Free Witness the Dead by Craig Robertson

of hours so we don’t have as much information on her as we’d like. Your job will be to put that right as soon as possible. We are currently aware of no confirmed link between the two of them. If there is one, you will need to find it and fast. If there isn’t, our job will be a hell of a lot harder, and whoever killed them is a bona fide serial nutjob.’
    Shirley’s eyebrows shot up at Addison’s language, provoking a matching sneer from Denny Kelbie. Addison wasn’t particularly fussed by either but he had to stop when Shirley placed an arm out in front of him and scraped his chair back as he stood up again.
    ‘Let me interrupt at this point to make something quite clear. I have no doubt that a link does exist between these two young women. They may have frequented the same pub or club, used the same gym, had the same ex-boyfriend. I don’t know. Check their entire histories: school, work, family, personal lives, everything. There is a link. Find it.’
    Addison allowed Shirley to retake his seat, watching his boss vigorously smooth his suit jacket back into place. He cleared his throat theatrically and continued.
    ‘Kirsty McAndrew had this’ – he clicked the mouse, and a new photograph appeared on the whiteboard – ‘tattoo on her back. DS Narey has established that it refers to her former boyfriend Robert Wylde. Narey and I have interviewed Wylde and believe it is unlikely that he was involved in her murder. He’s got a busy charge sheet and some history of violence but I don’t think he’s our man.’
    Addison caught the maliciously raised eyebrow offered }up by Kelbie for public consumption and managed to swallow down the retort that yearned to burst free from within him, refusing to give the DCI the satisfaction. ‘We are of course not ruling Wylde out and will explore every avenue open to us. With that in mind, Rico, I want you to take over coordinating a look into the tattoo parlours in town. We think this was done relatively recently and might give us something to work with. There’s already been groundwork done and Jason will fill you in on where his people have been.’
    DS Giannandrea nodded, taking the printed copy of the tattoo that was passed down to him. Winter, looking over his shoulder, followed the contours of the angry snake that inked its way round the small of Kirsty McAndrew’s back.
    ‘Andy, go over every inch of the CCTV from Citation and whatever Bacchus has,’ Addison continued. ‘Also get everything you can between there and Elcho Street. Talk to her friends and the staff, see if anyone was hanging around, paying Kirsty special attention, that sort of thing.’
    ‘Narey, coordinate further door-to-door round Caledonia Road and surrounding areas. Trawl her route home. We need details on her movements last night, boyfriends, friends, family. Take Toshney with you.’
    Winter couldn’t see the look on Rachel’s face but he could picture it, and allowed himself a smile. He knew just how much she enjoyed having Toshney as a sidekick. But he also knew Addy. The fact that Rachel didn’t want Toshney would have been reason enough for her to get him.
    ‘DS Ferry you – and your DCI – talk to her parents, her friends and whatever other close family she had. Talk to Wylde again and see if there was another boyfriend or someone she’d maybe knocked back. See if we can set up a reconstruction as well. Someone must have seen her walking alone even if the cameras haven’t.’
    A low rumble escaped from Kelbie’s throat and the skin around his eyes reddened.
    ‘Thanks for the advice, DI Addison. If you’re also going to teach us how to suck eggs then can you wait till this investigation is over? In the meantime, maybe we can discuss the most significant piece of information that we have to hand. The one you haven’t mentioned yet.’
    Addison stared and Winter could tell he wasn’t sure whether Kelbie was bluffing or not. The self-satisfied look on Kelbie’s snarling face