‘I thought McCulloch didn’t have any family.’

‘Turns out he does. An uncle. His name’s McCulloch, too. Lives in Italy. Arrived here this morning.’

The superior heaved an impatient sigh. ‘Okay. Now tell me why I need to be concerned about some old guy who lives in Italy.’

‘Because he’s isn’t just any old old guy. He’s probably twice as fit as most men half his age. A right hard case.’

‘And why is this a problem?’

The underling said, ‘Firstly, he isn’t buying the accidental drowning theory about Campbell. He seems to think the cases are connected.’

‘I wonder where he got that idea. The poacher?’

‘His nephew told him the whole story.’

‘To be expected, I suppose. Go on.’

‘Uncle McCulloch’s got a bit of an attitude problem. Not a happy chappie. And he’s intent on pursuing his own investigation.’

‘I see. One of those.’

‘But here’s the worrying part, chief. The guy is ex-military. Retired British Army non-com. We tried to get into his MoD file and hit a brick wall. Classified shit. You know what that means.’

‘Why the hell should I know what that means?’

‘It means trouble,’ the underling replied. ‘Now, it so happens that I’ve got a brother-in-law who works for the Ministry. I was able to call in a favour and—’

‘I’m a busy man. Why don’t you just cut to the chase and tell me what you found out?’

‘Well, I’ve got McCulloch’s whole bio here in front of me. And like I thought, it turns out this bastard was no ordinary soldier. I really think you should listen to this.’

‘Let’s hear it, then.’

‘Born in Glasgow in 1953. Joined up at seventeen and was accepted into the Parachute Regiment two years later, in 1972. Did five years with them before he passed selection for 22 Special Air Service in February, 1977.’

‘You’re telling me that this moron Ewan McCulloch had an uncle in the SAS. Great. Just great.’

‘He served with them for twenty-six years. Counter-hijack and counter-terrorism specialist. A hell of a record, chief. I mean, you name it, he’s been there and done it. Operation Nimrod, 1980. The Iranian Embassy siege. Then the following year in Gambia, he was one of the special ops team who went in and rescued the President’s wife and kids from leftist rebels. Falklands War, 1982, he was with D Squadron for the famous assault on Pebble Island, when they destroyed half the Argentine air force in just thirty minutes.’

‘Oh, wonderful.’