BooksBarbecue
Back Time for the Dead Save as PDF
Chapters (94)
  1. Cover
  2. Time for the Dead
  3. Dedication page
  4. Map
  5. Epigraph page
  6. Prologue
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. Epilogue
  92. Acknowledgements
  93. About the Author
  94. By Lin Anderson

The incident room was packed. The Sandman enquiry was a major investigation, one in which the former soldier, Harry McArthur, had suddenly become a part. Harry’s face was up on the board along with the other already known or suspected characters.

Also added to the rogues’ gallery was the dead Watson, and the photographs of the burnt-out jeep on an improbably steep hillside outside the village of Uig, together with images of the remains of the victims found inside.

Although the number plate had been replaced, the jeep was suspected as having been the one reported as stolen from the drive of a villa in Bearsden the previous week.

The boss registered McNab’s entry before he continued drawing the various strands together.

‘The MOD have reluctantly,’ he emphasized the word, ‘confirmed that the DNA of the dead climber is that of serving medic Private Peter Galbraith, who was currently on leave and due to return to Afghanistan forty-eight hours from now. They have not however released details regarding the rest of the team. The post-mortem conclusions on Galbraith suggest foul play, so I believe the military police will also now be involved. Maybe then they will be more co-operative.’ His expression suggested that as being unlikely.

‘Harry McArthur is still with us and his statement refers to a link between serving personnel in Afghanistan and the local Sandman network helping to bring heroin shipments into Scotland and Glasgow in particular.’

He continued, ‘Harry McArthur’s testimony is proving to be valuable to the investigation, lifting a lid on the entire organization, which was probably why there was an attempt on his life. Fortunately, DS McNab, who was following the assailant at the time, confirmed as being Malcolm Stevenson, succeeded in getting McArthur to hospital in time to save his life.

‘Harry has since confirmed the identity of his attacker, and we have been searching for Stevenson. He also identified Private Galbraith, who he knew as Sugarboy. They met in Afghanistan when the medic saved Harry’s life after he was trapped in a tank fire. Harry states that Galbraith sought him out, gave him money and drugs, and told him he had a plan to get out of the business. This plan may have led to Private Galbraith’s death and the turf war now apparently playing out here and on Skye.’

McNab’s focus as he’d listened to much of what he was aware of already had been on the grisly images of the most recent victims on Skye. There were multiple shots of both occupants of the burnt-out vehicle, none of them pleasant to look at. Yet his eyes refused to be drawn away from one photograph in particular.

From experience, he knew he was looking at a picture that held some meaning for him. What it was, he had no idea. Something he should perhaps recognize?