#Rankin. Standing in another man's grave. Page 28.

She seemed to think you brushed her off (to refuse to consider what someone says, or to not admit that something may be true or important) too readily (easily, in a prompt).

Forgive me if I'm not always sweetness and light (to be very peaceful and friendly) at eight thirty in the morning.

People were hurrying past on the pavement outside. He didn't suppose there was one of them without a story to tell, but finding a sympathetic ear wasn't always easy.

So how's the investigation?' he asked eventually (in the end).

Clarke reached into her jacket and produced the notebook, flipped (to cause something to move by short quick motion) it open to the relevant page.

She snapped (fasten, close) the book shut again.

So tell me about the latest installment (episode or part of serial).

Of three days' standing, which means there's still a decent (good) chance she'll wander home and ask what all the fuss is.

Clarke got up and walked over to the counter, returning moments later with an early (belonging to previous period of time) copy of the Evening News (Edinburgh Evening News).

It showed a scowling (a gloomy or threatening expression or angry manner) girl of fifteen with long black hair and a fringe (a border of hair that is cut short and hangs across the forehead) almost covering her eyes.

Annette McKie,' Clarke continued, 'Known to her friends as "Zelda" - from the computer game (The Legend of Zelda - video game series).