When she opened the door, she knew that had to be the case. Had Dougie still been missing, she would have imagined the worst by the look currently on Erling’s face.

‘Can I come in?’ he said, his voice both serious and formal.

‘What is it?’ Ava immediately said.

‘Let’s go into the kitchen,’ he suggested, leading the way.

Inside now, he took off his hat and suggested she sit down.

Ava wasn’t one for swearing. Brought up by parents who simply never cursed, it was a habit she had never acquired. Yet, at this moment, in her head was running a stream of invective that would have made both her parents blush.

‘Tell me,’ she demanded.

‘I’m so sorry, Ava. Mark’s dead.’

The words ‘Mark’ and ‘dead’ chimed together in her brain, ringing as loudly and incessantly as a church bell. Her legs no longer willing to hold her up, Ava slid onto the seat she’d scorned only moments before.

‘That can’t be true,’ she heard herself say. ‘DS McNab was going to check on him when he was in London. Who told you this?’ She stared accusingly at Erling.

‘It came via the Met. I checked it out first thing. His body was pulled out of the Thames last night. Your editor, David Morris, identified him.’

If David identified him, it must be true.

Now this vocalized thought became her internal mantra, replacing the string of curses. ‘It must be true,’ she uttered out loud. Then, ‘How did he . . . Mark die?’

‘Still to be confirmed by post-mortem.’

‘They killed him. The bastards killed Mark to stop him telling their story,’ she muttered under her breath.

‘That’s part of the reason I’m here, Ava. As someone working with Mark on Go Wild, you could be in danger.’

‘But this is Orkney,’ she said stupidly.

‘Nevertheless, I think I should put an officer here with you, for the next few days anyway.’

God, she couldn’t let that happen. Not with Nadia here.

‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘That’s not necessary.’

‘What’s going on?’ Dougie appeared in the doorway. ‘Why is he here?’ He threw Erling a look of distaste.

Ava pasted a smile on her face. ‘Remember I mentioned Erling’s dad was keen to help us with the farm? Well, Erling’s suggesting we all get together sometime soon to discuss it.’

By the look on Dougie’s face, he wasn’t buying her explanation. Thankfully, however, he didn’t pursue it.

Erling said, ‘You’ll think about it, then?’ to Ava, and she nodded, then indicated she would show him out.

‘You need to be careful, Ava,’ Erling said at the front door. ‘Orkney’s not as far off the beaten track as some folk think. We have over a thousand visitors currently on mainland Orkney. Many have been down to Houton Bay just to view the Orlova.’