‘McNab doesn’t like to miss out on anything,’ Rhona said. ‘I hadn’t mentioned this yet because I wanted to be certain my measurements were correct.’

Richie was waiting, Rhona knew, for an answer to his original question.

‘My concern is that there is another body which we haven’t yet found.’

He looked perturbed by this. ‘In the same vicinity?’

‘Killers have been known to favour a particular location for burial.’

The blue eyes darkened. ‘Like Saddleworth Moor, you mean?’

Rhona nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Was there anything discussed today that reinforced the idea it might be Mary McIntyre?’

Rhona shook her head. ‘We’ll have to wait for dental reports and DNA samples for that. Thankfully, we have other family members to compare with. Her older siblings are still around.’

‘Might they identify the clothes?’

‘They were both teenagers at the time so who knows if they registered the outfit in detail. And, as far as I’m aware from DS McNab, there were no photographs taken of Mary wearing her confirmation frock.’

Rhona finished her coffee. ‘Talking of frocks, I’d better get going. Chrissy and I are about to start work on the clothing.’

Richie looked as though he had something else to say, so Rhona waited.

‘Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. I’m so very pleased you’re back at work. We missed you.’

Surprised by this heartfelt declaration, Rhona found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

‘I’m glad too,’ she said, realizing she truly meant that.

He looked so relieved by her reaction, Rhona thought for a moment he was about to hug her.

‘Oh, and I wondered if you were planning on attending the dinner for the end of the diploma course tonight? I’ve been invited because I gave that talk on autopsies.’

Rhona hadn’t been planning to go, and that must have been obvious, because his own face fell.

‘I could go along if you need some moral support,’ she conceded.

He said a grateful thank you. ‘The after-dinner speaker looks good,’ he offered with an apologetic look.

‘It’ll be good to hear Professor Watt speak again,’ Rhona assured him. ‘He’s highly entertaining, as I remember.’

‘Great.’

Rhona made her excuses and left at this point, not sure she had made the right decision. It hadn’t sounded like a proposal for an actual date, but as she didn’t know what the current protocol on that was, she probably wasn’t the best judge.

She could, of course, run the scenario past Chrissy and see what she thought, but having agreed to go, she could hardly back out now – anyway, it was work, after all.

18

When Karen had confessed to Marge and the others about the diary and her fears she was going ‘doolally’, Marge had announced, ‘We’re all doolally, hen. It’s all the drink and drugs we’ve consumed over the years.’

Everyone had laughed at that point, because if they couldn’t see the funny side of things together, what was the point of the cafe?

After her honesty with the others, Karen had felt a little better. The tea, home baking and banter had helped, of course. Added to that, Marge and the others had agreed to help her work things out.