Ian Rankin. Standing.. Page 7.

Cowan was seated on one of the desks, his feet not quite reaching  the floor, exposing a pair of red paisley-pattern socks (Paisley is the largest town in the west of central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area. Paisley pattern or Paisley design is a type of ornamental device known as a 'cone') above gleaming black leather shoes.

'Clues (a sign or some information that helps you to find the answer to the problem),' Rebus had replied.

'If we can get started,' Cowan snapped (to say something suddenly in an angry way).

The grey suit didn't look right on him. Its shoulders seemed over-padded (a layer of soft material used for protection or to give shape) and the lapels too wide.

Rebus and Robison took their seats alongside Peter Bliss, whose breathing sounded labored (needing a lot of effort, often because someone is tired) even when at rest.

But he'd had the same wheeze (a high, rough noise made when someone cannot breathe easily) twenty years ago, and maybe the twenty before that, too. He was just a shade (slightly) older than Rebus and had been in the unit longer than any of them. He sat with his hands clasped across his prodigious (extremely great in amount) stomach, as if daring…