‘Glasgow,’ Ava said. ‘I’ll announce that I’m going there to help Police Scotland with their enquiries into Go Wild.’ She thought about the memory stick Mark had given her. Maybe it was time to hand it over to McNab . . . She cut that thought, remembering that McNab was missing too. Might he also be dead? Had she, by sending him to Mark, sealed his fate as well?

‘What?’ Dougie said, seeing her troubled expression.

‘You and Nadia will stay here. Nadia out of sight at all times. I’ll announce my intention to go to Glasgow. That way, the focus moves there. I’ll speak to Rhona about—’ She came to an abrupt halt, realizing too late that this was too much information.

‘Rhona?’ Dougie latched onto the name. ‘The forensic woman who came back to check on the ship for a stowaway? Why would you speak to her?’

Nadia was regarding her with those big dark eyes. ‘You told her about me. Didn’t you?’

55

Time had been short. She’d had to leave with Erling almost immediately to get to Kirkwall and her flight south. Rhona had said her swift goodbyes to Magnus, knowing the likelihood would be that he would visit Ava to talk the situation over with her.

My God, she could hardly believe what Erling had told them about Mark. Yet another death associated with Go Wild. An assumption at this point, she knew, and yet . . .

Erling had been adamant about his desire to have a constable stationed at the Clouston farm, despite the fact Ava had refused his offer.

And Rhona knew exactly why she had.

Heading east out of Orphir, they met a bank of haar that blanketed the vehicle and blotted out the surrounding landscape. Glancing seawards, she could no longer make out the red hump of the cargo ship, something she’d been keen to happen, yet strangely felt no pleasure in now.

‘The haar’s due to clear by nine at the latest, or so the Met Office promised,’ Erling told her. ‘Although there may be a slight delay with your chopper coming in.’

At least she would be on her own in the airport, Rhona thought, and could call Ava from there.

Ava wasn’t the only one she should call to talk about the latest and terrible event, but Bill would know what to do. Of that she was sure. Anyway, the plan to keep Ava and the girl Nadia hidden in Orkney no longer seemed safe nor feasible.

Her biggest fear when Erling had told her about Mark was that McNab might have suffered a similar fate. Ava had told them she’d asked McNab to check on Mark and he’d agreed.

Might they have been together when Mark was killed?