‘Professor Pirie,’ Magnus responded, with what McNab imagined as one of the professor’s annoying smiles.

When McNab didn’t respond, Pirie continued, ‘I wondered if you’d made contact with the former inmate I spoke about?’

‘Not as yet,’ McNab said cautiously.

‘Would it be helpful if I spoke to him further regarding what he knows?’ Magnus continued. ‘As I said, he was one of my interviewees at the prison for my latest research—’

McNab interrupted. ‘And what might that research have been, Professor?’

There was a pregnant pause before Magnus told him. ‘Sex offenders and prison education services.’

‘So that they can outwit us next time with their increased knowledge of the law and forensic services?’ McNab said sharply.

The response that followed exhibited neither annoyance nor distress at the anger in McNab’s voice, although he would know full well why it was there. Rhona’s run-in with just such a character in the sin-eater case was still fresh in both their minds.

‘What I didn’t mention in our earlier call was that Alec McLaughlin was a convicted sex offender involving young children. My contacts in the prison don’t expect him to have reformed despite having recently been awarded a first-class honours in psychology. Any interview with him, I suspect, might be better conducted by someone who understands that.’

‘And that would be you?’ When silence followed, McNab added, ‘I suspect there’ll be quite a few folk wanting to star in the story. If he’s on our list, he’ll get an interview. If you want to go on talking to him in the meantime . . .’

Magnus sounded relieved by this. ‘Thanks. I’ll be in touch.’

‘You do that,’ McNab muttered as he rang off.

At this point McNab recalled how hard Magnus Pirie had worked on the sin-eater case, and how much the professor’s insight had played a part in its solution, and was momentarily sorry he’d been so sharp with him. There was just something about that calm, knowledgeable voice that got right up his nose. And it was nothing to do with the Orkney accent.

Despite the fact Chrissy loved it so much.

As he was about to depart the building, his mobile sounded again.

‘What now?’ he growled at the screen. But this time it was Janice. ‘I’m just on my way out,’ he told her.

She ignored his exasperated tone. ‘Alec McLaughlin,’ she said. ‘The former inmate you asked to have checked out?’

‘Yes?’

‘It turns out McLaughlin was a teenager living two doors up from Mary McIntyre when she went missing. Plus he was serving fifteen years in Barlinnie for raping his partner’s kids.’

23

Karen checked the time and decided she had at least an hour before darkness fell. Enough time for a short walk to clear her head.

Obsessing about what she’d written in the diary all those years ago was growing into an addiction. Just like her reliance on alcohol, when Jack was ill. One page, like one drink, was no longer enough. Even worse, the more she read, the more jumbled her memories became.