The Shortlist: A Scottish Murder Mystery by Andrew Raymond

Author:Andrew Raymond [Raymond, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hunterhill Books
Published: 2023-03-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

‘Shite,’ said Pardeep. He and Jason were approaching the turn on Argyle Street for Kelvin Way, in between the bowling green and tennis courts that were overlooked by Glasgow University – as well as William MacRae’s house high up on Park Circus.

‘What is it?’ asked Jason.

‘I forgot this road’s still blocked off. It forces you into the museum.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Now we’re going to have to go all the way to Charing Cross and around Woodlands Road…’

‘Let’s just park in the museum,’ Jason said. ‘It’s only a wee walk up the hill. Nip up the South Front, then through the Cloisters. Alumni Office is around the corner.’

Pardeep huffed. ‘A walk?’

Jason, still hyped from his morning weights workout at six a.m., was brimming with enthusiasm. ‘Yeah, get the blood flowing. Bounce some ideas around.’

Grudgingly, Pardeep turned left towards the museum car park. He grumbled, ‘Bloody freezing out there…’

As they marched up the pedestrian walkway leading to the Gilbert Scott Building – the striking main university building with its iconic tower – Pardeep struggled to keep up with Jason’s infernal pace.

‘Gonna slow down, Jase,’ Pardeep puffed.

‘Sorry,’ he replied.

‘You know, I wish I’d got into this uni instead of Caley. I forgot how nice all the trees and that are.’

‘It’s an inspirational environment, I think. There’s something in the air here.’

‘If I’d come here, I might have kept my head down and actually done some work.’ Pardeep chuckled.

Jason said, ‘I liked the work. I never went out much. Watched a lot of Countdown.’

‘God…I bet you’re one of these people who still posts their Wordle games on Facebook every morning.’

Jason shook his head adamantly. ‘Nah. Wordle’s too easy. Give me a samurai suduko any day of the week.’

‘Sudoku’s, like, my nightmare – shite, I’ve done it again!’

‘What?’

Pardeep remonstrated, ‘I keep saying “like” all the time! Listening to the girls at home, every second word out their mouth is like. “And like I was like, what? And she was like…” It’s fucking maddening. Anyway, what’s a samurai sudoku? I didn’t think anyone did those anymore.’

‘It takes five regular nine by nine sudoku grids, and overlaps them to make one giant sudoku. It’s mega and totally ace.’ Jason couldn’t keep a massive grin off his face.

‘That’s it. I’m making you a Tinder profile, mate. I can’t hack this anymore. I can’t work you out. You’ve got biceps bursting out your shirt. You’ve got that…’ Pardeep sucked his cheeks in, ‘super skinny face that birds love. It’s fucking mad, mate. You look like one of those guys off Love Island, except you’ve actually got brains. And you’re not a total arsehole.’

‘It’s always nice to hear from your colleague that you’re not a total arsehole.’

‘You know what I mean, though. The problem is you’ve got too much brains. Or too many. Whatever. If I was on a date with you, I would be like, yeah, looked good until he opened his mouth.’

‘I don’t work out to be more attractive, Pardeep. It just makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint.

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