Dempsey couldn’t place him at first. When she did, her face tightened. “How the hell did you get in here?”

Rebus had hidden the visitor’s badge in his pocket. “Not a crime, is it?” he asked.

“Actually, it probably is.”

He had found her in one of the meeting rooms. She had been seated but was now standing. The other officer was wondering what was going on. Dempsey dismissed the man with a wave and an announcement that they would finish their discussion later. Once she was alone with Rebus, she folded her arms and waited.

“I’ve got him,” was all Rebus said. She saw that he was holding a small silver object in one hand.

Both Magrath brothers, along with Kenny’s wife, Maggie, were brought in for questioning that same afternoon. Search warrants had been applied for, and Dempsey seemed to think they wouldn’t be long arriving. Meantime, preliminary questions were being asked of neighbors in Rosemarkie.

The media had reacted quickly to the news. The ranks of reporters had swollen outside HQ, and a radio car was in position, a satellite dish on its roof. No TV as yet, or none that Rebus could see from the windows of the inquiry room. He had asked to be present at the interviews, but Dempsey had put the kibosh on it. He wasn’t even a serving police officer—a lawyer could make “potentially devastating” use of that.

“In fact,” she’d told him, “best thing would be if you went back to Edinburgh. And remind me, how did you get in here in the first place?”

She’d said she would call him with news—she didn’t want him to think she was ungrateful. But as yet it was all just supposition mixed with what might turn out to be coincidence.

And that was it: Rebus was dismissed.

He texted a brief thank you to Gavin Arnold, not being able to track him down in the flesh, and headed outdoors. Raymond, Dempsey’s nephew, nodded a greeting and asked if he had any comment. The other journalists frowned and twitched, not knowing who Rebus was. They quickly gathered round Raymond, keen to be included. Rebus took his time getting a cigarette lit before he spoke.

“Persons of interest are currently being interviewed by DCS Dempsey and her team,” he obliged.

“Any names?”

Rebus kept his eyes on Raymond. The young man was pointing his phone, using it as a mic.

“The persons of interest are local,” Rebus went on. “I don’t doubt tongues are wagging…”

Then he got into his car and started the engine.