The rest of the article consisted of quotes from friends and his headmaster at Dalgleish. Then there was one from Gaby herself saying that, while it was not the news her family had hoped for, they could finally begin making plans for a memorial service.

Chris put his head round the door and Clare glanced up, her mind still on the article. ‘Chris, do you know anything about Camp Canada?’

‘Eh? Camp what?’

‘Canada,’ Clare said. ‘David Fox worked there after leaving school.’

‘Dunno,’ he said. ‘Google it. But never mind that…’

‘You’ve got something?’

‘Oh, and how.’ He came in and closed the door, pulling up a chair. ‘Lamond Lodge.’

‘The owners.’

‘Yep. And you’re not going to believe this one.’

‘Go on.’

‘It’s a partnership. Glenkirk Properties.’

‘And the partners?’

‘Val Docherty and Doug Gerrard.’

Clare gaped. ‘Big Val and that sleazy Doug Gerrard are business partners?’

‘They are.’

‘Let me get this straight,’ Clare said. ‘Doug Gerrard part-owns Lamond Lodge? So he was renting his own house?’

Chris nodded. ‘All done through the agency. It was Eamon Ferry who made the booking. Paid just over three grand for the week plus deposit. Card payment in Eamon’s name. I’m guessing the others reimbursed him.’

‘Hold on, though, Chris. Are you saying Doug Gerrard let Eamon Ferry pay three grand for a house he already half-owns?’

‘Yup.’

Clare shook her head. ‘I don’t get it. He could easily have agreed with Val that the agency would block out the dates they wanted. And if Val wasn’t happy he could have given her what she’d have got from the agency after commission. Why pay top dollar when you don’t have to?’

‘Good point.’

Clare scraped back her chair and stood, pulling her jacket round her. ‘You realise what this means, Chris?’

He frowned. ‘To be honest, Clare, I’m not sure what to make of it.’

‘Think about it. Doug and Val could access the Lodge any time they liked. They would know all the rooms, the layout and the best place to take a shot at someone on the treetop walk. They could even have posed a gun there.’

‘Hold on, though, Clare. Doug’s DNA wasn’t on the cartridge. And Val’s is bound to be on our system, with her precons. SOCO said there wasn’t a match with anyone on the database.’

‘No,’ Clare said. ‘They’re far too clever for that. But Val has the contacts and Doug was on the spot. And he’s savvy enough to have worn gloves.’ She stooped to pick up her bag. ‘Come on. We’re heading for Glasgow.’

Chapter 32

‘They’ve taken them to Baird Street station,’ Chris said, glancing at his phone. They were approaching the Clackmannanshire Bridge now, a broad crossing sitting low above the Firth of Forth. ‘You know it?’