‘The last boat leaves at 19.35. If you want something to eat, get it now. If you need the lavatory, go to it now. Stay alert. I want everyone on their toes. McGarry will be here shortly. Check the descriptions you have been given and keep your eyes open.’

McAllister would have been more than a little upset if he had heard the soured comments.

‘Eat now. Piss now. Keep alert. Britain needs fucking lerts. There’s more chance of us getting the fucking knickers off Posh Spice than this git turning up.’

McAllister pondered the situation. If McGarry didn’t show, what was to be done? He could not tie up such a large number of officers indefinitely. He was proceeding on the basis of unchecked information and guesswork. He was confident that his target had not left the country. He was a creature of habit and was known to hate flying. The unknown factor in all of this was the end of the trial. Would McGarry want to see its conclusion for himself or would he prefer to be out of reach of the shockwaves? McAllister was banking on the latter.

The officer getting into the back seat beside him brought him out of his reflective state.

‘Local CID brought this over. They thought you might be interested.’

McAllister studied the contents of the document which had been handed to him.

‘When the hell did this happen?’

‘Friday apparently.’

‘Why has it taken so long for me to be told? Are they all bloody stupid up there? For Christ’s sake does no one ever think?’

‘It didn’t go to our division. Took time for the connection to be made.’

‘Unbelievable! Shot twice. Unknown assailant. No witnesses. Victim cannot identify. That’ll be right! He’ll identify when I get a hold of him. At least we know what this means.’

‘Sorry, Boss, but none of this makes any sense to me. I take it you do understand who’s been shot?’

‘Of course I do. It makes sense to me. It tells me that the bastard is on his way.’

McGarry was nine miles from Ayr on the A77 and was slowly beginning to calm down, relieved he was leaving Glasgow behind him. He felt no remorse for the damage he had left behind, nor was he concerned at the outcome of any police investigation into it. Even assuming there was one.