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off without any trouble.’ He shifted himself up. ‘But a man’s gone missing from his home in Giffnock. He’s 52 years old, married, with a couple of teenage kids. The circumstances are strikingly similar to what happened to Uncle Don.’
                  Carol’s expression became serious. She and Andy hadn’t been going out for long when Donald Calder had disappeared in 2005. The incident had threatened to end their budding relationship before it had even started. Andy became withdrawn and morose for several months afterwards. Carol felt a spasm of worry knot her stomach. The last thing she wanted was that sorry affair to be dragged up all over again. ‘There can’t be any connection, surely – not after all this time has passed?’
                  ‘I don’t know. But we need to follow it up closely.’ Andy clasped both her hands tightly. ‘I might finally be able to find out what happened to him. Dad might get some answers at last.’
                  Carol forced a smile. ‘Aye, perhaps.’
                  Andy leant forward and placed his lips over hers, feeling as if he could taste the salty spray of the sea coating Carol’s soft skin. She kissed him back hard, running her hand underneath his shirt, lingering at the stubbly covering of hair that reached up to his belly button and tugging at his trousers, thinking that even though she was dog-tired she’d rather spend the evening making love than having to talk about the fate of Donald flaming Calder.
     
    *
     
    DCI Bevan squinted at the screen. ‘Is it him?’
                  Phil shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’ve looked through hours of tape. This was the only piece of footage where I thought I’d identified Nathan McLaren.’ The DS pointed at the grainy image of a man positioned right at the edge of the screen. ‘That’s the north bank of the river. It appears as if Nathan is speaking with one of the men at the rowing club. That group there have just come in off the water. Maybe Nathan knows him?’
                  Dani nodded. ‘It’s possible, yes. That’s the University Boating Club, isn’t it? Are all the members students?’
                  ‘I believe so, although I wasn’t ever a rower myself,’ Phil replied.
                  ‘Neither was I. My impression was that it was a pastime for the public school types.’ The DCI contemplated this for a moment. ‘I don’t think it would be wise to send Andy down there. These people tend to wind him up. Could you get in touch with the club, and take Alice Mann there to conduct a few informal interviews?’
                  ‘Of course, Ma’am. I’ll get onto it straight away.’
                  Bevan patted him lightly on the shoulder and returned to her office. Dani had other plans for Calder anyway. When she spotted Andy returning to his desk, she knocked on the window and beckoned him over.
                  The DC pushed open the flimsy door and peered around it. ‘What’s up, Ma’am?’
                  ‘Come in and take a seat.’
                  Andy raised his eyebrows and did what he was told. ‘This sounds ominous.’
                  Dani leant forward, leaning her elbows on the desk. ‘Not at all. I just want you to tell me all about Donald Patrick Calder.’
                  ‘It sounds like you already know some more about him.’
                  ‘I’ve had a read through the file, but I want your impressions.’
                  Andy sighed, balling his palms into fists in his lap and then opening them out again, the suspect’s way of playing for time. ‘Don was your typical favourite uncle. He was a lot younger than my dad. He was funny, talented and enjoyed a bevvy.’
                  ‘I’ve looked at the photos. There’s a strong family resemblance