Some of the characters in the story

James Thorburn
Gets a letter out of the blue with a message from his wife. But his wife died three months before the letter was written. The letter is unsigned - the only clue is the Inverness postmark. At first James dismisses it as a hoax. Then events bring him to the Scottish Highlands to try and find the author. He is drawn into a situation where sinister and powerful forces are at work.

Maggie MacLeod
Widow of Revd David MacLeod
Extract 13 (Chapter 5, page 34)
They went into a hallway that looked as if it had not changed since the lodge was built - probably around 150 years ago James reckoned. Tapestries with highland hunting scenes hung from picture rails over oak-panelled walls. A long and richly patterned axminster rug lay on top of the highly polished floorboards.
They entered a room in which the centrepiece was a large fireplace with a dark mahogany surround. James briefly glimpsed the delicate plasterwork on the ceiling and the gilt framed pictures of mountains and lochs on the walls.
Then he saw Maggie MacLeod. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Although around forty her complexion and figure remained youthful. As she stood to greet him her movements were natural and graceful. She held out her hand to James and smiled. James instinctively held out his in response but said nothing. Her flawless skin and large deep blue eyes were framed by soft blond, slightly curling hair. Her smile was generous, revealing perfect teeth.
James eventually found his voice. ‘I’m James Thorburn. It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs MacLeod.’
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Thorburn, although these are strange and mysterious circumstances.’
They sat down and began to talk.

Peter Wimshaw
Landlord of the Kilvarnon Inn.
Extract 14 (Chapter 13, page 55)
Wimshaw was a frequent visitor to that part of Inverness and was well known by the local prostitutes. He had moved up from Manchester eight years before and had soon found his way to the red-light district. Wimshaw was always drawn to the seedier nightspots.

Alec Gleeson
Ex special forces. Assassin in the Domini's pay.
Extract 15 (Chapter 6, page 36)
Gleeson found himself wandering the streets of his youth, much changed but still a dangerous part of Glasgow. His mind on other things he did not notice the group of four men who tracked his movements. Eventually as they drew closer he became aware of their presence. He turned down an alleyway he knew was a dead end. If they followed him down here he would know they were up to no good. The four followed.
Alec Gleeson stopped and turned to face them. ‘OK lads, can I help you?’
His calm demeanour should have alerted them but they saw him as easy pickings. Stupid bastard, they thought. Simultaneously four knives appeared. Gleeson smiled, but still the four failed to pick up the danger signs.
They didn’t see him move. Before they knew what was happening the leading two in the group had been felled. One had his own knife embedded in his abdomen. The other had the bridge of his nose slammed inwards by a kick delivered with such power that he died instantly. The remaining two dropped their knives and turned to flee. Before the nearest could run two steps his head had been smashed against the alleyway wall. He survived for two days but never regained consciousness. The last of the assailants turned to Gleeson and began to plead for his life. But Gleeson’s blood was up. He grabbed him by the hair and pulled sharply downwards. At the same time he brought his knee up with great force. There was a sickening thud as the man’s facial structure imploded. Gleeson dropped him with the others.
He left them where they lay and continued on his walk. This bloody place never changes he thought.

Cardinal Oscar Gatti
On the Vatican staff. Domini member
Extract 16 (Chapter 9, page 44)
Cardinal Oscar Gatti sank back in his chair and sighed. Walker was coming to see him that afternoon. He didn’t like Walker. The man had no finesse ... effective enough, but no finesse.
Gatti gazed out of his office window. His rank in the Vatican hierarchy meant that he had one of the better rooms. The view westwards towards the centre of the city never ceased to enthral him.
He could do without this meeting for he had enough to do. Gatti’s renowned competence meant that a lot of work came his way. His skills as a politician and administrator were exceeded only by his theological talents. Oscar Gatti had a gift with words that made his arguments on matters of faith and doctrine very persuasive. It was well known that he had the pontiff’s ear. His rivals recognised Gatti’s influence in some of the Holy Father’s more conservative pronouncements. Oscar Gatti was both respected and feared by his fellow cardinals.
‘Damn Walker!’ Gatti whispered in exasperation. He had no wish to get involved in Walker’s latest project. It was going to get messy and Oscar Gatti did not like messy.

