“Leonie’s mother. Constance. She asked me to bring her. So I’m keeping my promise.”

“Constance? But we don’t know if she’s still alive. She ran into the sea, Ruby. She didn’t even have a wetsuit.”

When Ruby spoke again, her voice was full of doubt. “But she said she’d be here. For Leonie.”

Ruby was so far away. If only she’d told Joanna what she was planning, she could have talked sense into her before it was too late. Constance had clearly been a woman with a severely troubled mind. Jo gave a frustrated groan.

“Even if she is there, after what she did, abandoning her child on the seafront, do you really think she’s a fit mother?”

Ruby went quiet. Then, “That is fucking rich, coming from you.”

Click.

“Ruby. Ruby? Oh, shit.”

“Did she hang up?” said Atkinson.

“Yeah.”

“Huh.”

“I always say the wrong thing. I don’t know why I can’t just keep my stupid mouth shut.”

A few seconds later, Atkinson’s phone rang through the speakers of the car. It was DI Thrupp.

Steve put his finger to his lips as he pressed to allow the call.

“What do you mean, you’re going to the Outer Hebrides?” Thrupp wasn’t quite yelling.

“Like I said,” Atkinson replied, “that’s where Ruby’s gone with Leonie. I just spoke to her; she’s about to disembark from the ferry at Barra.”

“What state of mind is she in? Is there any risk to the child?”

“No, of course not,” said Joanna, interrupting. “None whatsoever.”

Atkinson grimaced. He mouthed, Shut up.

“Who is that? Steve? Who just spoke? DS Harper, is that you?”

“Yes, sir.”

Thrupp’s voice rose a half octave. “What do you think you’re doing? Can someone explain what is going on?”

“Well, sir—”

“Not you, Jo. I don’t want to hear from you after what you’ve done. In the morning I’m meeting with Hetherington to discuss what’s happening, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he recommends a suspension —”

“But, sir—”

“But nothing. Stop talking. Learn to follow an instruction, would you? Steve, I want you back here as soon as possible.”

“But what about the little girl? Don’t we need to bring her home?”

“She’s not our priority right now—neither of them are. Yes, it’s important that we locate the child and bring her back, of course it is. I’m going to liaise with Highlands and Islands police and get them to help by directing some manpower. They can pick up Ruby and Leonie. But our team only has so many resources, and at the moment all of our focus needs to be on finding this man.”

“But that’s who we’re chasing, sir. He’s attacked Sam Douglas, and he’s gone after Ruby. We’re right behind him.”