‘No. The cave’s a crime scene. The cops won’t thank us for disturbing it any more than Sophie already has.’ He hesitated, thinking about it. ‘She must have reported it when she contacted the doctor, so I’m guessing there’ll be a copper on the plane too. Let’s hope he’s not one of the crooks.’

Tilly strangled a yawn. ‘At least this whole thing’s gone past the cover-up stage now. I mean, there’s you and me, Sophie, Luke, and now the professor as well – they can’t kill us all. Particularly if the sergeant is really dead. That’s far too many corpses—’ She yawned again. ‘Oh, dear.’

‘There’s that,’ he agreed. They had reached the vehicles and his torch lit the way to the Land Rover’s door. ‘What a day you’ve had. You go ahead, love, and I’ll see you at the camp.’

Chapter Thirty-six

For Tilly, the trip back to the camp was a nightmare. The headlights threw strange shadows over the bushes and anthills by the track, and she was too tired and agitated to drive well. The Land Rover crashed its way through the potholes while her mind vividly replayed scenes from the last few hours. Gerry’s cry of ‘No!’ as he threw himself at Matt; the terror of knowing her death was imminent; and then the heart-stopping struggle under the vehicle while he did his best to choke the life from her.

She was safe now, she told herself in an attempt to stop the horrors her mind conjured, but oh, God! It could so easily have gone the other way. She had no illusions about that. Matt was ruthless, and the proof of that lay back in the cave, wrapped in poly-tarp. Gerry had been weak and venal, and, if Matt was to be believed, had done dreadful things, but he must really have loved her. His actions had proved that. Perhaps he had even tried to get out of the criminal life he’d become involved in. For a man supposed to be dead that brief note had been a foolish thing – or had it been a subconscious cry for help? Her love for him might have died, but she could feel regret for his death, and even, she thought, find it in herself to forgive what he had done.

The camp was fast asleep when she arrived. She pulled up by Connor’s site, turned the engine off and sat shivering in the cooling cab until he coasted to a stop beside her.

‘Okay?’ He came to her door, which she opened to bring on the cab light, then tsked when he saw her. ‘You’re freezing! Come on, I’ll find you something.’ It turned out to be a navy jumper that hung on her slim form but was wonderfully warm. ‘I’ll boil up,’ he said.