone," replied Kat, "a kind of remember the 80's app."

Dan just shook his head, having aged about 10 years in the past few minutes of conversation.

Kat glanced at the clock on the dashboard of the car, "it's getting late and we still haven't found anything yet."

"It might be there and we have just not been found yet," Dan replied, he didn't know why he had said it as it sounded like a stupid thing to say.

Kat pressed the horn of the car and then started waving frantically to a pair of young woman who were standing talking to each other, both turned around and waved back. "Tina and Gabby," said Kat to the uncaring Dan.

"Thank God we are not undercover," replied Dan.

"It was Tina and Gabby," replied Kat as if that meant something to Dan. "They were friends with Lynn," she added, "we bump into each other in Ayr some nights when I'm with Emma."

Dan looked in the rearview mirror, "thanks," he said to Kat. "I forget about her friends sometimes."

"Don't worry, me and Emma look after them, oh and they said thanks, I kind of used your name to stop them getting lifted a few months ago," she looked at Dan, "nothing bad but."

Dan held up his hand, "don't want to know and glad I could help."

"Don't worry, they have their heads screwed on them two, Tina is training to be a Psychologist and Gabby is already a," Kat shook her head, "something in finance." Kat laughed, "Tina head-butted someone who felt her arse, right in front of a police car," Dan looked at her. "Yeah the little move you told Emma and Lynn to do if they were being harassed, quick and to the point and if unseen, unbelievable" Dan smiled.

Kat's mobile started to ring, "Harper," she shook her head, "ok, did you check it with Calmac," she tutted, "well I would suggest you check with them ya Muppet," Dan started to grin, "he's driving, I'm just relaying the conversation, hold on," Kat covered the mouthpiece of the mobile and waited a few seconds, "yeah it was definitely Muppet," she replied. "Look, phone back when you have an answer from Calmac." She then abruptly ended the call.

"Do I want to know who that was?" he asked her.

"Probably for the best you don't."

"Kat, phone Alison and say we are on our way, I'm starving."

Kat gleefully phoned Alison.

15

She was hungry and sore from lying on the ground all night but at least she was dry, she had to leave her little bit of paradise with a breakfast waiting on her when a very hairy man started to shout something at her, she was scared so she ran, she had found a small cluster of bushes next to the river and an old piece of plastic, it only took her a few minutes but she had made herself a very rustic shelter, she knew that people would be walking about soon so she left her little safe haven and started to walk to warm herself up, it took her a few moments to realise the musty smell she was smelling was herself, she looked back at the river but didn't think that was the answer. She walked towards the train station that she had seen yesterday, when she got there she spotted the toilet and made her way inside, there was no one inside so she quickly filled the basin with warm water and placed her hands inside, grinning as the heat melted away the coldness from the night before, she picked up a container and then dropped it as a liquid spilled onto her arm, she put her nose to her arm and breathed in the flowery aroma. She washed herself as best as she could, drank as much water as she could and then quickly left as she could hear voices coming nearer, both women gave her a strange look as she ran between them.

She walked past a shop and breathed in its aroma's, she licked her lips but knew it was pointless, she watched as an overweight man came out the shop, he was stuffing his face with something that she couldn't see because it was in a bag. The man smiled at her and then moved away from her. She wiped away a small tear, she was so confused, she didn't know where she was, she couldn't understand what they said and she couldn't read the words that she saw everywhere.

A man and woman were walking towards her, she looked at what they were wearing and decided they wore the same thing as the people from that night, she quickly looked for a way out the building and hurried towards it, hoping they didn't follow her.

She spotted a man walking towards who looked similar to her, she spoke to him but he just looked at her and quickly walked away.

She walked to the beach, it was an easy place to spend the day without looking suspicious, she sat in the sand and watched the waves gently massage the sand, this was the only place that reminded her in any way of home, well apart from it being colder and her beach never had an island across from it, she would stare at the island and wondered what it was like there.

Something was lying on the sand next to the sea wall, it was multi-coloured and looked sort of familiar to her, she stood up and looked around but there was no one around, and she hadn't seen anyone since she arrived, she walked over to it and picked it up, she shook the sand out of it and then smiled at the blanket, it was similar to the one her mother had, she started to cry at the memory of her mother, would she ever see her again, did she even know where she was, the only small comfort would be that her mother wouldn't know about the death of her other daughter. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and breathed in deeply and smiled at the warmth she now felt, the grumbling from her stomach told her she now had a new mission to conquer.

16

"Anything?" asked Kat as she sat down across from Dan.

"Nothing, they search every ferry from Friday onwards to Arran," he looked at her and nodded, "even the Lochranza one."

"What did Andrew Hopkins have planned for Saturday, maybe they were planning to meet up," asked Kat.

"His wife said he was going to B&Q, something about redoing the bathroom, there was a leaky tap, which we know Darren fixed, and he was going to have a look and get a few ideas," replied Dan.

"Well that sound like a load of shit, no husband would volunteer to do that," she looked at him, "would you?"

Dan nodded in agreement, "right, they two had something planned together, something they didn't want the wives to know about, which means it's either sexual or something that costs more than they would care to explain."

"Well a Saturday morning can rule out sexual," Kat looked at him, "can't it?"

"Check to see if there was any horse racing at Ayr or even Hamilton on Saturday," suggested Dan.

"How much is a round of golf? Darren's wife said that was something they shared," replied Kat.

Dan nodded in agreement. "We should try Turnberry, Old Prestwick and Royal Troon, if you are going to pay big, that's the courses you would play."

Kat was already at work on her computer, "nearest horse racing was Thirsk, what about the dogs?"

"Doubt it, you tend to throw more money about at the horses, let's try the golf angle, I'll try Turnberry," replied Dan, "you do Prestwick."

Kat was looked at Dan having ruled out Prestwick, he was still on hold with Turnberry, "I'll try Troon."

Dan put down the phone after an unsuccessful call. "Any luck?" he asked her, she held up her finger, "yes, under the name Hopkins or possibly Cooper," she looked at Dan and grinned. "What time did they kick-off?"

"Tee off."

"Sorry what time was their tee off?" Kat picked up her pencil, "09:45," she wrote down the time, no doubt the time was now engraved in their memory from now on, "would it be possible to come and view your CCTV footage," she listened to the reply and bite her bottom lip, "I was aware there are no camera's on the course, I just meant the car park and clubhouse," she looked at Dan as he held a finger to his lip. "We will, of course, be very discreet, unless you give us no other choice and we send in a gang of uniformed officers, they will want to speak to every one of your members." Kat listened to the reply, "I completely agree with you, yes, within the hour," she grinned and looked up at Dan. "Bacon rolls and coffee would be splendid."

"How?" was all Dan managed to ask.

They pulled into the car park and parked next to the worse looking car in the car park, but even that probably cost double the one that had driven, "we are really going to blend in here aren't we," laughed Kat.

"This is the sort of place you wouldn't tell your wife about," replied Dan feeling slightly better now they had a lead to go on.

"Do I even want to know how much it would cost?" asked Kat.

Dan shook his head, "you would only start swearing."

They walked up to the reception, the pretty woman behind it smiled at them, "we are here to see Mr Ferguson," Kat announced in her most posh voice.

"Ah yes," the receptionist replied in her perfect upper-class accent, "he did pass on he was expecting visitors," she continued, Kat was pretty sure she was even dumbing down for her benefit, "Mr Ferguson," she said to the man approaching them, "I believe your guests have arrived," she smiled as he approached.

"Thank you, Tabitha," he replied before quickly leading Dan and Kat away from reception. They stepped into an office and he quickly shut the door behind them, "sorry about Lady Snootybitch on reception," his voice was now what can be only described as normal, "her uncle is on the committee."

"Thanks for seeing us," said Dan as he led the introductions.

"Sorry about when I was on the phone," he said to Kat, "we have a lot of rules."

"Funny enough so do we," she replied with a smile.

"Both gentlemen arrived in the same car, a Black BMW 5 series. They arrived at 08.30 for a full Scottish breakfast, had another coffee and then commenced their round at 09.45 and completed it just after midday, we had a 4 ball and a 3 ball out before them so they would have probably been held up at the 5th and 8th holes. They then had a bar meal and left at 16:15," he smiled at them; "I thought I would save you the bother. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a disc, "a copy of all we have," he handed the disc to Kat.

Dan looked at him, "very thorough."

Mr Ferguson grimaced slightly, "orders for higher up, help in whatever way we can, but get their arses out the door as soon as possible," he looked at them both, "we have a very hush-hush celebrity party tonight."

"Anybody interesting?" asked Kat.

"They seem to think so," he replied.

There was a knock on the door, Mr Ferguson got up and went to answer it, "Thank you, Jean," he returned to his desk and placed a tray with coffee and a small pile of bacon rolls, "only chance I really get to eat these," he picked up a roll, "help yourselves," he added before quickly taking a bite from his, once he had finished his roll he looked at Dan, "of course this has not to be deemed as any sort of bribery but I have been asked if discretion can be used in our golf course being mentioned in your investigation."

"Seriously?" asked Kat, Mr Ferguson just nodded his head before reaching for another roll.

Dan smiled at him, "no problem, but if anyone asks we are still evaluating our options to deem if that would be possible."

"The club thanks you," replied Mr Ferguson, "unless you play golf yourself, I could maybe get you a round."

Dan shook his head, "thanks but I'll stick to Bellisle, least when I hit a bad shot there are others on the course that know the feeling."

"Well kept course that one, a lot of the finest groundsman learned their trade there," he replied to Dan.

"Is there anything else we can assist you on in your investigation, if you ask for me personally," he reached into his drawer and pulled out a card, "direct number is on there."

Dan stood up and shook his hand, "we will view the footage and be in touch if we need anything," he looked at Kat who shook her head, "well thanks again."

"Are you ok Kat," he asked when they were back in the car; "you were quiet back there."

"The coffee was boufin," she shook her head, "I was expecting better." She looked at Dan. "Do you not think they were in a hurry to get rid of us?"

"It's just the place it is, if we had kicked up a fuss or caused a scene we would have ended up back in uniform, our bosses bosses are no doubt members there," he replied.

"We still don't know where Darren's car is, Andrew Hopkins drove a Black BMW and that's what they took to the golf."

Dan thought for a moment, "if it's been abandoned then it will be in Monkton somewhere, they would have met there and swapped to the one car."

"If we find it does that mean Darren Cooper is alive or dead?"

"Let's try and find the car first," replied Dan, "we might as well check now." He drove out the car park and headed towards Monkton, "we have still to find Hopkins car as well," he added more to himself than Kat.

It only took them a few minutes to find Darren's car in Monkton, it was parked far enough away for Iona Hopkins not to notice, Dan had a quick look through the windows while Kat phoned for a recovery truck, "see anything?" she asked as she ended her call.

Dan shook his head, "how long for recovery?"

Kat grinned, "60 to 90 minutes."

"I swear to god they guys don't know any other timeframe."

"So, do we think Darren has disappeared with his mates BMW or are we expecting more body parts to turn up?" asked Kat.

"Car or human parts?" asked Dan.

"Either," replied Kat.

The tow truck arrived in 25 minutes and then Kat and Dan made their way back to the office.

They were going through the footage for the third time but nothing was standing out as being odd or out of place, "they look happier at the end of the round than the start, so it doesn't look like they had a fight or anything," stated Kat.

"So the obvious question is where is Darren Cooper?" asked Dan.

"And is he the killer or," she didn't want to finish her question.

"Does it seem to you that they are laughing after the round?" asked Dan.

"Maybe one of them played a funny shot or something," replied Kat.

"Or maybe they had a run-in with someone on the course and they are laughing on how they dealt with it."

"I thought golf was a gentleman's game?" asked Kat.

Dan laughed lightly, "yeah, but some people take it way too serious, I've had someone come over to me and explain a ruling I missed on the previous hole," Dan picked up his coffee but realise it was empty; "you want a refill?"

"You get the coffees in and I will phone Ferguson and see if he can give us a list of people who were playing that morning."

"Sorry to put a downer on it but it might just be Harper plus 2, they might not have everyone's surname available."

Kat exhaled deeply, "so they have rules about what you have to wear and do on the course but you don't have to give them your name," she looked at him, "does that not seem daft to you?"

"Does it not seem daft hitting a ball as far as you can, then hitting it again as hard as you can, then gently putting it into a hole and then doing that a further 17 times, what was it Mark Twain said, "golf is but a good walk spoiled."

"Huckleberry Finn played golf?" asked Kat teasingly.

McMillan appeared in the office and walked over to Dan, "making progress?" he asked hopefully.

"You will be please to know that we now have a few leads," replied Dan

"Fantastic," replied McMillan clasping his hands together.

Dan looked at him, "you may get some complaints from higher up when we start investigating the members of Royal Troon."

McMillan looked at him, his face a shade whiter than before, "I trust your judgement Dan, you do what you have to do, I think under the circumstances," he paused for a second, "well maybe not, screw them, I hope you do find one of them skiving," he didn't need to explain the point.

"Do you play there Sir?" asked Kat.

McMillan shook his head, "too rich for my blood."

"Their coffee is terrible," replied Kat, "you would think with all the money."

Dan cut her off, "the bacon rolls were good correct," Kat nodded her head, "that's because they would be eaten fast, the coffee you would sit and savour."

"They gave us crap coffee on purpose, that's not very sporting is it," replied Kat.

Dan smiled, "that's how you make someone welcome when you don't want them being there."

Kat nodded understandingly, "I'll need to remember that when I want to get rid of any houseguests."

McMillan's phone started to ring and all eyes on the room turned towards it, "McMillan," he said when he answered the call, he listened for a while and then looked at Dan, "ok, secure the scene and get SOCO there as soon as possible, DS Devlin will be there in 30 minutes," he ended the conversation and looked at both Kat and Dan in turn, "the rest of the body has turned up."

"Where?" asked Dan getting to his feet.

"The old church on Kirk Street in Prestwick," replied McMillan.

"Old St Nicholas?" asked Kat.

Both men turned to stare at her, "you are aware of it?" asked a slightly surprised Dan.

Kat shook her head, "I started to read about landmarks in the area after the second body part was found."

McMillan looked at her, "and anything on the church?"

Kat thought for a moment, "something to do with the Knights Templar."

McMillan glanced at Dan before turning back to Kat, "good work Kat."

Kat just blushed, "let's go," ordered Dan.

Dan parked the car next to the entrance to the church, they got out the car and walked towards the couple of police officers who were standing next to the blue and white police tape, "Sir," said one of the officers as he recognised Dan.

"What we got Mclear?" asked Dan to the young officer.

Mclear turned and looked back towards the church, "something that will be giving me nightmares for a while," he replied turning back to Dan, "one of the neighbours was washing her dishes, her kitchen overlooks the graveyard, anyway, she saw a man walking about the church with a large bag, when she looked again he wasn't carrying the bag, she thought he was dumping litter or something and she went to investigate."

"Did she see the man?" asked Dan.

Mclear shook his head, "we don't know, a neighbour heard a scream, he found her lying on the ground, we presume she saw the body and fainted, she has been taken to hospital," he pointed at the side of his head, "she had a really bad cut on her head and was going in and out of consciousness, PC Mallan went with her to the hospital, we will find out what she knows when she is able to talk."
"Good work," replied Dan, he nodded toward the church, "is this the only entrance?"

Mallan nodded his head, "there is a wall at the back which you can jump over," he grinned slightly, "we left Aitken up there, the birds were picking at the body so he's our scarecrow," he nodded towards his fellow officer, "Andy has already done a door to door, the only person who knew anything was a Mr Cartwright, he was the one who heard the scream but nothing else."

"Do we have an ETA for SOCO?" asked Dan.

Mallan shook his head and reached for his radio.

"Let's go and see what we have," said Dan as he turned to Kat.

They ducked under the police tape as Mallan held it up for them, they walked up the grass towards the gate and then walked up the path towards the ruined church, nature had thrown her arms around the church as both gable ends were covered in plants, the roof had long disappeared. The church was on top of a small hill giving a view over the railway line towards the golf course and in the distance the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran, "golf course and Arran, you reckon it's just a coincidence?" asked Kat.

"Probably not," replied Dan, he turned towards the officer who was standing next to the body, "has anyone touched the body?"

He shook his head, "a couple of birds were eating it when we arrived," he looked like he was ready to throw up at the memory, "do you still need me here?" he asked hopefully, he nodded towards the golf course, "I want to check to see if any trains have passed and also if anyone was on the golf course."

"Go for it, just let me know if you find anything," replied Dan, the officer practically ran out the graveyard.

Kat was looking about the graveyard, she turned towards the body and looked at the table grave it was resting on, "there doesn't seem to be any other graves that are tables," she looked at the grave behind Dan, it was surrounded by a 2 foot tall wall, "you want to check and see if anything is over that wall?"

Dan turned and took a couple of steps and looked over the wall, "nothing," he replied.

"The table might be significant," she suggested.

"You mentioned Knights Templars earlier."

Kat nodded, "yeah but I don't know anything about them."