Walker
Washington based leader of one of the Domini cells
Extract 17 (Chapter 9, page 45)
Meanwhile, as the cardinal sat in his office at St Peter’s, Walker was making his way from the airport. He booked into his hotel and headed for the metro. Walker had been to Rome many times and knew to avoid travel by road in the city whenever possible. He also knew that the metro was a magnet for beggars and thieves, but it was the better option.
It was a warm afternoon and Walker had slung his jacket over his shoulder as he stood in the crowded carriage. There were three young men who had moved to stand near him. Two to the front and one behind him. Walker was familiar with this kind of set up and waited for them to make their move. Sure enough, within minutes he sensed the expert hand of the youth behind him. He was checking out Walker’s jacket pockets. Walker remained where he was. Keeping his eye on the two youths in front of him he continued to hold his jacket over his shoulder. He leant back slightly and with his free hand reached behind him and grabbed the young thief firmly by the testicles. The youth immediately removed his hand from Walker’s jacket pocket. But Walker did not remove his hand from the young man’s genitals. Instead he gripped more tightly, then pulled up sharply. There was a gasp from the youth, his manhood reduced to a crushed mess. Walker had perhaps over-reacted. But that was Walker.

Jack Mitchell
Domini hit-man
Extract 18 (Chapter 68, page 221)
Mitchell was not a member of the Domini. Like Gleeson he was contracted from time to time for certain duties. These “duties” more often than not involved killing someone. Mitchell was good at it. He and Gleeson were the Domini’s top two assassins. Their backgrounds had some similarities. Gleeson was brought up in the east end of Glasgow, Mitchell in the east end of London. Both got into trouble early on. Whereas Gleeson joined the army, Mitchell became an amateur boxer. He was physically strong and ruthless. But after he had been disqualified from several bouts for various misdemeanours, including continuing to pummel an opponent after the bell had rang, he decided to give up boxing.
He took a job as a bouncer, working for his cousin in Walford, and did well at it, until one night he lost his temper and smashed a drunk punter’s head off the pavement.
He was sentenced to two years in Wormwood Scrubs, where he met some serious criminals. When he got out he started working for one of the big east-end gangsters.
Drugs was the name of the game. Mitchell had a dual role. He was a "hit-man" and an "enforcer". As a hit-man, his job was to get rid of the competition. As an enforcer, his job was to persuade dealers to pay their debts. Sometimes this required setting an example to other slow payers. On one occasion this involved pushing someone off a fourteenth floor balcony with a noose of piano wire around his neck. It took two minutes for the wire to cut through the connecting bone and gristle. The head and torso fell together. Horrified passers-by said that the man’s legs were still twitching when his headless body hit the ground. Mitchell’s reputation soared. A lot of well-paid work came his way and eventually he was recruited by the Domini.

More characters to follow. Meet Bill Russell and Alasdair Cameron the eccentric couple who live in the lodge; Donnie Ross, the local shop-keeper; Eleanor Jackson - skivvy to Peter Wimshaw; John McGribben - church elder and child molester; Willie Souter - regular at the Kilvarnon Inn; Father Ambrose Hennaut - Belgian priest and member of a counter-Domini group; Patrick Yellowhawk - native American, arch-enemy of the Domini; Monsignor Francis Cabot - Gatti's personal assistant and Domini member; Caroline Manning - clever lawyer and politician, daughter of black civil-rights activist - wants to expose the Domini; Ulrich Ermer - German Franciscan monk, active against the Domini; Neville Brackley - president of a major US bank and Domini member; Philip Kaps - senior executive in one of the world's biggest petrochemical companies and Domini member; Sister Catherine - head of order of nuns in Norfolk... and more.