Checking his watch, he noted he had thirty minutes left to review what information he had on the body on the moors, or at least what he’d gleaned via the press and TV reports. For his own interest, he’d already looked through old newspaper articles around the time when the burial was mooted to have occurred.

Being a professor of psychology, Magnus was even more aware than the general public that neither the newspapers, websites or television channels were renowned for telling the truth, then or now, relying as they all did on capturing and entertaining an audience.

He’d briefly contemplated calling Rhona to enquire what she knew regarding the recent discovery, or even DS McNab, with whom he had a chequered history, but had decided rather to wait and hear what Alec had to say first. After all, he’d not been invited as yet to become involved as a criminal psychologist in the case, so they would be reluctant to give out confidential information.

The current news reports had made two things plain at least: the body was believed to be that of a child and it was likely connected to an unsolved case from up to fifty years ago.

It hadn’t taken long after that to unearth (an unfortunate term) the missing children’s cases in Scotland in that time frame. And the disappearance of Mary McIntyre just north of the deposition site, after her church confirmation in 1975, appeared the most likely match to the body that had been found on the moor.

Which was certainly the train of thought favoured by the press.

Armed with this information, Magnus headed for reception as soon as the call came through that he had a visitor.

Having discarded the prison’s red fleece, and also the walking stick, Alec McLaughlin looked a different man, and definitely younger. The personal details Magnus had been given prior to his interview with McLaughlin had stated his age at sixty-one, which meant he’d been incarcerated at the age of forty-six. Magnus hadn’t been given the exact details of his conviction, although his own research had provided some answers.

As Archie had said, it had taken a long time to catch him, but they finally had through the three children of a former partner. The two girls and a boy, now grown up, had accused McLaughlin of numerous counts of rape during their childhood. At the time these had occurred, McLaughlin had been in his thirties. Archie had suspected there had been many more assaults on children which they hadn’t yet discovered or proved.

Spying Magnus’s exit from the lift, Old Alec had come swiftly towards him, hand outstretched. ‘Professor Pirie, I am delighted to meet with you again. Thank you so much for agreeing to see me.’

Magnus saw no sign of the stiff gait he’d noted in their prison encounter. Alec was, to all intents and purposes, now apparently totally mobile. Deciding not to mention this, Magnus shook the outstretched hand, then, having asked if McLaughlin had signed in and receiving the affirmative, ushered him towards the lift.