Dan grinned at her, "but you were still using your brain in finding out about the local area," Dan thought for a moment, "can you phone that Professor Lister guy when we are done here, we need another history lesson."

17

"So you finally managed to find the rest of the body," said Carol sarcastically towards Dan.

He smiled at her, "obviously we are waiting for you to check nothing is missing," he replied watching the others from the SOCO team erect the tent over the grave.

She took a quick look over the torso and arms and nodded slightly, "looks like we have everything," she moved closer and looked at the neck, "don't suppose you managed to capture the birds that made off with some of the tissue from the neck area, never mind," she turned back to look at Dan, "interesting site to dump the rest of the body," she looked over at the remains of the church, "are you aware of the history of the church."

Dan grinned and looked at Kat, "the Knights Templar," replied Kat.

Carol turned and stared at Kat for a few seconds before replying. "Very good DC Harper, I'm impressed," she turned back to look at the church again, "I actually did a thesis on it for university."

Dan and Kat quickly glanced at each other, "Carol, we would like to take you out for dinner and pick your brains about it, there may be a connection," said Dan, hoping she would say yes as it would save them having to meet Professor Lister again.

"Sure, no problem," she replied without a hint of sarcasm or comment, she turned to look at the body, "our killer is starting to intrigue me."

"Do you know if the table grave is the Knights Templar one?" asked Kat.

Carol shook her head, "no, the grave they think is for the Knights Templar is old and the only marking is a very faint cross, the table grave is only a hundred years old and it's from when the church became a Protestant one," she pointed to a street leading away from the graveyard. "That's Templerigg Street, named after the Templar," she turned back to the body, "our little history lesson will need to wait, better get the body processed first."

Thankfully the restaurant was quiet, Dan had had a quiet word with the manager and suggested it would be best if they left a bit of space between other diners due to the nature of the conversation that they would be having, the manager suggested they sat at the table in the far corner, everyone else would want a window table anyway.

"We have a complete Andrew Hopkins," said Carol as she sat down at the table.

"Aye, good evening to you too Carol," replied Dan as he motioned for the waiter, "what you want to drink?"

"Sorry," she smiled at him, "good evening Kat, good evening Dan, just thought we should get formalities out the way first," she turned to the waiter as he appeared next to the table, "can I have a vodka and coke please and," she looked at Dan's barely touched pint and then at Kat's glass, "better make that two."

Kat handed her a menu, "I would recommend the chicken balti, oh and haggis pakora for a starter."

"Haggis pakora," replied Carol a strange look on her face, Kat nodded.

"It's really good," added Dan.

Kat looked up and caught the manager's eye; he came over to the table, "everything ok?" he asked.

"Fine TJ, look can we have a big plate of starter stuff, everything is so good we can't decide what to have," she asked in her damsel in distress voice.

"Of course," replied TJ.

"Thanks," replied Kat.

Carol watched the manager walk away and then turned to Dan, "is she always like that?" she asked pointing at Kat.

Dan nodded her head, "unless she is drunk, when she is drunk she normally goes into the kitchen to harass the chefs." He picked up his beer and took a sip, "the chefs think she is brilliant."

Kat just shrugged her shoulders, "what can I say," she turned to the waiter who had just arrived with their drinks, "thanks," she said as he put down their drinks.

Carol picked up her drink and took a sip, her eyes widened, "I'm glad I'm not driving," she looked at Kat, "are these doubles?"

Kat smiled, "probably triples."

"I think I better start the history lesson now before I have a few more of these and I jump up on the table and start singing," replied Carol.

"Oh god there are two of them now," said Dan a little louder than he should of.

"What do you know about the Knights Templar?" asked Carol.

"Da Vinci Code and Monty Python," replied Dan.

Kat laughed at the joke. "We are the knights that say Ni."

Carol just looked at her before turning back to Dan, "ok, I will give you a basic history."

Dan looked at her after she had finished, "do you think our guy is what, looking for the Holy Grail?"

Carol put down her drink, "you never know, there were many Knights who ended up in Scotland," she shook her head, "no; I think our guy is just your run of the mill nutjob."

"But why the history tour, Tam O'Shanter, Knights Templar, Robert the Bruce and James Macrae?" asked Kat. "Do you think we should arrest all the history teachers in the area?"

"We should be glad he isn't an Elvis fan or we would have found more body parts at the airport," replied Carol with a chuckle.

"Who says he has finished," remarked Dan, "he may only be getting started.

Kat looked at him and then Carol and then her nearly empty glass, "we need more drinks."

"Hold that thought," replied Dan as he reached for his ringing mobile, "Devlin." He listened for a while, "where?" he looked at Kat and shook his head slightly, "any prints off the steering wheel?" his head sunk as he heard the reply.

Kat waited until he had ended the call, "what we got?"

"They found Andrew Hopkins car," he replied.

"Where?" asked Kat.

"Doonfoot, there is a car park at the shore," he was silent for a moment, "there was no evidence of Darren Cooper having taken the car."

Kat nodded her head, "he has got to be our guy."

Dan looked at her but didn't offer a reply, "the car is being processed and we won't get the results until at least the morning."

Kats mobile started to ring, she took it out her pocket and looked at Dan, "must be phoning me about the car as well," she turned to Carol, "finally getting the respect I deserve," she answered the mobile, "Harper," her eyes widened as she listened, "Christ I forgot about him, you've not killed him have you," she glanced quickly at Dan who was now listening intensely to her, "good, yeah you can let him go. Well, dump on a bench somewhere. Down at the beach," she laughed at something that was said, "well give him a cushion to sit on. Thanks, I owe you one. Yeah, I don't think he will do that again. I'll tell her," she looked back at Dan, "her dad says thanks as well. Of course not. Bye." Kat ended the call.

"Do I want to know?" asked Dan.

Kat just smiled at him, "just friends of Emma doing us a little favour."

Carol looked at both of them, "I want to know, sounds interesting."

"Maybe later," replied Kat.

Dan looked at Kat and nodded towards Carol, "I need to go for a pee, tell her quickly." Dan got up and walked away from the table.

"Well?" asked Carol.

Kat leaned closer to Carol and whispered. "You know how Dan's daughter got attacked."

Carol nodded, "and how you drank a pub dry."

Kat grinned at the memory, "well, the arse that did it may have got a kicking from someone and may have disappeared for a few days, and he may have spent those few days with some guys from Alcatraz nightclub, he also might be in a bit of pain for a wee while."

"But he won't lay a finger on Dan's daughter ever again," said Carol finishing off Kat's story.

"Rumour has it he understands to stay away from her," replied Kat.

"You are definitely coming to Tanya's birthday pub crawl," ordered Carol.

18

"What we got?" asked Dan.

"Security guard found it this morning when he was doing his rounds, his guard dog started barking at something and as they got closer," PC Findlay turned around and looked behind him towards the SOCO tent, "they found," he quickly turned back to face Dan, "Bruce's Well and now this," he shook his head, "I got transferred from Greenock, thought Ayr would be the easy life."

"Dan, you better get in here," shouted Carol from inside the tent.

"Go and grab a tea son," ordered Dan towards the pale-faced officer, "Kat," he nodded towards the SOCO van and the box of white overalls that were at the opened back door, "looks like we are getting dressed up again."

"We really need to stop meeting like this," said Carol once they had made their way inside the tent, "people will start to gossip," she added followed by the blinding flash from the camera.

"Every bloody time," moaned Dan towards the photographer, Dan took a step to the left and looked down on the ground, "another bloody head."

"We will get a positive ID when we get the dental records but our victim has a small scar under his right ear which would match Darren Cooper," replied Carol.

"Any other body parts been found?" asked Dan hopefully.

"Nothing so far," replied Carol, "but they are still searching," she added weakly.

"Not exactly a local landmark," said Kat, "I have driven past here loads of times but I couldn't tell you what it's called."

"It's called Falkland Yard," replied Dan, "my grandfather used to work here, but by the looks of these coal wagons I don't think they have been moved since he was alive." He looked at the rusted buffer that had weeds growing most of the way up it.

"The head is just lying there" stated Kat, "with the other body parts they were displayed, they were waiting to be found, this poor bastard has just been almost cast aside."

"The killer doesn't care about this one," replied Dan.

"Why?" asked Kat.

"Probably, he had to kill Cooper because he must have taken both men at the same time but he wanted to kill Andrew Hopkins, Hopkins was personal and he wanted everyone to notice," replied Dan.

Kat thought for a moment. "If it's one killer how did he manage to get the better of two men?"

Dan turned to Carol, "anything in the toxicology report saying Andrew Hopkins was drugged or drunk?"

Carol shook her head, "nothing so far, but we are still looking."

"They must have known or trusted the killer," added Kat, "or was in a position that they could be trusted," she looked at Dan, "like a police officer."

"Don't get carried away Kat," he replied, "but I like your theory about them knowing the killer."

"We are ready to take the head back to the lab," said Carol, "I will let you know as soon as we find anything."

Dan nodded his head, "thanks."

"Guess we are going to visit Olivia Cooper and give her the news?" asked Kat.

"Not until we get a positive ID," replied Dan.

"So what now?"

"Let's go and see the security guard who found him, if we are lucky they may have CCTV in the yard," replied Dan.

They were sitting in a portacabin drinking weak tea and watching as the security guard tried to control his emotion as he described what he had found.

"Take your time Mr Dickson and tell us what you saw," asked Dan for the third time.

The security guard looked at both Kat and Dan and nodded, "sorry, it's just, you don't expect to come to work and see," he shook his head frantically and covered his face with his hands, Kat and Dan exchanged a quick look with each other. Mark Dickson regained his composure and moved his hands away from his face, "I was doing my normal patrol of the area and a noticed a few seagulls hovering over the buffer," he looked at Kat and smiled weakly, "I thought that they were after a bit of discarded food or something." He paused for a few moments, "for some reason I walked over towards them and that was when I saw; I ran back here and phoned the police."

Dan nodded understandingly at him, "is there any camera's covering that part of the yard?"

Dickson shook his head, "no, there's nothing much to steal," he laughed. "You can't exactly fit a wagon in the back of a car."

"Did you see anyone in the yard this morning or last night?" asked Kat.

"I started at six this morning, Paul Hatfield was on last night and I'm pretty sure he would have mentioned seeing someone dump a head in the yard."

Dan stood up, "thanks for your help," he said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "if you remember anything or Mr Hatfield recalls something please let me know," he reached into his jacket and pulled out his card which he passed to Dickson.

"Well that was a waste of time," said Kat as they walked outside.

"Let's go back to the office, see if anyone has discovered anything new," replied Dan.

The office was empty when they got back; Kat checked the emails and Dan went to see McMillan.

"Where is everyone?" asked Dan as McMillan shouted for him to come in.

"There is a missing kid in Annbank," McMillan replied.

"Shit," exclaimed Dan.

McMillan picked up a folder that was on his desk and moved it into a drawer, "how's your case going?"

Dan exhaled deeply and looked at his boss, "we are awaiting confirmation but it looks like it was Darren Cooper."

McMillan nodded his head, "looks like we can rule him out of the murder of Hopkins," he clasped his hands in front of him, bouncing them lightly on the desk, "any leads?"

Dan grimaced, "nothing, we are waiting for confirmation and then breaking the news to his wife."

McMillan looked at him and smiled weakly at him. "Look, if you don't think."

Dan held up his hand, "I will find the killer."

"It's just that," he didn't finish his sentence; he just nodded his head understandingly. "Keep me up to date." Dan nodded his head, got up and headed back to the office to see if Kat was having any luck.

"What did McMillan say?" asked Kat as she saw the expression on Dan's face.

"It's more what he didn't."

"What do you mean?"

Dan shook his head, "I think McMillan is getting pressure from above to shove us out the way and bring in Dodds to lead the investigation."

"That brown nose couldn't catch a cold," replied Kim.

19

Someone tugged at her blanket, she reached out with her right hand and held on to the blanket with all her strength, the man who was trying to take it smiled at her, licking his cracked lips in the process, he then knelt on the blanket and reached out to grab her hair. "Well good morning to you my young princess." She looked at him, she didn't know what he was saying but she knew she was in danger, she tried to push him away but all that she achieved was laughter from him, he leaned in close to her, the young woman gagged as she smelled his rank breath, he made a move to kiss her but she managed to turn her face away in time. "Don't fight it, you know what is going to happen, just accept it," the young woman scanned the area to see if there was anyone to help but she knew there would not be anyone around. The man grabbed her wrist and slammed it to the ground, she yelped at the pain in her shoulder, the man's eyes widened at the noise she made, "you like it rough do you?" he reached for her other wrist but she saw it coming and rammed her elbow into his nearing face, she could hear his nose break as she hit him again, he slumped to the side of her giving her the opportunity to quickly get up, when she stood up he weakly tried to grab her ankle but she brushed him away, she reached down and grabbed her blanket and kicked his stomach with all her strength. Kat slammed on her brakes as a young woman ran in front of her car, she looked at the young woman and knew instantly who she was but before she had a chance to speak to her she was gone, Kat turned and looked at the lane where the young woman had come from and saw a man stagger out of it. Kat parked the car and quickly got out of the car but by the time she reached the entrance to the lane, the man was gone. A quick search of the lane revealed to Kat the obvious place where something had happened, there was cardboard on the ground with an indentation on it where someone had probably slept. Kat further investigated the lane but she couldn't see where anyone else had been and there were no CCTV camera's covering the area.

Kat walked into the office and nodded towards Dan, Dan got up from his desk and walked out of the office and followed Kat, they were standing in the corridor. "What's wrong Kat?" asked a worried Dan.

Kat looked up and down the corridor to make sure they were alone, "I saw her."

"Who?" asked a puzzled Dan.

Kat looked at him as if he was daft, "your young woman from the container."

Dan's eyes widened, "where?" he asked looking up and down the corridor again.

"Near the river," replied Kat, she held up her hand, "and before you ask she is well gone, she could be anywhere," Dan nodded in agreement, "but she is still," she paused for a second, "alive," she added almost reluctantly.

Dan exhaled deeply before he looked at Kat, "and once we get our nutjob killer, we are going to find her."

"You're the boss," replied Kat.

20

"It's definitely Darren Cooper's head," explained Carol.

"So we can rule him out the murder of Andrew Hopkins?" asked Kat.

"Test show that he was killed before Hopkins," revealed Carol, "the head had been frozen before it had been dumped; when we opened the skull parts of the brain hadn't fully defrosted."

"Do you have a time of death?" Dan asked hopefully.

Carol shook her head, "the freezing of it means it will take longer to give you an answer on that I'm afraid."

"Can you tell how it the head was frozen?" asked Kat, she noticed the expression on Dan's face; "I mean was it simply dumped in a freezer and allowed to freeze or was their chemicals involved."

"At this stage, we cannot determine that exactly but I'm pretty confident it was frozen by putting it in a freezer," replied Carol.

"I take it you can confirm it was the same weapon used in both killings?" asked Dan hopefully.

Carol nodded but before she had a chance to reply Dan's mobile started to ring closely followed by the phone on Carol's desk, the three of them exchanged glances, "this can't be good," exclaimed Kat.

"What we got Tommy?" asked Dan as he walked over to his old friend. "The guy over there was putting some rubbish in the bin when he saw the leg sticking out the top of it."

Dan looked over towards the man who was being interviewed by two officers before turning back to Tommy, "Did he see anything or are we not that lucky?"

Tommy shook his head, "he said the layby was empty when he parked his car, there was a blue Ford but he is sure they were just checking out the Electric Brae."

"Another bloody landmark," exclaimed Kat.

"Might be a coincidence," Dan turned to the bin, "it was dumped, it wasn't put on display like Hopkins.

"We are assuming that it's Cooper," replied Kat.

"Anything else in the bin Tommy?" asked Dan.

"Just rubbish, not that we have had a good look, don't want to upset the she-devil that is Napier," he replied with a slight grin.

"Get someone you hate to process it when she is finished, you never know," replied Dan.

Tommy thought for a moment before he started to smile, "good idea Dan, say how's Emma?" he quickly looked back at the bin, "last week I was in sunny Magaluf getting legless and on my first day back I find the leg, she ok?"

Dan glanced at Kat, "Emma is doing ok thanks."

"Glad to hear that," replied Tommy, Tommy's son and Emma were in the same primary classes growing up. He turned to Kat, "Sorry I missed your birthday last week Kat," Kat smiled at him, "I've got a nice bottle of duty free with your name on it." Kat's smiled widened.

They all turned towards the sound of someone shouting at everybody, Tommy took it as a sign to leave. "Nobody has touched your leg, Dr Napier," announced Dan when Carol reached them.

"Would it be too much to ask for a complete body," she barked at the officers who were sneaking away from the crime scene.

"I'm afraid not Carol," replied Dan, "looks like we only have a leg."

She shook her head, "I use to love coming here, my dad use to bring us here when we were kids," she looked at Dan and whispered, "Megan loved it," she glanced quickly at Kat but Kat didn't say anything, "she couldn't work out how we were travelling uphill," Carol exhaled deeply. "And now some sicko has destroyed a memory," she turned to Dan, "you need to catch this guy."

