Derek did the introductions and I had my first glimpse of Amanda Jameson close-up. She was a little younger than Bob, I thought. She was blonde and attractive and carefully made up, but there were tired lines around her eyes and her skin was slack. She was wearing a pink waterproof jacket, black trousers and runners.

I offered my condolences and she accepted them graciously. When I asked if she was sure she wanted to help, she smiled weakly. It was only hours since they’d had the news about Bob’s death.

“What else are we going to do?” She shook her head. Her voice was soft. “We’re going stir crazy up there in that B & B just waiting for them to release Bob’s body. And anyway, it’s what Bob would have wanted; his whole life was about helping people.”

Did I imagine a snort? Jude was nearby carrying something high above his head. If I imagined it, then Derek did too. He glared at the larger man’s back, put his arm around his sister-in-law, and they went into the hall, accompanied by Tony who said if they were sure, he’d find something for them to do.

The Mini started first time, but I drove to Malin as slowly as I could, constantly afraid of flooding the engine. About a mile out of Glendara I met a familiar car. It was the car of Maeve’s husband, which she’d been driving since her jeep had been impounded. We pulled in alongside each other and spoke through the windows. Maeve was soaking, hair in wet tendrils around glowing cheeks.

I grinned. “I know everyone’s a bit damp at this stage, but you look as if you’ve been for a swim.”

She made a face. “Don’t. I’ve been helping to fish sheep out of a sheugh.”

“The joys of being a vet in wet weather.”

“But,” she said with wide eyes, “you’ll never guess where I’m off to now. There’s been a sighting of the snake and I’ve been asked to go and have a look.”

“You’re kidding.” I pulled at the handbrake. “Where?”

“The golf club, would you believe? Greenkeeper found it, probably crying into his hands with the awful state of the greens. Somewhere on the sixteenth hole. I didn’t realize it could have traveled that far since last night, but apparently some snakes can travel up to three to five miles an hour.”

“Wow. What will you do if you find it?”

“Be very careful,” she said with a wry look. “We’ve no idea what species it is or if it’s dangerous or not. The greenkeeper tried to get a picture but no luck.”

“Yikes.”

She nodded towards a sack on the passenger seat. “Hopefully we’ll be able to catch it. Then we’ll keep it in the clinic until someone who knows what they’re doing arrives.”