Blood in the Water: A DCI Keane Scottish Crime Thriller by Oliver Davies (read full novel txt) 📗

that’s better,” Maggie said, leaning back next to me with a sigh. “Those stools are alright for a bit, but my back was really beginning to bother me.”

A couple who’d been standing, using one of the scattered whisky barrels as a table, bent to ask Ewan if they could take the vacant stools, and he hastily assured them that, of course, they could.

We lost Ed, Freddy, and a couple of the others before the singer came back, by which time I’d just been presented with my fourth pint. My last, for tonight, I decided. I nipped off to the loo to make room for it and asked for a pint of water on the way back to our table for good measure. I drank that down, standing at the bar.

Annie smiled as I sat down again. The girls had moved up, so I didn’t need to squeeze past them, and Ewan had moved round to Maggie’s other side. Those two were looking very cosy together over there. Everyone else here probably already knew about that, but I hadn’t.

“I saw what you were up to at the bar,” Annie told me. “Trying to avoid morning regrets, are you?”

“Wait ‘til you’re past thirty and see how much you like feeling hungover then,” I retorted. “Besides, you’re only drinking half-pints of lager.”

“I am,” she agreed. “Trying to match the boys pint for pint is a terrible idea.”

Sensible girl! Even so, Annie was looking slightly flushed, as I was myself. It wasn’t just the drink. It was really warm in there with all the accumulated body heat. I’d unbuttoned my shirt ages ago, and now I shed that too. We were both pleasantly tipsy, which seemed like an ideal state to maintain for a while. The singer’s second set was even better than the first had been. Ewan, for one, had a cracking great set of bellows on him. I refrained from joining in. I was quite happy responding to the witty running commentary Annie was feeding into my ear.

The atmosphere in McNeill’s was great. It felt more like a big family gathering than a public bar. In a way, I supposed it was. Apart from myself and a couple of tourists, I imagined most of the people there were interconnected somehow. Annie waited until the set was over before heading off to the loo herself. She slipped me a folded piece of paper when she came back, before asking Maggie to pass her jacket over.

“Well, that’s me for the night,” she said brightly.

“So soon?” Maggie asked, surprised, casting a brief glance at me. “We were just about to get a last round in.”

“Aye, well, no, a nice hot drink and a bite of supper are what I fancy now. It’s been a good night.”

“Suit yourself,” Ewan said cheerfully. “Ready for another, Conall?” He frowned at my half-full glass, which I’d been nursing carefully for the past half hour or more.

“No, thanks. This will do me, Ewan. Goodnight, Annie. It was nice talking to you.” I stayed for another fifteen minutes after Annie had left, chatting with Ewan and Maggie and slowly finishing my pint and then I too was bid a cheerful goodnight.

The cool air outside was a welcome relief, and I kept my jacket over my arm as I read the note and checked my phone for directions. Annie’s place was a fifteen-minute walk away, ten if I speeded it up a bit. Supper, coffee and the chance of a quiet chat sounded great, and if she decided she’d like things to go further than that, I certainly wasn’t about to complain about it.

Twenty

Shay

I wasn’t too worried about the fact that our birds had flown. We already had everything we needed to build our case against them, and Jordan and Phelps would turn up again sooner or later. Besides, it shortened our stay here, and that was just fine by me. I could get loads of work done on the attics in the new house over the weekend.

Nielsen’s unexpected dinner invitation would be a nice little distraction for our last evening here. Plus, Conall wouldn’t feel any need to head back early to check up on me if he knew I was out too. He could really relax and enjoy himself. Besides, I was rather looking forward to having a good look around the Kværnen. Whoever was on duty this evening, it would be interesting to see what sort of set up Daniels and Verity were working with. I bet the budget for fitting out Herre Nielsen Senior’s fancy yacht had been astronomical. They probably had some really cool stuff in there.

I hadn’t packed anything suitable for a fancy dinner, but the invitation had said ‘casual.’ Well, I had one pair of decent black trousers in my bag and one very nice shirt too. Of course, someone like Mads would realise how much money I was wearing, but that couldn’t be helped. I liked the feel of soft fabrics against my skin, and I liked nice clothes. To make up for it, I made sure everything I chose was ethically sourced and produced, and I made another fat donation to one of my charities whenever I bought myself anything nice. My entire wardrobe was less than half the size of Conall’s anyway. I had a pair of black ‘Ethletic’ pumps with me too. Those would do nicely.

Alejandro, Jules, Signe and Gioia were all lounging against the rail up on the rear deck as if they’d been waiting for me. They all looked very nice, dressed up for dinner, but I certainly wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. They waved cheerfully as I approached before coming down to meet me.

“Good. You are arrived. Now we go and eat.” Alejandro gestured at the four of them and slapped my shoulder, looking pleased.

“What? You’re all leaving?” That was an unexpected twist. I wasn’t too sure I felt at all comfortable with the whole idea now.

“Yes. We eat in town tonight.” Signe seemed