Dan just nodded and turned to look over the brow of the hill and over towards the Isle of Arran.

Carol marched towards the bin, she quickly looked at the scene, "we will get bugger all here, Stacey," she shouted over to a delicate looking Stacey, she pointed at the leg, "bag it and back to the lab with it ya Edinburgh softie." A disheartened Stacey grabbed a bag and slumbered over to the bin, Carol turned towards Dan and Kat, "Stacey thought she could take on me and Tanya in a drinking game last night, big mistake." Carol turned towards Kat and lowered her voice, "ask Stacey what happened to her fringe," Kat looked over towards Stacey, "let's say she had a fight with a flaming Sambuca and lost."

Kat looked at Stacey and walked over to her, Stacey was bagging the leg, she had to tug it slightly, its big toe just missing her eye in the process, "bad hair day?" sniggered Kat looking Stacey up and down.

"Bugger off," mumbled Stacey in reply, "just playing the role of Newbie," she added in a louder voice, she turned to glare at Carol who slapped her forehead in some sort of reply.

Kat smiled at her when she turned back towards her, "look if you need the practice in the art of Ayrshire drinking let me know," she grinned at her, "I'm an expert in the field," Kat handed over her card but Stacey had her hands full with the victims leg, Kat smiled and put the card in Stacey's top pocket, "just call."

"That leg is not going to walk itself back to the lab," shouted Carol before turning back to Dan, "when the hell is the going to end?"

Dan thought for a moment, "If we go with previous we can expect another 2 body parts," he looked at the bin, "at least they might not be in public display." Carol looked at him, her eyes asking the obvious question, Dan nodded, "but will make it harder to find."

Kat was walking over towards them, she turned and looked down the coast, "do you think we should send a patrol to Culzean Castle," she turned to Dan, "it the next touristy thing along this road."

Dan looked at her, before nodding his head, "good idea Kat," Dan looked over towards the group of officers that were huddled as far away from them as possible, "Tommy," he shouted, the men walked towards each other, "Tommy can you send a patrol to Culzean, see if anything," Dan shook his head, "see if they can find any body parts."

Tommy just stared at him and the at the SOCO van, "aye sure," he replied as if it was the most natural request.

21

Dan was running along the beach again, he was running faster than usual, a sure sign that the investigation was getting to him, Yards was far ahead of him, he ran by the usual spot where he would find Beep Beep but there was no sign of him. Dan reached his turning spot about 5 minutes quicker than normal, he stopped for a while to lower is heart rate, the only people he could see was a father and young son, the father teaching the son the finer points of a golf swing, they were not far from him, the light wind carrying the voice of encouragement towards Dan. "Good shot Frankie, oh shit, fore," shouted the father, Dan turned just in time to see a golf ball fly past him at waist height. "Sorry about that," he turned towards his son to make sure he was out of earshot, "that's the best shot the wee bugger has hit in his life," he looked at Dan, "are you ok, did it hit you," he ran his fingers through his hair, "I thought he missed."

"Fore," said Dan softly.

The father nodded, "aye I shouted fore, look are you ok, did it hit you."

Dan laughed lightly, "no I'm fine, you missed me but you knocked some sense into me."

"Eh?" the confused father replied, he was joined by his son who was now looking up at both men.

"Everything is fine mate, more than fine, " he looked at the son and ruffled his hair, "thanks wee man, I think you just solved a problem for me," Dan looked around him, "where is that daft dog?" the wee boy pointed to Yards who was sitting behind Dan just out his vision. Dan held out his hand towards the confused father, "thanks." Dan then started to run back towards the car.

"Golf," he exclaimed when he sat down at his desk.

Kat looked at him, "you want to go and play golf?" asked Kat, "don't you think we should solve this first," she added pointing at the computer, "there's a nutter on the loose."

Dan grinned at her, "no golf is the first real break in the case," Kat just looked at him, "when you hit a bad shot at golf and the ball is flying towards someone's head you shout?" he looked at Kat.

"Out the way," answered an unconvinced Kat.

Dan shook his head, no you shout "Fore."

"As in four body parts," she replied.

Dan nodded his head, "different spelling but we know Hopkins and Cooper were playing golf."

"And we now by the CCTV that they were laughing about something when they finished," added Kat.

Dan picked up his phone, "we need a list of everyone who teed off before Hopkins and Cooper that morning because there is a good chance that one of them is our killer," he looked at Kat, the triumphant look on his face quickly vanishing, "what's Troon's number?"

Dan put down the phone, "Mr Ferguson has kindly agreed to give us all the names and contact numbers of everyone who teed off before Hopkins and Cooper." He said towards Kat who was returning with 2 coffees.

"What just like that, I thought it was all hush-hush about member's privacy," replied Kat.

Dan exhaled lightly, "I had to call in a never to be mentioned again type thing."

Kat looked at him and then leaned in closer to him, she looked left and right but there was no one within earshot, "a what."

"When a very high up member of our force has a son who I caught with several grams of something, you get a what can I do to make this go away offer from said high up member of our force, well I called in the favour."

Kat chuckled, "what, you made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

Dan looked at her, "it's always good to have something over those above you, you never know when it will come in handy."

Kat's eyes widened, "Emma must have tons of stuff I could use on you."

Dan looked at her, "the thing is Cathubodua, they have to have nothing on you."

She stared at him, "as if I would," she replied in her butter wouldn't melt in her mouth routine.

A ping from Dan's computer indicated the arrival of a new email; Dan opened the email and read it, his head lowered the more he read.

"What's wrong?" asked Kat.

"We have all the main names and phone numbers but its name plus 2 or 3, there are about 20 names missing," he looked at Kat, "who do you know in uniform who is not a brown nose or a waste of time?"

Kat thought for a few moments, "Joanne Henderson, she has what it takes."

"Is her head screwed on?" asked Dan.

"She occasionally comes out with me and Emma," Kat held up her hand to let her continue, "Joanne will be the one to drive and play mother to us."

Dan thought for a moment, "Red Astra?"

Kat nodded, "how."

"It's called being a father. See when Joanne is on shift and bring her up to date and start her on completing this list. Use McMillian's name if anyone has a problem's, she can have Godfrey's desk whilst he is on holiday." Dan turned to look at Godfrey's desk and then Higgins desk; he turned back to Kat, "Is Joanne a looker?"

"She is a bit young for you Sir."

"She will be in Higgins eyesight," replied Dan.

Kat looked at the desk and then towards Higgins desk, "I'll set her up on mine, she is a martial arts specialist and she is a looker."

Dan started to grin, "Leave the desk where it is, just warn her about witnesses."

Two hours later Dan returned to the office, he watched as Higgins gingerly walked over to Godfrey's desk with a mug of something, Dan started to march towards the desk to intercept, "milk one sugar officer Henderson," said Higgins almost bowing at her as she placed the mug down.

"Thanks, Higgy," replied Joanne not taking her eyes off the computer, Higgins quickly retreated.

"What the hell?" asked Dan as he reached the desk.

Joanne looked up at him, "he just needed house training Sir, Emma has your eyes," as soon as she said it she started to blush, "sorry I should," she was interrupted by the phone ringing, she smiled at Dan and answered the phone, "Henderson."

Dan turned and walked back to his desk, he looked at the already seated Kat, "she house trained him?"

Kat grinned, "Higgins made a move on her and a few seconds later he was on his back screaming for his mummy."

"OK but."

Kat interrupted him by handing over a sheet of paper, "she has almost finished the list," Kat looked over at Joanne who was still on the phone, "and she will not leave until she has them all."

Dan looked at the list, "why is there 4 with red crosses next to their name?"

"They have been on a golfing holiday in Morocco for the past week, looks like they had a quick round before going straight to the airport, so they all have an alibi for the murders; just to be sure Joanne phoned the hotel and spoke to Hicham the head barman who confirmed they have been trying their best to drink the bar dry the past week."

Dan looked at Joanne and then back at Kat, "what about the green pen marks?

Kat grinned, "If she thinks they are suspicious with an alibi or something stands out," Dan quietly nodded, "told you she was good." Kat turned and looked over at her, "Joanne," she shouted as Joanne put down the phone.

Joanne got up and walked over to their desk, "final names from the list," she said handing over a list to each of them, she smirked slightly, "Sir, about before."

"Oh, what did I miss?" asked Kat suggestively.

"Joanne was looking at my eyes, I think she is smitten," replied Dan.

"No, I, sorry," stuttered an embarrassed Joanne.

"Relax Joanne, if he is being nice it means he likes you," replied Kat. "Plus he knows you are sometimes a taxi for Emma and me."

"Sometimes," replied Joanne a little too loudly.

"Ignore her Joanne, Kat doesn't understand someone who can go on a night out and not drink," replied Dan.

"Is there anything else you want me to do?" asked Joanne hopefully.

Dan looked at her, "who is your sergeant?"

"Davies Sir,"

Dan picked up his phone and called Tommy, "Tommy," he said when the phone was answered, "I'm borrowing Joanne Henderson for a while, that ok?" Dan listened to the reply and turned to look at Joanne, "I know she is good," he listened to the reply, "ok, I'll give you Higgins in reply, please," Dan started to smile, "Thanks, Tommy." Dan put down the phone, "Joanne, you are with us until Godfrey is back from his holiday."

"Thanks, Sir."

Dan picked up the bit of paper, "just keep up the good work," he then nodded towards Higgins, "and if you keep him in his place, everyone, around here will try and keep you around longer."

"Thanks, Sir," replied Joanne.

Dan glanced at the clock on his computer, a rumble in his stomach told him it was feeding time, on a case like this there was no nine to five routine, you listened to your body clock, he looked at Kat. "Hungry?" Kats nod reminded him of Yards when he got excited about something, "Let's go and." His phone started to ring, "Devlin," he answered on the 3rd ring, he listen to what was said. "Where?" he started to shake his head, he glanced towards Kat as he continued to listen, "is SOCO on its way?" Kat reached for her jacket, "we'll be there as quick as we can." Dan ended the call, "let's go smart arse."

"Culzean Castle?" she reluctantly asked.

"Aye, they found the other leg," replied Dan.

"Shit."

"Only bonus is we may have him on camera."

"Seriously," explained an excited Kat.

"They are checking CCTV as we speak," Dan stood up and looked over at Joanne, "Joanne," she looked over at him, he then looked around the office, "you are in charge."

"Sorry Sir," her eyes full of panic and fear.

"Just keep up the good work," he replied with a fatherly smile.

22

She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and stared out from the bus stop she was using as a shelter, the only other person at the bus stop was an old man but he was too busy trying to stay upright to bother her, the rain was getting heavier and the clouds were getting darker, she knew she had to find somewhere dry to spend the night, she wondered if she could try the lane she had been using before the smelly man chased her off, maybe the man with the flour on his face would leave her food again, her stomach grumbled at the memory of food, how long had it been since she had last eaten, the man next to her suddenly got up from the seat and held out his hand, she watched as he went into his pocket and pulled something out, he put it in his other hand not noticing that something had fallen to the ground, she looked at him then the thing on the ground and then at the bus that the man was now getting on. When the bus was gone she looked at the thing on the ground and picked it up, she was looking at it and the number in the corner, it looked like money, not the same from where she was from but it looked like some sort of money, how much it was worth she didn't know.

She quickly crossed the road in case the man came back, she looked in the window of the building she was facing, she watched as people were laughing and smiling and drinking a variety of coloured drinks, her eyes focused on a woman who was eating, her stomach growled again, the woman glanced out the window and their eyes met before the woman quickly looked away as if embarrassed that someone was watching her. The cold rain meant it was time to keep moving, she continued to walk along the street, people rushed by her oblivious to the fact she was there.

She stopped when a smell hit her, embracing her in a warming way, she looked through the steam filled window and saw the 2 women behind the counter talking and laughing with the young man in the shop, she opened her hand and looked at the money in her hand and then she looked through the window at the woman behind the counter. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulder and gingerly pushed the door open, all three of them turned to look at her before quickly going back to their conversation, she looked up at the brightly coloured pictures that were hanging from the ceiling, her mouth watered at she looked at each of them in turn, she smiled as the warm of the shop overtook her.

"What can I get you?" asked one of the women.

She looked at the money in her hand and then back at the pictures, she smiled weakly at the woman and handed the money to her, the woman took the money and said something to the other woman, both women nodded their heads, the young man also said something, she just looked at them with fear in her eyes, maybe they were going to call the police, she looked at the money that was now in the woman's hand and took a step back towards the door, towards escape.

The woman motioned to her to come forward, she was handing over the note, she reached up and took the note, it was worthless, she looked at the pictures again and quickly looked away, she turned and walked towards the door.

"Hen," the woman shouted after her, "we can't take you money, I mean look at you, when did you last eat," she just looked at the woman as she spoke, "you don't speak English do you?" she just looked at her and smiled softly, she motioned her forward, she pointed at the pictures, "take yer pick," she breathed in deeply, the woman laughed at her, "that will be the fish you smell," the other woman then started to take a yellowish thing out the silver and glass box, "Chips?" she just smiled more.

"We might as well introduce her to the finest local things," the other woman said, she reached around and took something from the fridge behind her, she handed over a can, "this is called Irn Bru, you drink this and you become more Scottish."

She didn't understand what the woman were saying but she gleefully accepted the can, she wiped away a tear when the other woman handed over a bundle of white paper, she held it to her chest and smiled as the bundle warmed her up, "khwap jai," she held out the money again but the woman shook her head.

"You keep it, you look like it's the only money you have."

"Khwap jai," she said again as she backed to the door as if they were suddenly going to ask for it back.

The woman just smiled and started to talk to each other again, she walked out the door and over to the alleyway to eat whatever she had been given and to shelter from the rain.

23

"Any luck with the CCTV?" asked Dan.

The young officer shook his head, "nothing, looks like there is a big blind spot."

"Is there a camera on the gate, maybe we can check for vehicle reg's?" asked Dan hopefully.

"Already asked and no."

"Bollocks," exclaimed Dan, he turned and looked out the window, the rain was getting heavier, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile. "Any luck Kat?" he asked when she answered.

"How come I'm out in the pissing rain and you are inside probably with a coffee in your hand."

"So the answers no then," he replied somewhat bravely.

Dan could hear something in the background, Carol had replaced Kat, "if you want to know what we have you better get yer arse over here," she replied before ending the call.

He was halfway to the SOCO tent when his mobile started to ring, he answered it without checking the caller ID, "Christ Carol I'm on my way."

"Sir, its Joanne."

"Sorry Joanne what's up," asked Dan.

"I think I know who your guy is," she replied.

Dan stopped walking; he ignored the rain that was bombarding him. "Sorry Joanne could you repeat that."

"I think I know who your killer is," her voice still sounding confident, "it's better if I show you, how soon until you are back at the office."

"We are on our way," Dan ended the call and started to run towards the SOCO tent, he barged in without the bunny suit routine, the flash proved he wasn't that fast, "Kat, let's go, Joanne thinks she knows who our killer is."

"Seriously," exclaimed Kat, "who is it?"

"She wouldn't say," replied Dan, it didn't go unnoticed that there was another strong headed woman running his life, first day on the job and she was telling him what to do.

Carol turned to Tanya, "Tanya you handle the rest of this, I'm going with Dan and Kat."

"No problem," replied Tanya.

Dan never argued as they rushed out of the tent and ran towards Dan's car.

They barged into the office waking Higgins up in the process; they ignored his complaints and stood next to Joanne's desk. "What you got Joanne?" asked Dan.

Joanne looked around the room; she shook her head, "not here."

Dan nodded his head, "ok let's go."

They barged into McMillians office; he tried to hide the bottle of whiskey but was too slow, "what the hell?" he barked in way of a deflection.

Kat turned and locked the door of the office, she eyed the bottle, "got any more glasses boss."

"Kat," the tone of Dan's voice stopped her from doing anything more stupid, he turned to Joanne. "This is Joanne Henderson and she seems to think she knows who the killer is."

Joanne looked around the room, she focused on Kat, Kat grinned at her before nodding her head in encouragement, Joanne exhaled deeply, "so, I was checking the list and a name stood out, he was at the golf course and also use to be a butcher," she looked about the room, all eyes were focused on her, "he also has a good knowledge on Ayrshire and is also a bit of a nut job."

"And he is called?" asked an impatient McMillian.

Joanne looked at her paperwork again, "Ken Downes," she announced.

The room fell into silence for a few minutes.

"Didn't he have sex with a goat?" asked Kat.

"Yeah the old cliché, you are a local MP for years, win the best butcher in Ayrshire for who knows how many times, saved his local primary school from closing but he has the hots for one goat and everyone starts calling him goatshagger," laughed McMillian.

Carol was laughing, "He had sex with a goat, wait, are there pictures, no, on second thoughts I don't want to know."

"Any pictures of it on file Joanne?" asked Kat.

"Who was he playing with at Troon?" asked Dan bringing the conversation away from goat fetishes.

"Jim Flanders and Simon Quinlan," replied Joanne without consulting her notes.

"Well there are two people you wouldn't show any weakness to," replied McMillian.

