Nothing that McNab had just uttered had been a lie. The big boss, Hugo, was out there. He likely knew by now, or would find out soon, that Willis had been lifted by the police and was currently being questioned about the fire death.

He might also be aware who would be asking the questions.

‘He hates me,’ McNab said. ‘I screwed him over. Got away when he planned to kill me. Twice. He still wants me dead.’ He paused. ‘Your problem is, he wants you dead too.’

Willis was chewing his lips, causing a dribble of saliva to run down his chin.

He finally mustered an answer. ‘I haven’t told you anything about them.’

‘Hugo doesn’t know that and once we put the word out that you have’ – McNab swiped his hand across his throat – ‘you’re a goner.’

The eyes opposite him darted about like a trapped rodent looking for an escape route.

‘Now, if Hugo was to be locked up, things would be different.’

‘You’ll never pin anything on him.’ Willis gave a little laugh. ‘He’s too clever for that.’

‘Not that clever,’ McNab said.

He watched as Willis digested this.

‘What are you asking me to do?’

‘Give us a lead in. The guy who hired the flat. Who probably killed the girl. We take him in. You get good marks on your charge sheet.’ Seeing a small but positive sheen in his eyes, McNab went on. ‘You only need to make the contact. I’ll do the rest.’

Janice was in with the boss when he got back. Looking through the glass door, he noted that there was a serious discussion going on inside. They both turned when he entered.

‘You haven’t found them?’ McNab said.

‘No,’ Janice said. ‘They’re checking the CCTV footage now.’

McNab shook his head. ‘They’re gone. Maybe shortly after they were dropped off.’

The boss was examining him. ‘You know something we don’t, Sergeant?’

McNab was getting brief but sharp reminders of his last conversation with Ava.

‘There’s a possibility she was planning this. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t giving up on it. No one is that fixated on buying clothes and toiletries.’

Okay, he was maybe thinking about himself when saying that, but a quick glance at his partner indicated she wasn’t exactly disagreeing.

‘We need to speak to Rhona. She was with them on the ride from the heliport. See if she picked up on anything. And Erling needs to go to the Clouston farm, right away. If all three were cooking something up together, Erling will know when he tells Dougie that we think his sister and the girl have been taken.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Tell him to take Magnus. If the professor of psychology is up to the job, he’ll be able to spot a lie.’