Hounds & Hares: A DCI Kirk Ross Scottish Thriller by Duncan Wallace

Author:Duncan Wallace [Wallace, Duncan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-22T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

It wasn’t a long drive from the Limestone Thistle Country Club back to the station, and the day had settled into late afternoon as we made our way along the wooded lanes. The air seemed a degree or two cooler, and I soaked in the relative chill at the end of the day.

The hills rolled outside of the car, and the golden light danced over Glasgow as though it was a gift to the world. I wondered how many beer gardens were filled with patrons already, and how many of those good folk were already three sheets to the wind. It would be the perfect ending to a perfect summer day, and I had no doubt that plenty of Glawegians would be celebrating.

But I knew of at least four families that wouldn’t be celebrating. I could picture them as they stared blankly at the TV screen while they waited for the door to open just one more time and their son to appear as if he hadn’t been missing for days or weeks.

I sighed and glanced towards my partner. She had the seat in the full recline position again, and her eyes were mere slits as the wind blew into the car.

“Are you sure that gives you any extra breeze?” I asked.

“I told you, Kirk,” she smirked. “It’s science.”

“More like alchemy,” I replied.

“If I think it works, then it does,” she insisted.

“But what about the placebo effect?” I asked.

“Even then,” she laughed. “Surely you lie to yourself about things, little innocent stuff that doesn’t hurt anybody.”

“I sometimes pretend that having two steaks instead of one with a side of chips is healthier,” I admitted

“Wow,” Rose said as she shook her head. “I’m not sure that qualifies as the placebo effect. I’m not really sure what that qualifies as.”

“I wonder if people can trick themselves out of the placebo effect,” I mused.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe when they don’t need it to work anymore.”

“Interesting,” I said.

“I sometimes do that,” Rose admitted.

“Do what?” I asked.

“Replace veg or something with extra meat, and claim it’s for the protein,” she said.

“I knew it,” I smirked. “You also swap out coffee's, especially when I’ve made them. You switch yours for mine after I’ve taken a sip.”

“Can’t be too careful,” she explained. “People get poisoned all the time, so if you’re fine after drinking your cup, I’ll take yours. Better you than me.”

“Nobody is trying to poison you,” I laughed.

“I know that, but if they were, I’m one step ahead of them,” Rose added.

“And who would ‘they’ be exactly?” I asked.

“The government, probably,” she replied “They’re always the ones up to no good in the films.”

“Can’t argue with that,” I said.

“So,” Rose said. “You must think that John Harding has something to do with Badar’s death and the missing boys.”

“I can’t really explain why,” I said. “I mean, the police assigned to the case should have done a search of the property already. That’s just Investigation 101. But there was something about him, especially when I mentioned the warrant, that made me think he knows more than he’s telling.

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