"And also 2 men who will not grass on anyone," added Kat. "What's your thinking Joanne?"

"Something happened on the golf course causing Downes to lose face, Hopkins and Cooper were the cause of it. If you look at the footage of the car park again you can see Cooper nodding towards Downes car. Downes is an ex-butcher so he has the knife skills."

"But a killer?" asked Carol interrupting Joanne.

Joanne smiled at her, "a killer has to start somewhere, sorry i...."

Carol looked at her, studied her, she wasn't being smug just being obvious, she glanced at Kat before focusing on Joanne, "first of all its Carol, with your brains we will meet again when you are leading an investigation and secondly," she paused for a second, "nope got nothing, I think she could be on to something."

McMillian looked at Dan, "Dan what are you thinking?"

"We need to find out if he has a history with swords," he replied.

"Do we know his whereabouts?" asked McMillian.

Joanne coughed lightly, "I eh, I have a couple of officers watching him now," she quickly looked at the floor before looking up at Dan, "you said I was in charge," she giggled nervously.

Dan shook his head in mock disbelief, "so where is he, DI Henderson," he winked at her.

"There is a council meeting at Ayr town hall," she replied.

McMillian looked at the clock, "probably finishing time, half the people there will be having their Horlicks soon, have you been to a council meeting recently, it's like Gods waiting room."

Joanne took out her mobile, "I'll get an update," a few seconds later she had her answer, "people are starting to leave," she looked at Dan and McMillian, "should we tail him."

"In a squad car," Dan shook his head.

"Erm, I gave them a car from CID so it's unmarked."

"Jesus Joanne, talk about having a power rush," teased Kat.

McMillian looked at Dan and grinned, "Go for it Joanne, see where he goes," Joanne nodded and gave the instruction before ending the call, "Joanne, do you want to try the desk for size," suggested McMillian as he got up from his seat.

"I don't think it's powerful enough for her," added Dan, Joanne just blushed.

"So what do we do now?" asked Carol, "only I have a leg I better get back to."

Joanne's mobile started to ring again, she answered it quickly, nodded at what was being said, "Thanks," she said before ending the call. She looked at everyone in the room, "so who is buying the curries at Abdul's because Downes is there now if we want to do some surveillance."

Ken Downes was sitting at a table with 3 local councillors and a blonde haired woman that no one recognised, they were just finishing their starters by the time Dan and the others arrived, a quick word with the manager they were now sitting close enough to Downes to hear the conversation but not too close to raise suspicion.

Dan looked around the table, they were too quiet, he looked at Joanne, "so how long have you known Emma and the head case there," he asked pointing at Kat.

Joanne nervously glanced at Kat who nodded it was ok, "I met them through Lynn," she smiled at him, "I was the bodyguard if they stepped out of line."

Dan smiled at her, "must have kept you busy then."

She laughed, "Emma's ok but."

"I'm sitting right here you know Joanne," exclaimed Kat.

"Bodyguard?" quizzed Carol who had deemed a free curry and a stakeout was more fun the analysing a leg.

"Carol let me formally introduce the former under 18 Scottish mixed martial arts bronze medallist Joanne Henderson," announced Kat.

Carol looked at Joanne and then at Kat, "she's coming to Tanya party," she turned back to Joanne. "Don't worry Dan is driving us all home afterword's."

"I'm going to need a minibus by this rate," Dan mumbled.

"We should invite Alison, she's hilarious after a few voddy's," suggested Kat, Carol nodded in agreement.

"Drag Emma as well," added Carol, "bet she has embarrassing stories about Dan."

McMillian started to laugh at Dan, "and I thought you were the man of the house."

"Please," laughed Kat, "his dog has more say than he does at home." Dan just reached for the wine menu.

When the sound of laughter erupted from Downes table all heads in the restaurant turned in their direction but they never noticed that everyone was looking at them and just carried on regardless.

"What do we do after this?" asked Joanne in barely a whisper.

"I'm thinking about Rockets for a few," suggested Kat, "you up for it boss," she winked at McMillian as she directed the question to him.

McMillian just grinned at her, "I would drink you under the table," he exhaled deeply, "I've been drinking since before you were a sparkle in your old man's eye."

Kat shook her head, "any time, any pub, and any drink."

"I think Joanne was meaning our friend," said Dan.

"We need proof," replied McMillian, he looked at Carol, "Do you want his DNA?"

Carol grinned at him, "you old smoother, how can a girl say no."

McMillian turned to Kat, "work your magic with the waiter."

Kat just grinned and stood up and walked to the bar, a few seconds later she returned, she looked at Carol, "don't forget to ask for your doggy bag when you leave."

Carol picked up her glass and took a sip, "let's hope we find something to match it to."

"Let's just hope he is our guy," added McMillian, he turned at looked at Downes before quickly looking away, "cos we got bugger all else to go on."

"Say he is our guy, we don't have any proof," added Dan. He looked at Joanne and Kat, "tomorrow I want you two to find out everything you can about our guy," he held up his hand, "just don't make it too obvious."

McMillian jumped when someone slapped his shoulders, "hey Milli Vanilli, thought you would have retired by now," everyone at the table just stared at the man with his hands on McMillians shoulders.

McMillian stared at Dan and grinned before getting up and turning round to face the man, "Ken how are you these days," he shook the offered hand, "still taking backhanders," he added nodding to the group from Ken's table.

Ken Downes laughed and shook his head, "never taken one in my life, you know that."

McMillian turned to his table, "everyone this is the infamous Ken Downes, local butcher turner saviour of South Ayrshire," he turned back to Ken, "so what are you up to these days?"

Downes nudged him in the ribs, "a bit of this, bit of that," he replied with his fake public figure smile, "what about you Milli, still chasing bad guys."

"Milli Vanilli," giggled Kat a little too loudly, McMillian shot her a glare, she just pointed at Downes.

Ken laughed, the falseness shining through, "just a wee nickname I have for him, he tried to pin a fake money scam on me, it was just after Milli Vanilli got busted, perfect timing so to speak," McMillians face started to turn red.

"C'mon boss, Milli ain't that bad," added Kat, she then turned to look at Downes, "Goatshagger would have been worse."

Everyone turned to look at Downes, his right eye started to twitch, he stared at Kat but the twitch got worse, "sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Kat," she replied as calmly as possible, spelling out her name "that's Kat, not Cat just in case," she shrugged her shoulders, "just saying in case you are a cat lover."

He looked at her before turning to McMillian with a pat on his shoulder, "good to see you, Milli, think I'll go back to my guests," he turned to Kat, "better class of people," he smiled at her. He turned and walked away.

"Don't kid yourself," replied Kat, the emphasis on kid, Downes stopped for a split second and then carried on to his table.

All eyes turned to Kat, Joanne was the first to speak, she looked at Dan, "sir, about us being too obvious."

McMillan just shrugged his shoulders, he picked up his beer and took a sip, "Why is it Cat and not Kat, I mean Cat would make more sense." He took another sip of beer. "I mean Cathubodua is Cat with a C not with a K."

"Oh, Jesus," mumbled Dan, he glanced at Kat.

Kat thought for a moment letting the fire in her eyes slightly fade before answering, "Not all of us like our first name and change it or make it shorter," she stared at McMillan. "Do we, Marion."

McMillan glared at Dan, no doubt the source of her information before replying. "My Dad was a huge John Wayne fan if you must know."

Kat nodded understandingly, "was your father in law a fan of John Wayne as well?" she added with a huge grin on her face.

McMillan tried to think of a witty comment but soon gave up.

24

She had slept well, her stomach full from her gift last night, she looked around her surroundings, she couldn't carry on living here, hidden away under a bridge but what could she do, she didn't even know where she was. She thought back to when the man had come to the village, he had been full of promises, filling their minds of a better life. There would be no need to worry about money, he could provide them with jobs as soon as they got there and they could pay him back a little at a time from all the money that they would be making. No-one seemed to care that he was only talking about taking the young females, he had explained that the jobs he had lined up were only really for the under 25-year-old females, when they had earned enough, in about 6 months, that they could get the rest of the family to join them. They had left their village a few weeks later and were taken to Vientiane, from there it was a journey hidden in the back of large trucks and they had been passed from different trucks to different trucks. With each new journey, they travelled further from home and closer to the poisoned truth. She and her sister had been promised a new life, a new beginning, a place where dream could come true, her sister had loved to draw, they had been originally told that she could be paid lots of money for her drawings, all they had to do now was, she shook at the memory, a year of being someone's extra wife they had called it. She exhaled deeply and tried to hold back the tears as the memory of her sister clouded her mind. The last time she had saw her she was being trampled on as people ran for their lives. She started to cry, a slow realisation her sister was gone, she had to do something, she had to live, live for herself and her sister, but how. She knew she had to find the man who let her run that night, he would know what to do, she could see it in his eyes, the eyes of kindness.

25

"Kat are you completely mental, that little performance last night could cost you your job, you realise that, if we are wrong about Downes you will be the one he goes after."

"But boss," interrupted Kat.

Dan shook his head at her, they were alone in the office, this was the first time it had just been the two of them since the previous night. "Kat you can have a good career here, just," he looked at her unable to think of the words.

Kat looked at him and smiled weakly at him, she had let him down, "do you think McMillian might fire me?" she asked her bottom lip almost trembling.

A chirpy Joanne was walking into the room, "Morning Boss," she smirked at Kat, "Kat." Joanne looked at them both, "you look like you both need a caffeine hit."

"We are fine, thanks," Dan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Joanne, you and Kat find out everything you can about Downes."

"Already on it Sir, everything we have is in McMillians office, we are working from there until we have something on Downes. Downes is friendly with a lot of police so," she didn't continue with the sentence.

"Let's go and see what we have then," announced Dan towards Kat.

"I think I will."

"Face the music," said Dan finishing off Kat's sentence.

Dan entered McMillian's office closely followed by a reluctant Kat, McMillian was on the phone but nodded to the 2 chairs that were across from him, Kat and Dan sat down and waited for him to end his call. McMillian ended his call and looked at both of them in turn, his eyes focusing longer on Kat, "welcome to the top-secret investigation into Ken Downes, the 3 of us here and Joanne are the only ones who know what's going on, the rest are chasing any other leads that may develop," he grabbed 2 folders and handed one to each of them. "Welcome to operation Goat lover," he announced with a grin. "Joanne has been here since 5 am this morning," he patted the folder that was on his desk, "and let's just say she is a bloody good investigator."

Dan briefly looked through the folder, "don't suppose we have anything linking Downes to a sword or somewhere we may find human remains in a freezer."

"Not yet," replied McMillian.

"Does Downes still own any butchers?" asked Kat.

McMillian shook his head, "looks like he sold them all when he ran for the election."

"As a going concern or just sold up," she continued.

"All four shops sold as a going concern," replied McMillian.

"What about his house, any big freezers that we know of," asked Dan hopefully.

McMillian lent back in his chair, "never been to his house if that is what you are suggesting. Yes I know him but we ain't exactly best buddies."

"So what do we have?" asked Dan as he closed the manila folder.

"A challenge," replied McMillian.

There was a knock on the office door and a young PC entered before McMillian had a chance to say anything, the young PC looked at the 3 of them before focusing on Dan, "Sir they have found something, a body," he thought for a moment, "well part of a body."

Dan looked at him, "where?"

"In a suitcase on the ferry to Brodick."

"Christ," exclaimed Dan, "where is the ferry now?"

"Returning to Ardrossan."

McMillian picked up his phone, "I'll call Ardrossan police," he said before dialling a number.

"Nobody can get off that ship," explained Dan, McMillian just looked at him. "Kat round up as many spare bodies as you can, there will be a hell of a lot of upset passengers to interview."

Kat started to stand up, "where?"

Dan looked at her, "what?"

"There will be a lot of passengers, we can't exactly take them all to Ardrossan and we would need to run buses to bring them all back here," explained Kat.

McMillian half-listened to his call and Kat, "Billy, we need to clear one of the areas on the ship, we will interview everyone there, nobody leaves without being interviewed and giving us their full details," he looked at Kat and nodded, "Billy, woman and children first," he added stifling a laugh. He listened to the response, "Good idea Billy, coach drivers first, but we need to search the coaches before they leave the ship," he listened again, "I'll see if Calmac can give out free tea and coffee's for the passengers," he listened again, "God knows Billy, one thing at a time, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"This could be a bloody nightmare," said Dan when McMillian had ended his call.

"Could is an understatement," replied McMillian.

As they approached the ship they were the subject of abuse from the passengers on the top deck, they continued towards the gangway and the only accessible access to the ship, Dan looked at the two officers who were standing guard. "Anyone left yet?" asked Dan.

"Just a bampot who tried to jump off, he landed there," he added pointing to his left.

McMillian looked at the ground and then up at the ship, "quite a jump."

The officer nodded, "especially from the top deck it is."

"Where is he now?" asked Dan.

"On his way to the hospital, paramedics reckon he broke both his ankles," the officer replied.

"Don't worry Sir," added the other officer standing guard patting his top pocket, "we got a full statement before he left. Nothing of note just a lot of expletives and comments about where I could put my notebook."

"Some people have no respect for the law," said McMillian before making his way up the gangway, he nodded at the 2 officers at the top, "any problems?" both silently shook their heads, he looked left and right, one of the officers pointed him in the right direction.

Four hours later the last of the unhappy passengers had been interviewed and were on their way, SOCO were halfway back to the lab with the torso, Carol Napier had deemed it almost definitely the rest of Darren Cooper. "No sign of Downes," stated Dan quietly to Kat and Joanne.

"Nothing suspicious either," added Kat.

"Anything on camera?" asked Dan.

Joanne just looked at him and shook her head, "they are still looking," she added almost hopefully.

"At least we have all the body parts now," Kat sounded unconvinced when she spoke.

McMillian walked over to them, "over 250 passengers and crew and we have the square root of bugger all."

"It's not as if he is going to wave to everybody and scream hey look what I did," replied Dan.

McMillian turned to Joanne, "you're on a hot streak what we got." Joanne just shrugged her shoulders. McMillian smiled at her, "least I have a wee bit more time to keep my job I suppose."

Dan looked at McMillan, "we have Downes on the no-fly list, he has dumped all the parts, what is he going to hang about and wait to be caught?"

Kat nodded her head, "I alerted the airports yesterday."

"What does he do anyway?" asked Joanne.

"What do you mean?" asked Dan.

"I mean he doesn't work, he can kiss his political career goodbye with Goatgate, he has no wife or kids," Joanne turned and shook her head at Kat before she made a comment about kids, "if he was just to disappear, who would miss him, I doubt he has any real friends so to speak, more acquaintances."

Dan nodded in agreement, "all he is remembered for is a goat story and even that there is no proof anything happened, would you want that as your legacy."

"You think he would want to be remembered as a killer?" asked McMillan.

"What would you prefer, a murderer or a lover of goats?" Dan looked at each of them in turn.

"Bugger this," he looked at Kat, "me and you are going to visiting, I am ordering you to apologise to the esteemed Ken Downes, let's see if we can get some answers."

"Cool," exclaimed a slightly excited Kat.

Ken Downes answer the door and looked at McMillan and then at Kat, "I presume she is here to apologise to me."

"Kenny, may we come in," asked McMillan taking a step closer to the door.

Downes looked at them both, "sorry I don't have any doughnuts," he replied as he opened the door and invited them in.

Kat had apologised for the third time when she looked at Downes with a slightly embarrassed look on her face, "can I use your loo, this coffee is going straight through me,"

Downes tutted at her, "top of the stairs 2nd door on your right," he turned to McMillan, "downstairs one is having some work done on it, the last plumber made a bodge of it, had to get some professionals to rectify his mistakes."

McMillan glanced at Kat as she walked out the door before turning back to Downes, "I know a good plumber, he is based in Killie but I can give him a call."

Downes shook his head, "got recommended a guy in Edinburgh," he smiled at McMillan, "came highly recommended from a certain someone in the Parliament," he added boastfully.

"Who did you use that made the mess, we have had some complaints about a rouge crew in the area, they cover all trades and are a master of none."

Downes shook his head, "I throw out his card and I don't think he will be coming here for his money," he leaned in closer to McMillan, "borrowed next doors dog, big ugly thing but scares the hell out of people."

McMillan nodded his head understandingly, "if you remember his name let me know."

"Of course," Downes replied. "Always willing to help the police in any way I can."

"Nice bog," exclaimed Kat as she walked back in the room, "it like a 5-star hotel," she added pointing in its general direction, "Sir you should go up and see it," she turned to Downes, "you have good taste."

"Christ Harper you came here to apologise not be, never mind," he stood up and held out his hand to Downes, "sorry about Harper." He turned to Kat, "we are leaving before you say anything more stupid to Mr Downes."

"I was just trying to be nice, and it is a nice bog."

McMillan offered a few more apologies as he marched her out the door, he made a show of shouting at her about how she was an embarrassment to the force as they got into the car, he waved at Downes as he closed the door, Kat drove out the driveway and headed back to the station, "anything upstairs?"

