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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

Some words were said under the radar, the punk’s lips barely moving. He went back to focusing on Janice, or on her breasts to be exact.

McNab thought of the young woman next door, and whether she would find the courage to do what he had just said. If not . . .

Outside the interview room now, McNab made for the coffee machine for his caffeine fix, a silent Janice alongside.

‘We won’t get him on the domestic,’ she offered as he put in the money and selected a double espresso. ‘She tells the same story,’ she reminded him, ‘regarding the door.’

‘Fucking doors.’ McNab banged at the coffee machine to hurry it up. ‘Misogynist bastards all of them.’

Janice gave a laugh and its sound reminded McNab of why he’d once nursed the notion of a pairing with DS Clark.

‘You’ve become quite the feminist,’ she offered. ‘Is this Ellie’s doing?’

‘I’ve always liked women,’ McNab countered.

‘Mmmm,’ Janice said in a not altogether believing tone.

McNab experienced something he realized might be hurt feelings.

‘I’m surrounded by capable women. What’s not to like about that?’

‘At least you don’t stare at my breasts,’ Janice offered.

McNab was tempted to say, ‘That’s what you think,’ but wisely didn’t.

Janice changed the subject. ‘Any word about Dr MacLeod returning to the fray?’

‘Nope.’ McNab grabbed his espresso.

‘Will she be able to go back to her flat after what happened?’

McNab hated hearing Janice voice the question he’d been asking himself for some time.

‘There are other flats in Glasgow,’ he heard himself say.

‘Have you spoken to her recently?’

‘Is this a fucking interrogation, DS Clark? Would you like me to accompany you to the interview room?’

His tone had both offended and worried her. McNab almost said sorry, but knew that wouldn’t wash. Better to be honest. After all, that’s how Janice dealt with him.

‘She’s working an investigation on Skye.’

Janice’s eyes opened wide. ‘Officially?’

How could he say he thought it imaginary? That every time he looked at Rhona’s face on Skype he grew more concerned for her well-being. As for her latest revelation about a crime scene in the woods. Fuck’s sake.

Everyone knew DI Wilson had been pressuring Rhona to see a counsellor. Everyone knew she’d refused to go to Castlebrae. They were all acquainted with staff who’d been traumatized on the front line. As the Chief Constable said, the officers at the top weren’t the heroes of the force. The heroes were the guys who turned up never knowing what an incident might hold for their own safety.

McNab had met with DI Wilson first thing, keen to offload his concerns about what was happening on Skye. The boss had matched McNab’s disquiet. Apparently during the fifteen-minute consultation with Dr Bailey, Rhona had made it clear she was there on sufferance.