Glasgow
Midnight
Wheeler, light headed as he was, still had enough sense to stay away from the city centre. He’d hidden all day in Kelvin Park, but was still fairly dry having found the shelter of thick bushes and trees. It dawned on him that there was CCTV in the city and he was dressed somewhat oddly. He decided that the best way out of the city was a bus. He headed for the bus station on Killermont Street having skirted the city centre and having walked for miles.
He stopped on the way at a pub for a stiff drink. The bar was full, it being a Friday night. He picked a dowdy, rough looking pub on purpose; they’d not be too fussy about his mode of dress. He played the down and out to the letter, bought whisky, with a frowning up and down look from the landlord and sat in the corner for half an hour watching the screen above him. He had to stay there as long as possible, because he knew he’d be sleeping rough. There was no football, but the sports channel was on. It was around last orders that the breaking news came through about Perth and then the marina killings. Wheeler inwardly groaned. The Secret Service people were on to them for sure and he’d be on their list. He bought another whisky, dipping into the white bin bag for change.
When the pub closed he made his way to the bus station, but aware of CCTV decided to sleep nearby. He chose a building just opposite Port Dundas Place which had trees and bushes at its edge. He found a shielded spot, gathered leaves, grass sticks and branches and in the now pouring rain lay down in a depression in the ground, amongst bushes. He slowly and carefully covered his body with the camouflage materials and lay shivering. His plan was to get fresh clothes, change at the bus station and get on the soonest bus for London.
Wheeler lay sleeping in the bushes unaware the building he was sleeping near was Police head quarters. The police went about their night’s business unaware that the man they were searching for was fast asleep covered by moss leaves and branches at the very edge of their grassed frontage area on the Cowcaddens Road.