Kat shook her head, "nothing out of place and there didn't seem to be any bags packed, there were a few suitcases above a wardrobe but they didn't match the one from the ship."

McMillan reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile, "Dan," he said when it was answered, "get Joanne to check and see if Darren Cooper did any plumbing work for Ken Downes, probably in the last few months," he nodded at Dan's reply, "we will be back in about 20 minutes." He turned to Kat, "good work back there Harper, Downes may have let something slip."

"It was a nice bog," she offered in reply.

Joanne looked up from her computer as McMillan and Kat entered the office, "Olivia Cooper emailed Darren's calendar, looks like Darren done some work for Downes three months ago, there are the initials NBP next to Downes names, I asked her about it and it means not been paid."

"Looks we have a bit of motive," replied McMillan, "Downes commented on shoddy workmanship, maybe the golf course was the first time they had seen each other since he did the job."

"Only thing is if it was personal against Darren Cooper why did we find his remains just discarded but we found Andrew Hopkins displayed for public viewing, surely it would be the opposite if Cooper was the target," suggested Kat.

"Unless he thought Cooper didn't deserve to be shown publically," McMillan thought for a moment before continuing. "If Downes though Cooper didn't care about how something looked, maybe he didn't deserve the public display."

"It would also give a reason on how one man could get the better of two, they knew each other," added Kat.

McMillan turn back to Joanne, "see if you can find out who is now renovating Downes toilet, I'm guessing you will not find anyone doing the work," he turned to Kat, "because?"

"That's our crime scene," she replied.

"Exactly. Joanne where's Dan?"

"He said he had something to take care of."

"Dan where are you?" asked McMillan as Dan answered his mobile.

"Watching a worried looking Ken Downes talking to someone who is sitting in a car beside his."

"Where are you?"

"Old Prestwick golf clubs car park," Dan replied.

"Do you know who he is talking to?" asked a slightly excited McMillian.

"It looks like Simon Quinlan but I need a closer look to confirm."

"Jesus Dan, don't let him see you."

"So I should stop waving at him then," joked Dan.

McMillan was silent for a few seconds, "bugger it," he said more to himself than Dan, "let me know if he starts to drive home."

"Why, you are not going to do anything stupid are you."

"Trust me, Dan, I know what I'm doing," replied McMillian ending the call. He turned to Kat, "Dan is watching Downes and we are going to do something that will break every rule in the book," Kat just looked at him, "on second thoughts you have your whole career in front of you, you stay here with Joanne."

Kat's eyes narrowed as she tried to read his face. "You sure boss?"

He thought for a moment, "if anyone asks I'm," he shrugged his shoulders, "just cover for me."

"Oh Christ I haven't done anything," said the man as he answered the door, "this is just police harassment, you can't do this."

McMillan smiled at the man, "Eddie, this is your lucky day."

"Why is that, you finally retiring and you are inviting me to the party."

McMillan smiled at Eddie, "Mandy still getting married in a few months?"

Eddie looked at him and nodded, "not that I will get a chance to be there, the court case is a few weeks before, and as your lot have stitched me up like a kipper."

"Eddie, you had 4 of the rings in your pocket."

"Aye, well, someone must have planted them on me."

McMillan held up his hand, "what if some paperwork got misplaced and the trial got delayed until after the wedding."

"What do you want?" asked Eddie suspiciously after they were both sitting at the kitchen table.

"I need you to do what you do best."

"I'm listening."

Eddie leaned back in his chair and looked at McMillan. "Are you off your head, if I get caught," he looked up at the ceiling, "I'll be away for years."

McMillan shook his head, "I'm your lookout and your alibi."

"And I've just to take pictures," McMillan nodded, "of some guys bathroom," Eddie looked at him, "you police are into some freaky kinky stuff if you want me to take pictures of a bathroom."

McMillan just grinned at him. "You don't have any tweezers do you?"

40 minutes later Eddie opened the car door and handed McMillan a camera and a bag of hair, "I don't want to know," he said as he looked at the bag of hair before McMillan put it in his pocket.

"You wanting a lift home?" asked McMillan.

Eddie shook his head, "I need to keep my reputation." He started to get out of the car, "about the wedding?"

McMillan smiled at him, "you will be able to walk your lovely daughter down the aisle."

Kat held up the bag that McMillan had given her, "do I want to know what this is?" she paused for a second, "or that," pointing to the camera that Joanne had taken the SD card from and was loading the pictures on her computer.

He shook his head, "best you don't know, just let me know what Dr Napier says."

"What, apart from where did this come from."

"Sir," he turned to Joanne, "pictures are loaded."

Kat glanced at the screen. "Oh my God, is that from," she didn't finish the sentence but she did start to grin as she remembered Dan's advice about having something on those above you. "I'll get this to Dr Napier," she said holding up the bag.

"What we got?" asked Dan as he entered the office.

"You better go with Kat; she will bring you up to date on developments."

"He did what," asked an exasperated Dan after hearing what McMillan had done.

"Jesus sir, keep an eye on the road," replied Kat pointing at the rear of the bus they were rapidly getting close to.

"He broke into Downes home," Dan ran his fingers through his hair, "you know any evidence we find can't be used," he added punching the steering wheel for good measure.

Kat reached into her pocket and pulled out the bag of hair, "shall I just bin this then."

Dan quickly glanced at the bag and then focused his attention on the traffic.

"Boss, are you swearing or praying under your breath?"

He turned and look at Kat. "Both."

26

Carol brought her head up from the microscope, she turned to Dan and Kat, "quick analysis," she pointed at the microscope, "there is definitely blood, quite a lot of blood." She looked at them both in turn, "and you are still not going to tell me where this came from."

Dan shook his head whilst Kat just looked away, "I would maybe try and match the DNA with any recent DNA samples you may have seen," suggested Dan, "and if there is a match," he bit the inside of his cheek, "maybe not mention it to anyone." Carol nodded understandingly she turned and looked at Kat, "sorry to disappoint you Carol but Kat is just the messenger on this one, she is crazy but she is not completely daft."

"I take it it would be better if I analysed this myself and not infiltrate any of my colleagues," Carol suggested. Dan just nodded.

"We may have some photos that might need some of your magic," he nodded to her advanced computer system.

Carol beamed a big smile, "would master like anything else before I lose my job."

Dan looked at her, "they can't sack the best, who would they replace you with."

"What about Higgins," replied Kat joining in the conversation.

Dan's mobile started to ring, "Devlin," he turned towards Carol, "she is right in front of me," his eyes widened as he listened, "email them over and we will have a look."

"What we got?" asked Kat when Dan ended the call.

"This," said Carol as she opened the attachment on her email.

"Can you tell what it is?" asked a hopeful Dan.

Carol reached for the mouse and zoomed in on the picture, her head moved to the side, she zoomed in again but the pixels were too poor to get a closer look, she zoomed out again and looked at the screen, she leaned back in the chair for a few seconds before turning in her chair towards Dan and Kat. "Pretty sure its bone."

Nobody spoke for a few moments, Kat pointed at the screen, "We have evidence."

Dan shook his head, "yeah but we have no grounds to find it, again."

"So what now?" asked Carol.

"Now we have to connect everything to Downes," replied Dan.

Dan, Kat, Joanne and McMillan were all in McMillan's office, his desk was covered in a plethora of pizza boxes, Dan looked at all the pizza as he grabbed a slice, "are you sure we have enough pizza?" he asked sarcastically.

Kat looked at him as if he was talking Swahili backwards, "you can never have enough pizza and besides what we don't eat tonight can be breakfast tomorrow," Dan just rolled his eyes, McMillan was nodding in agreement.

"Ok, so we have a motive, he has no alibi, he has the experience and possible evidence," Dan glanced at McMillan as he said evidence but McMillan seemed more interested in his pizza, "but is it enough to be SLB proof?"

"SLB?" asked Joanne.

"Slimy Lawyer Bastards," replied Kat in-between a mouthful of pizza.

"More importantly," continued Dan, "is it enough for us to keep our jobs if he is innocent."

Kat picked up another slice of pizza and passed it to Dan. "Pizza will give you the answer," Dan looked like he was going to refuse, "eat the pizza, it will help, you can run along the beach tomorrow to work it off but tonight," she bowed slightly, "let pizza be your guiding light."

Dan took the pizza slice, folded it in half and stuffed the whole lot in his mouth. "Happy," he attempted to say as some of the tomato sauce dribbled down his chin.

Kat breathed in deeply, "let the pizza guide you," she said in a Zen like tone.

27

Dan was struggling with his run, he cursed Kat again for the pizza fest from the previous night, he looked up and saw Yards was playing with Beep Beep or more to the fact his metal detector, this gave Dan an excuse to stop, "Eric, any luck this morning."

He looked up at Dan taking off his headphones in process, "I got those coins appraised, " he said excitedly.

"Good news I hope," asked Dan.

"£4,000," replied Eric, he lowered his voice, "but if the wife asks it was only 3," he looked down at the gleaming metal detector, "thought I would treat myself before the wife spends it for us."

"Good for you," replied Dan.

"Say did Felix get in touch, he said he remembered something about a sword."

"What did he find out?" asked a slightly excited Dan.

Eric shrugged his shoulders, "he never said, just said he needed to talk to you," he grinned at Dan, "preferably with your pretty partner."

"Thanks Eric, hope the new detector gives you more luck," Dan turned to find Yards, "bloody dog," he said more to himself as he was Yards was about 200 meters in the wrong direction chasing seagulls, "he'll catch up," said Dan as he started to run back to his car.

Dan reached the car and quickly opened it, he reached for the glove box and took out his phone, "Kat," he said when she eventually answer.

"What time is it?" a tired Kat asked.

"Are you in a condition to drive?"

"Yeah, I never drank last night, just stayed up last night a bit late talking," Dan could hear someone else talking to Kat.

"Eh, sorry if I woke, look, eh," mumbled Dan.

"Relax its only Joanne," replied Kat.

"Oh, I didn't know she, and you, and it's none of my business."

"Joanne, Dan thinks we are sleeping together," there was a sound of a thud.

"She wishes," replied Joanne who was now on the phone to Dan.

A few seconds later Kat was back on the phone, "what's happened?"

"We need to go to Kilmarnock and see that Felix again, says he has some info for us and would like you to be there as well," announced Dan.

"I can be ready in 5 minutes, get you at the office in half an hour," said Kat.

"I'm still at the beach, meet at mine as soon as you can, Alison will have some breakfast ready for you," Dan thought for a moment, "bring Joanne with you."

"Morning Felix, I saw Beep Beep this morning and he said you had something," said Dan as he approached the counter.

Felix looked over Dan's shoulder at the commotion behind him, Felix looked at Kat and Joanne before turning back to Dan, "you know how to make an old man happy," he grinned as Kat and Joanne reached the counter.

"Hey sweetheart," Kat beamed her best smile at Felix, "hope you don't mind but I brought my friend Joanne, she likes old things," she added with a mischievous wink.

"Not at all," replied Felix almost giggling in the process.

"So what have you got for us honey?" asked Kat.

"Easy with the flirting, you'll give me a heart attack before I get the chance to tell you," he exhaled deeply and regained his composure, he turned to Dan, "I remember who old Albert sold that sword to."

Dan's eyes widened. "Seriously, you remember, I thought it was years ago."

Felix tapped the side of his head, "the memory still works, just needs a jump start once and a while." He reached for a box that was full of things wrapped in newspaper, "an old woman brought these in to get appraised, well when I was unwrapping one of the plates his face was looking at me and then it clicked, I remember old Albert saying he sold a sword to someone famous," he grabbed the newspaper and showed Dan the faded newspaper.

Dan's eyes nearly came out their sockets, "you sure it was him Felix?"

Felix nodded, "I was expecting a celebrity or someone," he shook his head; "I suppose he was in Albert's eyes."

"Who is it?" asked Kat, Dan passed her the newspaper, she looked at the picture and the name under it, "you sure it was him Felix?"

"That's what Albert said and he would never tell a lie like that, he may have exaggerated some of the prices but never who he sold things to," he looked at Dan, "I hope it helps you."

"You have no idea Felix," replied Dan. Dan went outside the shop to phone McMillan with the news leaving Felix with Joanne and Kat.

"Boss, looks like Downes bought a sword very similar to our murder weapon," said Dan as McMillan answered his phone, "What!" exclaimed Dan, "and it's a match," Dan looked at his watch, "we will be there as soon as we can." He ended the call and went back into the shop, "sorry Felix I need to take these two with me."

"Carol got a match to Downes's DNA from the thread off the stitching to Hopkins mouth," explained Dan as they got into the car.

"I hate to dampen your excitement but we obtained Downes's DNA."

Dan cut Kat off, "he was already on the system," replied Dan.

"For what?" asked Joanne.

"He had to give it when he was running in the elections," replied Dan, "whatever it was for it doesn't matter, we got him."

"So we can bring him in?" asked Kat.

Dan looked in the rear-view mirror at Joanne, "I hope you don't mind but you will sharing the back seat with a certain Ken Downes pretty soon."

They reached the house and found two officers standing outside the door, "what's going on?" asked Dan as he approached them.

"Homeowner got attacked this morning," replied one of the officers. "Morning Joanne," he said as Joanne approached, "you promoted to undercover already."

"What the hell happened to the owner," demanded a serious-sounding Joanne.

The officer looked startled as Joanne spoke to him, "eh," he glanced at his partner who looked away in a you're on your own here pal type thing.

"I'm speaking to you Kelly, what happened to the owner."

"You better start talking she sounds pissed off," added Kat with a nod of her head in Joanne's direction.

Kelly straightened up and looked at Joanne before turning to Dan and back to Joanne. "Neighbour phoned it in a few hours ago, she heard 3 men shouting at each other, seems it was two against one, the owner took a beating, the ambulance left about 20 minutes ago."

"How bad is he?" asked Dan.

"Looked like multiple stab wounds," Kelly replied.

Dan glanced at Kat and Joanne, "Joanne you're in charge," he turned to Kelly, "is SOCO on its way?"

Kelly nodded, "seems they were called when the victim's name got mentioned," he turned and pointed at Joanne. "Is she really in charge?"

"You have a problem with my decision?" barked Dan.

"No sir," replied Kelly.

Dan motioned for Joanne to follow him, once they were out of earshot he stopped walking, "you up for this," Joanne nodded, "when SOCO get here they will run the show," Dan nodded at the 2 officers, "just keep the 2 Muppets out the house and if any reporters come crawling."

"Tell them no comment."

"Unless they don't listen then just tell them to F Off," added Dan, he looked over at Kat, "Kat."

"Any ideas Boss," asked Kat as they drove to the hospital.

"If I was a betting man it has something to do with Jim Flanders and Simon Quinlan."

"You think they helped dispose of the bodies?" quizzed Kat.

Dan shook his head, "no I think that's all Ken but I think he was mixed up with Flanders and Quinlan and if that's the case it ain't going to be legal."

Kat drummed the steering wheel as she drove. "Do we investigate them?"

Dan shook his head. "We have been after those two for years," Dan broke into a grin, "Ken isn't going anywhere, head for Glasgow," said Dan as he reached into his pocket for his mobile.

"Dan Devlin how's tricks," the man grabbed his old friend, "it's been too long." The man glanced at Kat and pushed Dan away before grabbing Kat for a hug.

"Inca let me introduce you to Kat Harper," he laughed at the expression on Kat's face, "Inca let her go for God sake."

Inca let Kat go and turned to Dan, "does the lovely Alison know about this goddess."

"Aye she knows our Kat," replied Dan.

"So what brings you to Raintown?" asked Inca, "wait I need a drink," he looked at Dan, "I presume it's a fresh orange or something soft like that as your on duty."

"Fresh orange and lemonade," replied Dan.

"You want a wee umbrella with it as well, try and convince people it's a fancy cocktail or something," Inca shook his head and turned to Kat, "are you more of a rebel?"

Kat glanced hesitantly at Dan before breaking out in a grin, "Guinness please Inca."

Inca wagged his finger at her, "I think I love you."

Inca took a large gulp of his beer and poured in the double whiskey, "So what you need?"

Dan looked at him, "I need some information on two less desirables."

Inca nodded, "they have names?"

"Jim Flanders and Simon Quinlan," replied Dan.

Inca looked at him, "are they not from your neck of the woods?"

Dan nodded, "not my department."

Inca laughed at him, "department," he stared at Dan, "anything to do with your wee killing spree?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"We aren't ruling anything out at this stage," replied Dan.

Inca thought for a moment, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile, "I need to go for a smoke," he stood up grabbed his glass and downed it in one, "back in a sec."

Kat watched him as he walked outside, she turned to Dan, "how do you know him, he is like the polar opposite of you."

Dan laughed, "We go way back, can't even remember how we met."

Kat looked at her glass and then at Inca's empty one, "I hope he doesn't get me another Guinness, I'm on shift, I was only being social," she said pointing at her glass.

Dan laughed at her. "You think Inca is not on shift."

"But he is half pissed," replied an astounded Kat.

