‘Stan told me you weren’t here yet, so I decided to wait for you,’ Richie said, almost apologetically.

‘I told him these events definitely require a partner in crime,’ Stan said with a conspiratorial smile.

‘And you should know, Stan. Come on, Dr Walker,’ Rhona said, ‘it’s time to face the fray. For a man who dissects dead people,’ she continued as they walked together towards the main building, ‘functions like this one should be a walk in the park.’

‘I prefer dealing with the dead rather than the living. They don’t expect small talk.’

‘I’m inclined to agree with you on that,’ Rhona said.

The entrance hall was buzzing, the echo of a myriad voices like a wall they had to penetrate. Rhona felt Dr Walker flinch and realized that crowded places such as this were anathema to the pathologist. Hence his desire for moral support.

Released from the idea that this might be construed as a date, Rhona urged him on. ‘Think of the crowd as a thick layer of blubber you have to cut through before you get to the interesting part.’ She pointed ahead at a clear space next to the door leading to the dining area. ‘Plus there’s a tray of drinks over there waiting for us.’

Rhona led the way, nodding at those she knew, but not stopping for the usual small talk. Eventually they reached the waiter and lifted their glasses.

‘I’d rather have a dram,’ Dr Walker said, sipping the usual fizzy offering.

‘Me too,’ Rhona assured him. ‘Whisky will be on offer after dinner. We’ll have to wait until then.’

‘I take it you’ve been to a lot of these events?’ Dr Walker offered.

‘I try to avoid them.’ Rhona told him the truth. ‘But I’m glad I came to this one.’

‘I should have warned you about my reaction to crowds, although it’s not always as bad as tonight,’ Richie said.

Agoraphobia was known to present itself after a bad experience. Rhona wondered if Richie might tell her when or why the feeling had begun, but he didn’t.

Rhona shrugged. ‘I can’t face closely packed trees, never mind humans. I discovered that on Skye. Shall we find our seats?’ She didn’t say that they were unlikely to be sitting together, because that could be easily remedied. She had it in mind that they would simply switch place cards.

However, before she could put her plan into action, a voice hailed her from across the room. Rhona recognized the voice immediately and felt her stomach turn over.

Please God it isn’t him.

But it most definitely was.

‘Fuck,’ Rhona said, loud enough for Richie to hear.

‘Who is it?’ he whispered.

‘Just an arsehole I once had a child with,’ Rhona told him.

Edward Stewart was heading towards them, blue eyes twinkling, a wide smile on his handsomely tanned face. Rhona wondered if Fiona, his wife, was with him, but couldn’t spot her blonde coiffured presence among the melee.

‘I apologize in advance,’ Rhona warned Richie. ‘This won’t be pretty.’