So Karen Marshall had walked out of that house of her own free will or she’d been removed by someone.

‘Did she take anything with her, a bag, the diary?’

‘I only noted that her mobile had been left behind.’

‘And no signs of a break-in?’

Magnus looked distressed, as though he hadn’t taken sufficient care in recording the scene. ‘The front door was locked, the back door open.’

‘So, what do you think’s happened to her, Professor?’

‘Karen hasn’t got over the loss of her husband. Added to that, a horror in her past has resurfaced, which she feels in some way responsible for. I think Karen is in a great deal of danger. Most likely from herself.’

41

Janice had been circumspect when McNab had called her with the news.

‘I assume you have plenty to occupy yourself and don’t want another trip to Stirling?’ McNab had added.

There’d been a brief interruption as someone had demanded DS Clark’s attention, then she’d come back on.

‘I’ve made arrangements to interview Karen Marshall’s sister. Will you be back in time for that?’

‘Is she coming into the station?’

‘I thought we would go to her. She lives in Strathaven.’

McNab had taken note of when he was required.

‘Okay,’ he told Janice, ‘if I’m not back at the station by then, you go ahead and I’ll meet you there.’

It was just as well Janice hadn’t wanted to accompany him, McNab thought, since he was only fifteen minutes from Stirling when he’d made the call and taking great pleasure in being alone in the car.

Not being a fan of the countryside, scenery wasn’t something McNab usually noticed, although the trip to Skye with Rhona after the sin-eater case had altered his thoughts on that a little. However, back then he’d been riding his Harley with Rhona on pillion, which had made it special, despite the circumstances.

McNab now acknowledged the approaching view of the city of Stirling, with its castle and the distant pinnacle that was the Wallace Monument. On their previous visit Janice had suggested it was a large phallic symbol, like most of the monuments dedicated to men.

McNab had never thought of it like that until Janice’s declaration. Checking the monument again, he now suspected his partner might be right.

The satnav, set to direct him to Karen’s address, was taking the same route as it had on their visit to McCreadie’s house, which suggested the former detective and Karen Marshall lived on the same side of the city.

After circling the same roundabouts and bypassing the sign to Raploch as before, McNab now found himself leaving the main road that ran alongside the castle rock just short of McCreadie’s street, and taking what appeared to be a farm track, just as Pirie had described.

Despite the Prof’s warning, he almost missed the dilapidated sign for Rowan Cottage, partly hidden as it was by gorse bushes. The gorse continued to shield his view until the track turned abruptly left and he saw the police vehicles lined up outside what he assumed was Rowan Cottage.