Dan looked at her, "remember a few years ago and the graveyard killings that were happening all over Scotland," Kat nodded, "Inca was in charge of the investigation, handpicked by the top cop in Glasgow," Kat looked out the window at Inca, "Kat, he is probably the best officer in Scotland, don't let the act full you, he knows everything that's going on."

Inca walked bar in the pub and straight to the bar, Kat watched as he downed the first whiskey that was poured for him before doing his routine of drinking some beer and adding another whiskey, he walked over to the table and place a drink in front of Kat, "only got you a half pint Kat," he looked at her and grimaced, "are you not much of a drinker?" he turned to Dan, "I don't know why you are laughing Danny Boy, you can't keep up and you're on kids drinks." He took another large drink from his pint, "so your two guys seemed to have totally given up on the drugs trade and are now into only interested in people smuggling by all accounts," Dan and Kat exchanged glances. "Is that what you wanted to hear?" asked Inca.

Kat looked at him, "who the hell did you phone," Inca just grinned at her.

"Don't suppose you know anyone else in their team?" asked a hopeful Dan.

Inca took another drink and pointed at Dan with the glass, "buy me a beer and I will do a little digging." The sound of a car horn made Inca look out the window, "looks like I'm needed back at the station," Inca waved at the driver who just held up her wrist and pointed at her watch. "Maybe next time," he stood up and put on his jacket, "I will let you know what I find," he turned to Kat, "good to meet you, Kat." The car sounded its horn again, "Jesus Fiona I heard you the first time," he turned to Dan, "give Alison my love and I will let you know what I find," he turned back to Kat, "I need to go, Glasgow falls to shit when I'm not in control."

"Quite a character," said Kat as she watched Inca leave, she reached into her pocket and handed Dan the car keys, "I think you better drive back," she said as she picked up the Guinness and downed it in one closely followed by the half pint, "not much of a drinker," Kat then burped, "my arse."

28

"How was Glasgow?" asked McMillan when they got back to the office.

"How did you know we were in Glasgow?" asked Dan.

"Because your mate Inca just called me to say the container we raided belonged to Flanders and Quinlan, seems they think someone tipped us off about its whereabouts," replied McMillan.

"You think it was Ken Downes who tipped us off?" Dan asked, "suppose it might explain why he is lying in a hospital bed," he added answering his own question.

Kat looked at McMillan, "is Joanne having any luck?"

"Dr Napier just called me and demanded my presence, you're both with me," ordered McMillan.

"Everything ok Joanne," asked Dan when they reached the home of Ken Downes.

Joanne nodded, "Dr Napier and her gang are dismantling the bathroom as we speak."

"Any issues from those two," asked Dan nodding the two officers who were now standing next to the front gate.

Joanne laughed, "They tried to act like they were in charge when SOCO arrived but Dr Napier soon put them into their place."

"Dr Napier can have that effect on people," replied Dan.

"Dan get in here," shouted McMillian from inside the house.

"Better go," Dan said as he walked into the house, "what we got?" he asked as he approached the carnage of the dismantled bathroom.

"Severe PMT by the looks of things," said McMillan bravely.

"I heard that," shouted Carol.

Dan looked into the bathroom and the first thing he saw was Carol hammering at the tiles, "this is definitely where the murders took place," she continued to hammer, "Tanya, show them what we have so far, this is too much fun."

"What you got for us Tanya?" asked Dan as they walked outside into the hall.

"We have two different DNA's, blood splatter is," she paused for a second, "everywhere in that room, we will have the DNA results pretty soon, just waiting for confirmation from the lab. We found some blood particles belonging to Darren Cooper in a freezer out."

"Tanya, I need you back in here," shouted Carol, a loud bang deemed it might be too late, "doesn't matter."

Dan turned to McMillan, "what's the situation with Downes?"

"He got rushed into surgery as soon as he arrived," he replied, his head dropped slightly, "Docs say he might not make it, one of the stab wounds clipped a major artery."

Dan turned and looked back towards what was once a bathroom, "in a way I hope he doesn't make it."

"Why's that?"

"It will mean we don't have to explain why we are ripping the bathroom apart when he got stabbed just through the front door," Dan replied.

"I'm sure we can think of something."

"Where have you been?" asked Dan as Kat approached him.

"Later," she said dismissively, "what we got?"

Dan brought Kat up to date, "so what now, we can't exactly interview our prime suspect and by the looks of things we are finding enough evidence to put him away?"

"Flanders and Quinlan," suggested Dan.

McMillan shook his head. "Someone else is taking care of that," he held up his hand, "don't ask because I don't know the answer."

Kat looked at both men, she settled on Dan, "we should go back to Killie and see Felix; he may have found that thing we were looking for."

Dan looked at her; he saw the look on her face and nodded, "let's go then."

McMillan turned to look at Dr Napier and her team, "if you 2 are leaving so am I, she scares the hell out of me," he turned to Kat, "you can drop me off on the way."

"You're not scared of Carol are you?" mocked Kat, "and I thought you had a thing for her, I've seen the way you look at her."

McMillan stared at her, "I wouldn't say no but she would probably remove one of my kidneys as foreplay."

"Hey Carol," said Dan, McMillan froze and his face turned white, he waited for the inevitable, after a few seconds he slowly turned around but there was no sign of Dr Napier.

"I'll remember that Dan," his eyes narrowed, "Dodds is back soon," he took a step forward, "just remember that."

They dropped McMillan off at the station and Kat started to drive towards the beach, "where are we going?" asked Dan.

"I saw her again, she was heading to the beach," she turned towards Dan, "best place to hide around here with plenty of shelter further along if the weather turned."

Dan didn't reply for several minutes. "What do we do if we find her?" he asked eventually.

"What age do you think she is?" asked Kat.

"About 15 or 16, why?"

"School," replied Kat.

"I doubt Prestwick Academy will let her in, don't think she speaks English for a start," he turned to Kat, "what are you thinking."

"There must be some sort of school or facility we can send her to, I mean I hate to say it but this is probably not the first time this sort of thing has happened."

Dan nodded in agreement, "ok but who do we ask, bearing in mind we don't know she exists so we can't be hypothetically speaking and then turn up with her 5 minutes later."

"What about Carol," replied Kat, "they don't always make it so?" She didn't finish the sentence.

"I'm not sure."

"She is probably the only person we can ask," suggested Kat, "and you both have an understanding with each other."

Dan nodded, "you're right, give her a call and see if she wants to be taken out for a curry tonight."

Kat breathed a deep sigh of relief, "I'm glad you think it's a good idea."

"You told her already." He started to shake his head.

"There is a table for 4 booked at Abdul's for 8 pm tonight."

"Four," quizzed Dan, "who is the fourth?"

"Alison," whispered Kat.

Dan was silent for an uncomfortably long time, "thanks Kat," he eventually said.

29

Kat had almost finished her drink when Dan and Alison arrived, she waved at Alison and then waved her glass at Dan, "Dan told me about her," announced Alison as she sat down across from Kat, Kat just nodded in reply and looked at Alison, Alison shook her head and smiled at Kat, "and how are you Kat, this case seems to be keeping you both busy," she looked up as Dan approached with the drink.

"White wine," he said as he placed a glass in front of Alison, he placed a glass in front of Kat, "and a sackable offence for you," Kat picked up the glass, took a sip and blew a kiss in the direction of TJ who was behind the bar.

Alison started to giggle, "I thought Dan was kidding."

Dan was about to sit down when Carol arrived. "Evening Carol thanks for coming."

"No problem Dan, Kat said you were paying anyway," she looked at Kat's glass, "whatever she's having," she then went over and sat next to Kat, "Alison looking lovely as ever, you'll be dumping him for a toyboy soon," she turned to Dan who was still standing next to the table. "Bar is that way," she said pointing over towards TJ who was already pouring her drink. Carol turned back to Alison, "seriously say the word and we will trade in Dan for a younger version."

Alison started to giggle again, "I'm happy with what I have, but thank you anyway."

Carol nodded, "I suppose he has his good points," she turned to Kat, "did you invite her to Tanya's birthday bash," Kat shook her head, Carol raised her eyebrows at her and quickly checked and saw Dan was still at the bar talking to TJ, "Tanya is having a birthday swaree," she paused for a second, "you met her last year at that retirement last year for old boy Juniper, anyway bottom line, a mega pub crawl around Ayr and we won't take no for an answer, Emma is coming as well."

Alison blushed slightly, "that's kind of you to invite me but I'm too old for that sort of thing."

Carol shook her head, "don't take rubbish, I bet you'll be fighting admirers off with a big stick, better stick close to Joanne she can sort them out for you." Dan returned with Carol's drink. "Thanks, Dan," she pointed at Alison. "Your lovely wife is coming out with us for Tanya's birthday, well when I say us I mean me and Kat. I suppose you will be there at the end when you are giving everyone a lift home," she looked at Dan. "So who's this girl then?"

Dan picked up a menu, "can we at least order the food first."

30

She woke up shivering and cold, the blanket had gotten wet during the night, she coughed and shut her eyes tight trying to block out the painful headache she had, her throat was sore but she had nothing to drink, she reached for the bottom of the blanket and put it to her mouth trying at least to get some of the moisture onto her cracked lips. She knew she had to move soon, there would be people about soon, she had already seen an old man walking his dog. When she tried to move her sodden cardboard canopy it fell apart in her hands, a piece of cardboard fell against the back of her neck, she yelped as water trickled down her spine. As soon as she stood up it started to rain, instead of running for shelter she turned her head towards the sky and opened her mouth as wide as possible.

The sound of a car horn brought her back to reality, she looked towards where the sound came from but she couldn't see anything. She grabbed her blanket and walked towards the toilets she had found the day before, there was a machine there that blew out hot air maybe it would dry her blanket. She started to run the best she could as the rain got heavier, but she had to stop, she bent over her hands against her knees and was sick. A car drove by and slowed as it reached her, she turned and looked at it, there was nowhere to run to, it looked like the same kind of car that was there the night of her escape, she stood up and started to walk again, she quickly glanced at the car and smiled as it drove away.

She reached the toilet and banged on the door with frustration as it wouldn't open. She just turned, leant against the door and started to cry. She banged the back of her head with the door at the frustration of not having the new exciting life she and her sister were promised when they paid the man for the ticket to their future. She turned around and punched the door, "fight or flight," time to fight for her life she thought to herself.

31

Dan met McMillan in the car park of the station, "Looks like Downes is going to pull through," McMillan held up his mobile, "just spoke to the surgeon, most of the wounds were superficial."

Dan shook his head, "explain to me how the bad guys always live and the good and innocent die?"

McMillan nodded to his car, "if you want to pull the plug on him, I'll drive."

"Don't tempt me, Boss."

McMillan looked at him, "you got something else on your mind, you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Dan shook his head, "of course not, fully focused on the case."

"Jesus Dan, it's me, if you have stuff you need to take care of just say," he looked around the car park, "you are 24/7 with this case right now."

"We all are," replied Dan as he saw Kat walking towards them.

McMillan made a show of looking at his watch, "morning Kat, nice to see you this early."

Kat grinned at him, "been at work the last 2 hours, just getting something from the car," she looked at her watch and tapped it a few times, "thought you old ones didn't need that much sleep," she carried on walking and held the stations door open for them, "when you are both ready," she added as straight faced as she could manage.

"Morning Joanne," said Dan as he walked into the office.

"Afternoon Boss," she replied without taking her eyes off the computer.

"Don't you bloody start."

McMillan walked in and went straight to the coffee machine, he poured a mug and quickly took a sip, he turned to Joanne. "Is this bloody decaf?"

Joanne nodded still not looking up from the computer, "thought it would be healthier."

McMillan breathed in his impressive beer gut, "don't know what you mean."

"Heads up," shouted Kat as she threw a bar of chocolate, Joanne glanced quickly and caught it one-handed.

"Healthier my arse," replied McMillan before he turned around with his mug in search of a real coffee.

"Did he notice?" asked Kat.

Joanne nodded, "the first thing he did was go for a coffee."

"Told you."

"Having fun you two?" asked Dan.

Kat scanned the office but there was no one else in. "Joanne show him what we have."

Joanne pointed at the screen as she tapped a few buttons, "there is a place in Edinburgh that will take your mystery girl in."

Kat took over, "we have already spoken to them and there is space for her, at least for a few weeks."

Dan just looked at them both and smiled, "thanks."

Kat turned and looked out the window and watched as the rain started again, "I just hope we find her."

"Morning Officer Henderson, can I get you anything?" everyone turned and looked at Higgins, "I just want to show Officer Henderson how welcome she is in our little family," the rarely sighted Higgins smile was added as an afterthought.

"No thanks Higgy," replied Joanne.

Dan reached into and pulled out his ringing mobile, he looked at the caller ID but he didn't recognise the number, "Hello?"

"That Devlin," the caller replied.

"Who wants to know," replied a suspicious Dan.

"Inca gave me your number, I have some information for you, and before you ask it needs to be face to face."

Dan thought for a moment, "where do you want to meet?"

"Do you know the car park in the sky?"

"Glennifer Braes," replied Dan.

"Yeah, that's the place, an hour from now ok?"

Dan glanced at Kat and Joanne, "that's fine, who am I looking for?" asked Dan although he didn't expect a straight answer.

"Bring Kat with you, Inca described her to a tee, I will find you." The caller ended the call.

"Kat, you're with me."

"Where we going?" she asked.

"We are going to meet a contact of Inca's." He looked at her, "and I need you as I don't know who I'm meeting."

"Boss."

Dan held up his hand, "I'll explain in the car," he turned to Joanne. "when McMillan asks tell him we are chasing a lead and we will be back in a few hours."

Dan and Kat were sitting in the car park at Glennifer Braes, they were watching for the mystery contact but it was mainly young families and the occasional white van man having his breakfast. "This doesn't feel right," stated Dan for the third time.

"He's your mate," replied Kat.

Someone tapped Kat's window, she looked at the man stooping down grinning at her, "I'm guessing he is our guy."

"Unless this a dogging site," added Kat as she lowered the window.

"Kat?" the man asked with a large smile, she nodded, "Inca said you were beautiful," he looked over at Dan, "Devlin," Dan nodded, "names Marcus, if you want to follow me," he turned and pointed at the Blue BMW, "my Boss has some information you may like to hear."

Dan looked at the empty BMW, "where's your Boss," he said still looking at the car.

Marcus grinned, "there's a very nice coffee shop nearby," he stared at Dan. "Boss doesn't go out in public much."

"Does your Boss at least have a name because I'm guessing he isn't a fellow officer," Dan grinned at him, "no offence but I have watched the Godfather films too many times."

Marcus laughed, "I can assure you my Boss looks nothing like a young Al Pacino."

Kat grabbed Marcus by the top of his 2 sizes too small t-shirt, "my Boss asked for his name."

Marcus looked down at the hand that was gripping him. "You don't happen to have a family member who works for Glasgow's finest," he added his best grin for good measure, she shook her head as she let go."

"His name is Minos," replied Marcus.

"Never heard of him," replied Kat.

Marcus nodded at Dan, "I think your Boss knows who he is."

They walked into the coffee shop and walked over to its only customer, Marcus sat next to him leaving Kat and Dan to sit across from them in the booth.

"Inca vouched for you so," he looked at them in turn, "I believe you are interested in Mr Quinlan and Mr Flanders," he picked up his coffee, "sorry where are my manners," he looked up at the waitress and pointed at the new arrivals, "they serve a lovely cup of coffee here." He took a sip of his coffee, the espresso cup almost disappearing in his huge hands, "Quinlan and Flanders are both a nasty piece of work, so if you are going after them I would make sure your case is watertight and if it is, check it again," he looked at Dan and Kat, "they will go after anyone who gets in their way, your uniform will not count for shit." He looked up the waitress who was walking towards them, "thanks, Coleen." He waited until she was finished serving the coffee and out of earshot. Minos leaned forward slightly, "rumour has it the put a former councillor in hospital," he looked at Dan, "but I think you kind of knew that." He held up his hand in an, I'm innocent type way, "not that I have any proof, just what I hear."

"Don't suppose you know why they went after him?" asked Dan.

Minos grinned. "I would be looking in the false passport area, the former councillor seemingly made a promise he couldn't keep," Minos grinned, "but the idiot still took their money."

Kat looked at him and then at Marcus, "why are you telling us all of this?"

Minos stared at her, he picked up and took a sip of espresso before placing the cup down, he was still looking at Kat. "The services I provide," he clasped his hands together, "people have a choice if they want to partake in said services, but those two," he turned and looked at Dan and held up his hands, "I may be an alleged criminal but human trafficking," he shook his head, "makes me sick."

"Why would Downes be so stupid to get into that sort of thing?" asked Kat.

Minos exhaled deeply, he turned to Marcus, "I've always said I would have made a good copper," he turned back to Dan and Kat, "if I was you I would speak to Keith Woodman."

"The loan shark," replied Dan.

"The very man."

"You are a wealth of information Mr Minos," said Dan.

"Just Minos," he replied with a grin, "in my line of work, information is the most important thing to have available."

Dan just shook his head, "Inca must love you."

Minos smirked slightly, "he still kicks my arse if that's what you are thinking."

"He's old school, he knows how to make things work out in his favour." Dan turned to Kat, "looks like we have a few things to keep us busy," he turned back to Minos, "unless you have anything else for us."

Minos shook his head, "I'm no grass copper."

Dan stood up, "well thanks for the coffee. I would offer to pay but I'm sure you own this place so," he shrugged his shoulders,

"Inca said you were one of the best."

"Bye Kat," said Marcus as Kat stood up, "hope we meet again someday." Kat just grinned in reply.

32

"Good Afternoon Keith," said Dan as he sat down across from him, he looked about the pub; its nicotine induced interior needing to be bulldozed and rebuild.

"DS Devlin, to what do I owe the pleasure."

"Owe being the operative word, how much was Ken Downes into you for?" inquired Dan, he glanced at Keith's knuckles, he managed to stifle a grin as he read the Love and Hate tattoos.

Keith shook his head, "Never heard of him."

Dan chuckled, "you must be the only person in Ayrshire who hasn't heard of Goatshagger Downes."

Keith couldn't help but grin, "oh him, now you mention it I have heard of him."

"So how much?"

"Look."

Dan cut him off, "I'm not interested in what you may or may not do, I just need a figure, that's all," Dan looked at him, "tell me the amount and I walk away. Simple as that."

Keith stared at him; Dan could almost hear the cogs in his mind thinking it over, "12 large."

"12 Grand," Dan replied, Keith, nodded, "ok, thanks," Dan got up, Keith watched him still slightly confused that Dan was leaving, Dan took a few steps away before turning around, "one more thing."

"I bloody knew it," replied Keith.

"Any tips for the big one at Ayr?" asked Dan with a grin.

Keith laughed, "if I was a betting man I would have a few quid each way on Vapour Trails Of Hypocrisy."

"Thanks Keith," replied Dan before walking out the pub, when he got outside he wiped his feet and then carried on to the car.

"Anything?" asked Kat as he got into the car.

"A sure thing, you got £20?"

"Why?" quizzed Kat.

"Keith gave me a sure thing for the big race on Saturday and I want to put the bet on before I forget the horses name, thought I would give you some drinking money for Saturday night."

Kat shook her head in disbelief. "What about the case?"

"Keith's tips always come in."

5 minutes later Dan returned from the bookies and handed Kat her betting slip, "here keep it safe."

Kat looked at the slip, "66/1, what a waste of £20, she turned to the grinning Dan, "were we not going halfers," Dan shook his head. "How much did you waste?"

Dan shook his head, "you will only go running to Alison."

"So the case?" asked Kat.

"Looks like Downes got 12 grand from Quinlan and Flanders to pay off Keith but he never paid him."

"Guess we know why Downes got stabbed 12 times."

"Looks that way," replied Dan.

"So where now?" asked Kat as she started the car.

Dan thought for a moment, "back to the office, see if Joanne has got anything."

As soon as they arrived they knew something had happened. "What's going on?" Kat asked Joanne.

"Downes is awake," Joanne put down the phone, "I was just phoning you, McMillan wants Dan at the hospital."

"Dan," McMillan shouted from the doorway, "he's awake."

Dan and McMillan both nodded at the guard outside Downes's room as he opened the door for them. "Mr Downes, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've been stabbed 12 bloody time oh wait, I was," replied Downes.

"Did you managed to see your attackers?" asked Dan.

Downes looked like he was going to say yes before quickly shaking his head, "it all happened so fast."

"Oh well shit happens," replied McMillan.

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" asked Downes as forcefully as he could in the condition he was in.

McMillan turned to Dan and grinned, "sorry I have to."

"Have to do what?" asked a confused Dan.

"Book him Danno."

"What's going on?" asked Downes.

Dan reached into his pocket, "Kenneth Downes I am arresting you for the murder of...."  
Dan and McMillan left Downes's room, Dan looked up at the approaching Kat, "We got him," announced a triumphant McMillan.

"What's wrong?" asked Dan as he saw the look on her face.

"Emma just called me, they brought in a hit and run victim."

"Alison," Dan replied with a panic.

Kat shook her head, "no she's fine," she glanced at McMillan before turning back to her, "it's her."

Dan nodded, "how bad?"

Kat looked down at the floor, "she died in the ambulance."

"Shit," exclaimed Dan. "Where the body?"

"This way," said Kat.

Dan looked at McMillan, McMillan nodded at him, "I'll go back to the office, you sort, sort whatever needs sorting," he held out his hand, Dan shook it. "Well done on catching that bastard," he added pointing towards Downes's room.

Dan just nodded, his mind was already elsewhere.

33

"You want to do what?" asked McMillan again.

"Arrest Jim Flanders and Simon Quinlan," replied Dan, McMillan just stared at him, "they attacked Downes."

McMillan clasped his hands together and exhaled deeply, he looked at his desk before picking up a folder, he handed it to Dan. "We can't touch them."

"Excuse me?" replied Dan as he took the folder, "we can't touch them."

"Orders from above," replied McMillan weakly.

Dan shook his head. "Attempted murder," he laughed lightly, tapping the unopened folder on his knee. "Last time I checked that was still a crime."

"Upstairs want to get them for human trafficking."

Dan nodded, "ok, I want on the team."

McMillan looked at him. "Why?"

"I want to finish what we started."

"But why this case, we have had cases taken off us before, why this one?"

Dan bit the inside of his lip, he looked at McMillan, "after seeing what they are capable of," he glanced out the window, "that night at the container." He shook his head as if there was no need to explain.

McMillan thought it over, "I'll make the call but don't expect a positive answer."

"Don't take no for an answer," Dan replied.

34

Alison laughed as she watched Kat lead the 15 strong conga line into Rockets, "she is off her head," stated Alison as she turned to Emma.

"Any excuse," replied Emma.

"Plus she won big at the bookies this afternoon," added Carol.

Alison smiled, "judging by the large bag of books and CD's Dan came in with this afternoon I don't think Kat was the only one who won big."

Carol stopped walking and grabbed Alison's arm lightly, she watched as Emma walked into Rockets, "How is Dan?"

"On the surface ok, but," she turned to look at Carol, "he has that look in his eyes, he thinks he can hide it from me but." She shrugged her shoulders.

Carol nodded understandingly, "I'm sure it's nothing."

Alison shook her head, "I'm not so sure."

"Are you the sensible ones?" shouted the bouncer towards Carol and Alison, he pointed into Rockets, "cos 2 of your friends are dancing on the bar," he looked inside again, "make that 4," he started to move inside, "Kat, get down from the bar."

Carol and Alison looked at each other as the bouncer started to run into the pub. "Help or join them?" asked Carol.

Alison laughed, "you better help me get up on the bar then."

"Are you sure that's her?" asked the man in the passenger seat.

Neil Cairns nodded, "his precious daughter is there as well, so is Kat, his pitbull of a partner."

"Good," replied the man, he nodded towards the door, "time for you to leave."

Cairns grinned and got out the car, the man in the passenger seat turned to look at the driver and nodded his head.

"Cairns," the driver said when he reached him.

"Yeah," Cairns replied.

The driver grinned at him before looking up and down the street, he nodded towards the lane, "I've got a little present for you, our way of saying thanks."

Cairns's eyes widened and gleefully followed the man into the lane.

"Done," asked the passenger when the driver sat down.

"Of course," the man replied.

35

Dan was woken by his mobile; he groggily reached for the phone and answered it. "Hello," he listened to the reply. "What do you mean Kat has been arrested?" Dan sat up on the bed and noticed that Alison was not lying next to him, he covered the mouthpiece and shouted her name, "wait, murder," he said as he heard the rest of the call, he shook his head to try and wake himself up, "I'm on my way in." He ended the call and got out of bed, "Emma," he shouted as he started to walk out the bedroom, he knocked on her bedroom door and walked in, "Emma, do you, Emma," he stared at the empty bed. Dan rushed downstairs and into the empty living room, "Yards," he shouted thinking they had taken the dog for a walk, Yards walked in from the kitchen, Dan looked at the dog, "Where the hell are they?"

Dan picked up the phone and dialled Alison and then Emma's mobiles, both went unanswered, the only logical explanation was that they were both at the station with Kat. Dan quickly got changed and was halfway towards the car before he started to laugh, they were playing a trick on him.

Dan arrived at the police station and walked up to the counter, a few friendly faces glanced at him briefly before turning away, ok, he thought to himself, I will go along with the game, "Gordon, I believe Kat is being held for murder," Dan held up his hand, "but can we get this over with as I'm not really in the mood for a windup."

Gordon looked at Dan and shook his head, he quickly looked around but no one was within earshot, "you better go and see McMillan, this isn't a windup mate."

Dan stared at Gordon; they had known each other for about 20 years, more importantly, Dan knew he was telling the truth. "Who was the victim?"

Gordon made sure they were still alone, "Neil Cairns," the name didn't mean anything to Dan. "He was the guy who attacked your Emma. He was killed last night. The body was found in a lane not far from Rockets."

"Shit," exclaimed Dan. "Thanks, Gordon."

"For what, I never said a thing," he replied.

Dan barged into McMillan's office, he was alone at his desk, "where's Alison and Emma?" he asked as he assumed this was where they would be.

"I don't know," replied a puzzled McMillan. "But I know Kat is downstairs in cell 6 looking at a possible murder charge."

Dan shook his head, "you know its bollocks."

"Yeah."

Dan thought for a moment and looked at McMillan, "why are you here on a Sunday morning anyway?"

McMillan nodded towards the seat across from him, "because they phoned me before they phoned you." McMillan pointed at his computer screen. "Once we have a time of death, the footage we have so far maybe her alibi."

"What do we have?" asked Dan as he turned the screen towards him.

McMillan grinned, "a bloody good night by the looks of things, we have footage from Hunter's, Stooch, Black Bull and about an hour from Rockets," he looked at Dan, "including your Alison dancing on the bar.

"Where are Alison and Emma anyway? I thought you would have at least brought them in here."

"What are you talking about," replied McMillan, "I've not seen them."

"But," Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile, "Can you call Carol Napier, try Joanne as well."

"They are not home?" asked McMillan, Dan shook his head.

They ended their calls unsuccessfully. "I need to speak to Kat," explained Dan, he saw the look on McMillan's face, "I just want to know if she knows where Alison and Emma are."

"Ok, you might want to ask where Dr Napier is as well, we need to confirm a time of death for Cairns." McMillan stood up, "I might as well come with you, we can ask her together."

"Kat, Kat, Kat wake up," shouted Dan.

A very hungover Kat opened her eyes, she wiped away the dribble from the corner of her mouth. "Coffee."

"What the hell happened last night?" barked Dan.

Kat put her finger to her lips before sitting upright at the third attempt, she gingerly looked at Dan and McMillan in turn, she then closed her eyes for a few seconds. "What's going on?" she looked around the cell, "how did I get here?"

Dan and McMillan looked at each other, "Neil Cairns," said McMillan in both a question and a statement type way. So much for just asking about Alison.

She opened her eyes wide, "he's not been speaking to Emma, has he? I'll kill the bastard if he has."

Dan knelt down so he was eye level with Kat. "He was killed last night Kat," her eyes gave nothing away, "and you are the prime suspect."

Kat looked at him and then at McMillan before focusing back on Dan, "I didn't kill him, ask Alison, or Emma, or Carol, Tanya, Stacey, Joanne," she turned to McMillan, "ask Marion, we met her last night and she joined the party."

"Marion," exclaimed McMillan, "I thought she was at her sisters."

Dan exhaled deeply, "we would if we could find them," he looked at Kat, "any ideas."

Kat tried to stand up but she just fell back down, "where are they?"

"We don't know, nobody is answering their mobiles," Dan looked at Kat, "what's the last thing you remember?"

Kat leaned back and tried to remember, "3 men bought us all a drink in the Honest Men, they had won big at the races or something," Kat closed her eyes, "Shit," she exclaimed before holding out her hand. "Help me up, this isn't a hangover, our drinks were spiked."

"Kat, you need to stay in here, we'll bring someone to you," intervened McMillan, "you are still a suspect."

"But everyone is missing, including your wife," replied Kat.

McMillan just stared at her before going into his pocket and pulling out his mobile.

"Can you describe the men?" asked Dan. "Who did they focus on; they weren't hitting on all of you, think Kat."

Kat groggily thought for a moment, "mainly Carol, me and Marion," she turned to look at McMillan.

McMillan ended the unanswered call and looked at both Dan and Kat before nodding his head as he answered the question that he was thinking over. "Looks like we are going after Jim Flanders and Simon Quinlan, bollocks to whoever is on their payroll, someone is protecting them so we need to watch our backs."

"We need to find everyone first," stated Kat.

"I think we will find them when we find Flanders and Quinlan," replied Dan, he glanced to McMillan. "Who can we trust?"

McMillan exhaled deeply as he spoke, "not many in Ayrshire."

"So where do we start?" asked Kat.

"You are under arrest Kat," replied McMillan, "we can't just let you walk out of here."

"That's bullshit."

Dan cut her off before she went into a full rant. "Kat you need to stay here, we need to focus on finding everyone, we can't be looking over our shoulders." Kat nodded understandingly. Dan thought for a moment, "I'm going to phone Inca, he will, do whatever he does. Phone," he looked at Kat, "I'm going to get you a phone. Tommy is going to pay you a visit."

36

"You reckon this is the place?" asked McMillan as they pulled up to the house.

"Well we are in the middle of bloody nowhere, so I would say we could be in the right place," replied Dan.

They continued to look at the cottage from the comfort of their car, there were no cars parked outside the cottage and there were no lights on either.

McMillan started to open the car door, "we didn't come all this way for nothing, let's take a look around."

Dan looked at his mobile again, "where the hell are they?" McMillan glanced at him but didn't answer him.

When they reached the house the looked through every window but the place looked like it hadn't been lived in for years, "You sure this is the place?" asked McMillan.

Dan looked back towards the car before his gaze turned to the driveway, "There are tyre tracks. Let's check out the garage." They walked towards the garage, there was a padlock on the lock but the surrounding wood looked like it was about to fall apart.

"Kick it in," said McMillan before Dan had the chance to ask the question.

It took them all of a minute to agree that the garage hadn't been used in years. "This isn't the place," announced Dan, he kicked a can of paint in frustration, the can tipped over, he thought for a moment before rushing to the middle of the garage and bending down to examine the floor.

"Dan?"

"My granddad use to fix his own car, he had a pit where he could look underneath the car, it was covered by planks of wood," a few moments later he had lifted all the cardboard and sodden newspapers to reveal a concrete floor. "Worth a try," he added as he exhaled deeply. Dan reached into his pocket and tried to phone Alison and then Emma, Carol and Joanne. McMillan was trying to get through to Marion. "Now what?" asked Dan.

McMillan was standing looking at the woods that were bordering the property, he turned back and looked at the road and the driveway to the property. "How much land do you think this property has?" he asked as he started to walk towards the dry stone wall.

When they reached the wall they realised there was a dirt track that led from the road into the trees, Dan was already jumping over the wall before McMillan had a chance to ask the obvious question.

"There's a shipping container here," shouted Dan back to McMillan who was still struggling to get over the wall.

"I need to lose weight," mumbled McMillan as he landed in a small bush after he eventually stumbled over the wall. "Where are you?" the loud banging drowned out his question and told him in which direction to go.

When he reached Dan he didn't need to ask the obvious question, he continued to walk towards the container and looked inside. "Jesus!" he exclaimed as he breathed in, "what the hell is that smell."

He turned to look at Dan who was already walking away. "Death."

37

"Tommy you need to let me out of here, I need to find them," demanded Kat, as she continued her ranting.

Tommy looked at her, "you know I can't," he replied for the umpteenth time.

"But I can help, I can drive around and see if anything jogs my memory, drive by the pubs and clubs we went to."

"Kat, you can ask as much as you want but there is no way I am letting you out of here, you are in here on a murder charge, I would be kicked off the force and I need my pension."

"Blue minibus," screamed Kat as hazy recollections from the previous night began to form in her fragile mind. Tommy looked at her, eyes widened. "There was a blue minibus we all got into," she struggled with the hazy memory. "Someone from here sorted it."

"Here?" questioned Tommy.

Kat gazed into the distance as if trying to form an image, her expression changed to one of confusion as an image formed in her mind, "Gaz Teasdale was driving," Kat refocused on Tommy, she slowly nodded to herself as she spoke, "Gaz Teasdale was the driver of the minibus."

Tommy couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Teasdale," Kat nodded. Tommy exhaled deeply, his mind working overtime as he comprehended the name Kat had said. He didn't know Kat that well, but he knew Dan and trusted his judgement, plus Kat had taken care of the guy who attacked Emma. "You sure it was him?"

Kat thought for a moment, "100%."

Tommy grinned at her, "let's go."

Kat stared at him, "you do remember that I have been arrested for murder." Tommy nodded. "You are going to get into a lot of trouble."

Tommy shrugged his shoulders, "could be worse, I could be facing a murder charge."

"Ok, so where to Batman?" asked Kat as she walked out her cell.

"I think we need to find Teasdale and have a quiet word in his ear." Tommy noticed Kat was still unsteady on her feet, "I'm driving, Kat, you get in touch with Dan."

Tommy pulled up outside Gaz Teasdale's home; Kat was opening the garden gate before turning her head towards the sound of screeching tyres, "Is he in," bellowed Dan as he got out the car.

"We have just arrived," replied Kat.

Dan started to run, when he reached the gate he barged past Kat and ran towards the door, banging it like a madman when he got to it, "open up ya Bastard," shouted Dan.

After a few moments of banging McMillian put a hand on Dan's shoulder, "I don't think he is in."

"His car is here so he can't be too far," added Tommy.

"If you lot don't stop banging on that door I am going to phone the police," they all turned around towards the gate and the old woman who was leaning against it.

"Where is he?" barked Dan.

Tommy started to walk towards the woman; he reached into his jacket and pulled out his warrant card, "Ma'am we are the police, we just need to speak to our colleague, we think he could be in danger." The woman looked by Tommy and the enraged Dan. "My colleague is very concerned," added Tommy slightly louder to be heard over the sound of Dan's continuous banging on the door.

"Oh God," exclaimed the woman, "Is Gary alright?"

"We hope so, we just need to find him," Tommy replied in a calm voice, "before it's too late." He added to emphasis his point. "We wanted to see if he was here but.."

The woman looked up and down the road before leaning towards Tommy, "I've got a key." She looked up and down the street again. "I make sure his cat is fed," she started to go into her pocket and brought out a bunch of keys, "I know you police officers work long hours."

"You have a key," replied a slightly stunned Tommy. Tommy turned towards Dan, "Dan can you stop that for a second." Tommy turned towards the woman. He smiled at her, "sorry Mrs?"

"Armstrong," replied the woman.

"Mrs Armstrong, you couldn't possibly let us into Gaz, Gary's house and we can see if he left anything that could tell us where he is."

Mrs Armstrong looked at him and then the others, "well I was going to check Oscar, Oscar is his cat, you can come in with me," she looked at the others, "but only you, I don't want everyone traipsing about his house when he's not there."

"Thank you, Mrs Armstrong; I'll make sure the noisy ones stay outside." Tommy walked towards the others and told him what was happening.

It was only a few minutes before an ashen faced Tommy came out the door closely followed by Mrs Armstrong, "thank you for your help, Mrs Armstrong," he looked at Kat, "can you walk Mrs Armstrong home." Kat nodded and took Mrs Armstrong's arm and they started to walk away.

McMillan waited until they were out of earshot, "what's wrong Tommy?"

"Gary's hung himself, there's a loft hatch and," Tommy exhaled deeply, "he's there."

Dan turned to look at the departing Mrs Armstrong, "who found him?"

"I did, "replied Tommy, "she knows." He nodded in her direction.

"Shit!" exclaimed Dan.

Tommy turned and walked back into the house, "something doesn't make sense," he said more to himself than the others.

The 3 men went into the house and followed Tommy up the stairs and onto the landing, they were silent for a few moments as the surveyed the scene, they turned to each other and Dan asked the obvious question they were all thinking, "how did he reach the noose?"

There was a noise from downstairs quickly followed by someone running up the stairs. "Dan," shouted Kat as she ran upstairs. She reached the landing and quickly looked at the body, "How did he get up there?" she shook her head and refocused. "Answer your bloody mobile will you, Inca's phoned me, we need to get to Fishers Bar, he's got a lead."

Dan was trying to connect the power lead to his lifeless phone, the job was being made more difficult by the possessed driving of McMillian; Kat was in the back seat trying not to be sick. Tommy had been left at Gary Teasdale's house to deal with the ramifications of the hanging. "What did Inca say?" asked Dan again.

Kat swallowed a little sick as she was pinned against the door as McMillian took a sharp bend towards Burns Statue Square, "Who taught you how to drive, Sir."

"Ayrton Senna," replied McMillan as he used the rear-view mirror top look at Kat, a slight grin on his face as he used a local joke.

Kat refocused, "Inca just said to get to Fishers Bar as fast as possible." She leant back in the seat and looked out the window, Ayr town centre going by in a blur. "Who arrested me last night?" Kat asked as they drove by one of the bars from the previous night.

Dan and McMillan exchanged glances, neither knew the answer. "And also, why are you not with the others?" added Dan, he reached for his mobile. "My phone is only at 2%."

McMillan reached into his pocket and handed him his mobile, "Speak to Gordon on the front desk, he knows or can find out anything."

Dan started dialling. "He was my first choice."

"Wow," gasped Kat, "you know a phone number off by heart."

"Gordon, you're on speaker with."

"Hey Love," replied Gordon. "I can't really talk right now."

Dan grinned, "I take it the fan is being hit with the proverbial."

"Yes dear, I'll pick some up on the way home."

"Can you find out who arrested Kat last night?" asked Dan.

"Of course sweetheart. Look I need to go we are rolling out the red carpet here," Gordon replied before ending the call.

"Looks like Glasgow have arrived in force to show us honest men and bonnie lasses how to do police work," announced Dan as he handed McMillan back his phone.

McMillan was too busy going high speed through a red light to give a reply. The car skidded round the corner before he regained control and started to cross the bridge. "Looks like we have company." He noted before taking a sharp left hand turn

Dan looked back and saw the flashing blue lights. "Do you think it was the dangerous driving, going through the red lights, breaking the speed limit or the bus lane you just went through that they have an issue with?"

"Guess we will soon find out," McMillan replied as he braked hard outside Fisher's Pub. They all got out before running towards the Pub's door.

"It's locked," stated Dan who was first to arrive at the front door.

"When was it last open?" asked Kat as she looked at the sorry excuse for a pub.

Dan looked at her, "you mean there is a pub in Ayr that you don't know."

"Do you have any idea how many traffic violations you have broken," shouted the policeman as he walked towards them, quickly followed by, "Oh shit when he saw who he was speaking to."

"Too many Jonesy," replied Dan who a grin, he nodded to the locked door. "Don't suppose you have a key in the boot of the car for this."

Jonesy was in a stunned silence for a few seconds, he turned and looked at Kat, then back at the others. "Yes Sir," he replied before quickly going back to the car, he returned 30 seconds later with a big red key. "Think this will do the trick." Dan took the Enforcer from him, "was on a drug bust yesterday." Jonesy added as some sort of excuse.

"You might want to wait in the car," replied Dan.

Jonesy nodded in reply, he turned to look at Kat again, his face a mask of confusion, "Yes Sir."

His reply was drowned out by Dan battering the hell out of the pub door. The smell of stale cigarette smoke and even staler beer greeted them as the door fell apart. When they got inside they quickly looked around but the pub was empty. A downhearted Dan called out to Kat, "Inca definitely said Fisher's."

"Shut up!" exclaimed Kat, Dan stared at her, Kat held up her finger, "Can you hear that?"

Dan and McMillan exchanged glances at each other, both shaking their heads.

"There it's again," added Kat, as she crouched down on the floor, "and again. Louder." She got up, "find the cellar door, there's something down there."

The noise was louder after they had kicked open the cellar door, Dan tried the light switch but nothing happened. "Kat, run and get some torches from Jonesy." Dan gingerly made his way downstairs into the darkness, the open door behind him casting little light. He got about halfway down them before beams of light appeared from the doorway allowing him to quickly reach the bottom, closely followed by Kat. They both turned as they heard a noise from their right hand side. The torchlight hit a blindfolded and gagged woman who was slumped against the wall.

38

"Are you sure you are ok love?" asked Dan again.

Alison smiled back at him, "I'm fine, honestly, just feeling a bit groggy." Dan hugged her, "Emma you ok?"

"I'm fine Dad," she replied as she was bandaging a cut on Marion's arm.

McMillan was in full command mode as he took charge of the situation, there seemed to now be police and paramedics everywhere. All of the women were safe and accounted for, well apart from Kat, who was nowhere to be seen.

"Looks like Glasgow has arrived on the scene," Dan let go of Alison when he saw the car stop and then the passengers getting out.

"Here we go," replied McMillan who had walked over next to him, "this is going to be fun."

"Is everyone safe and accounted for?" asked Assistant Chief Constable Holland as he reached Dan and McMillian.

"Yes, thank God," replied McMillan. "Just a couple of cuts and bruises," he added as he nodded towards his wife.

Holland nodded his head and surveyed the scene. "How did you know they would be here?"

McMillan looked at Dan but Dan quickly looked away and then moved away, he paused for a second before answering. "Good old fashioned police work."

The look on Holland's face told McMillan that he didn't believe him. "Quiet. Does your good old fashioned police work know where DC Kat Harper is?"

McMillan nodded, "Of course, DC Harper is being escorted back to the station after she helped us with our enquires. Not normal procedure I know, but." McMillan held out his hand indicating the pub and the safe return of the women.

Holland grinned at him, "And that will all be covered in your report?"

"Sorry Sirs," Dan interrupted them, "Marion needs to go to the hospital, Emma is saying she will need a couple of stitches on her arm."

"Thanks DS Devlin," replied a formal DCI McMillan. He turned to Holland, but Holland had already started to walk away, they couldn't quite make out what he was mumbling but they knew it wouldn't be good.

"I better speak to Marion before she goes, Dan."

Dan shook his head, "I wouldn't bother she's fine, you just looked like you needed interrupting."

McMillan grinned at him. "Any news from Kat."

Dan shook his head, "I'll try her again."

McMillan looked at the bright pink mobile in Dan's hand, "nice phone."

"It's Emma's, mine is still as flat as your jokes."

Dan and McMillan were back in the car after making sure everyone was ok. Joanne and Carol were sitting in the back seat being brought up to date. Carol had already spoken to her office and informed them to treat Gary Teasdale's hanging as suspicious.

"We need to get back to work," announced Carol before pointing at Tanya. "We need to find out what they drugged us with." She turned to Joanne, "we need to be sure there are no ramifications in what we were given." Joanne nodded understandingly, "I'm sure it's fine but I just want to make sure," she added after seeing the look of concern in Joanne's face.

McMillan's mobile started to ring. "It's Kat," said McMillan, McMillan answered the call, "Kat, you are on speaker." There was silence on the other end. "Kat," still silence, He turned towards Dan, a worried look on his face.

Dan took over, "Kat you're on with Carol and Joanne as well as me."

"Just wanted to make sure," replied Kat. "Everyone ok?"

"Everyone's fine," he replied. "You got anything?"

"I've got a pissed off Assistant Chief Constable Holland wanting to know why I'm in Ayr," bellowed the dulcet tones of Inca.

"How does he know you are here?" interrupted McMillan.

"Presume some rat in Glasgow squealed," Inca replied. He was silent for a moment before continuing. "We might not find them."

"Flanders and Quinlan?" asked Dan.

"Yeah," replied Inca without any comeback or sarcasm at the obvious answer. "Look, to get info on where everyone was an associate made a sort of deal with them. Look I don't have the full story as yet. I just know that that pub was supposed to be set on fire this morning, a wee insurance job so to speak. I know this is not what you want to hear but I agree with what he has done."

Dan's eyes widened at what he had just been told. "We totally agree," he replied. "Tell Minos thanks."

"Look, we still have a few places to check up on but the longer it takes to find them the more likely that they have fled the country and if that's the case I would say that they won't be found."

"You are probably right mate," replied Dan.

"Our most immediate problem right now is what to do with killer here, the longer she is on the run the guiltier she looks."

"Any ideas Kat?" asked Dan.

There was silence on the phone before a very quiet voice answered, "I need to go back and face the music."

"We will try and figure this out as soon as we can," replied Dan.

"You better," Kat replied a little louder.

39

It had been an eventful couple days since finding the women gagged and drugged in a pub cellar, which had been due to be firebombed, Kat had been released without charge after Joanne had worked nonstop in proving her innocence, a CCTV timed pub crawl had been her alibi. The footage had also shown all the women getting into the minibus driven by Gary Teasdale and being driven in the direction of Fishers before being lost as they left the CCTV coverage area.

Dan was running along the beach, his pace quickening as he saw the hills of Arran were being lost in the rainclouds that would be heading his way. He was running by the sailing club but there was no sign of Eric and his new metal detector, maybe he was more sensible and avoiding the foreseeable rain. A few minutes later he had reached his car, Yards was playing with a black Labrador.

"Looks like rain," he said to the dog's owner.

She smiled at him, "glad we got back in time." She turned to look for her dog but it was back on the beach with Yards. "Tara." The dog looked in her direction and started to run back.

"Yards." Dan shook his head as Yards started to run back. He made his way to the back of his car and opened the boot before sitting on the ledge to change his socks and shoes. Yards barked softly. Dan looked around and saw Yards sitting patiently next to the back door. "You'll need to wait until I've got my shoes on."

Dan eventually opened the back door and Yards jumped into the back seat and lay down on his rug. He turned at the sound of the young woman's car that was refusing to start.

She lowered the driver's window to speak to him, "it will start eventually." She continued to try and after about 20 attempts the car coughed into life.

"Sounds like the starter motor," offered Dan.

She nodded, "probably but, it will need to do."

Dan walked over to the car noticing the bald front tyre. "You're needing a new front tyre as well."

"It will have to wait," she replied.

Dan noticed the kids toys in the back seat, "There's a guy who repairs cars down near the harbour."

She cut him off, "Thanks, but."

"He owes me some favours, it won't cost you anything." Dan listened to himself and thought how weird he was sounding," he laughed at himself. "Sorry, look I'm a police officer." The woman's eyes widened. "I'm going to give you the address, then I will give him a call saying you are on your way, you can get your car sorted and my dog can see his pal there next to you."

"Why the offer to help?" she asked still slightly concerned of Dan's offer.

Dan nodded understandingly, "Karma," he replied. "If I can help you then somewhere along the line something will help me and I don't want to turn up at an accident and see you and your car involved." He held up his hands, "Look I know I sound like a weirdo but let me help you."

She looked at him and believed that he just wanted to help. "Thanks, I'm Lisa by the way."

He smiled at her, "good to meet you, Lisa, I'm Dan, and the daft dog in the car is Yards."

"This one's Tara," she replied.

"I'll go and get the address of the garage."

Dan was sitting back in his car, he had watched Lisa drive away through the rear-view mirror, but he was now staring out the windscreen at the impending rainstorm that was about to start, the sound of heavy rainfall on the roof of the car caused Yards to bark, "It's just the rain Yards, just the rain."

Dan had only driven a short distance before his mobile started to ring, "Devlin."

"Ken Downes is dead."

Dan pulled the car over, ironically across from Bruce's Well. "I thought he was making a full recovery."

"He had a stroke about an hour ago, I called you earlier but."

"I was out a run, trying to clear my head."

"Did it work?" asked McMillan.

"Give me an hour," Dan replied ignoring the question.

Dan walked into McMillians office and slumped down on the chair, "So Downes and Teasdale are both dead and Flanders and Quinlan have both disappeared."

"Aye morning to you too," replied McMillan.

Dan looked at him, "We have nothing do we?"

"Our loved ones are alive," McMillan exhaled deeply before continuing, "but, yeah we have no idea where they are."

"Any word from Inca?" McMillan just shook his head. "Didn't think so, looks like the bastards letting us know where to find everyone was to give them time to escape."

McMillan got up from his desk and walked over to the office window. "Dan, I think we need to face facts, Flanders and Quinlan are gone."

"So they won?"

McMillan turned and walked back to his chair and sat down. "Our investigation was to find the killer of Andrew Hopkins and Darren Cooper, which we have done."

"What about Gary Teasdales or Neil Cairns killers?" asked Dan.

"A bend police officer and a scumbag who assaulted your Emma, we know who it was, but we will never find them. Christ Dan, they are people smugglers, they are gone, they will have used their contacts and will never set foot in Scotland again."

Dan didn't reply he just got up and walked out of the office.

40

He walked out the cheap hotel that he had been holed up for the past few days into a snowstorm, he pulled up his collar to try and keep warm but he knew it would be pointless, the last few days in Chisinau had already shown him this. He walked along the road, the grey buildings either side of him adding to the gloom. He stopped at a set of traffic lights and watched a bus drive by, its passengers squeezed together in unison, no smiles just the look of get me out of here. He walked across the road ignoring the feeble car horn that sounded and the hand gestures that came from the driver. Someone behind him started shouting at the driver but he had no idea what was being said.

He continued walking for another 10 minutes until he was in a more appealing neighbourhood but even its appeal was being lost as the pristine white snow was being turned into a grey sludge. He looked up at the building he was walking towards and watched as 2 men left it. "Perfect." He thought to himself. He quickened his pace and timed it so they would meet at the gate.

"You're a long way from home." Both men looked at him, confusion on their faces.

"Who the hell are you?" barked Quinlan.

Flanders just gazed at him, "What do you want?"

Quinlan looked at Flanders, "You know this arsehole?"

The sound of gunfire stopped him answering which was closely followed by another shot that stopped Quinlan asking another question.

The man then just dropped his gun and quickly walked away.

