Even as he decided this, he knew he was behaving like an arse, but that didn’t change his mind. What if the guy was bad news? Wasn’t it better to know, so he could warn Ellie? After all, he wanted her to be safe, didn’t he?

As the two roared off together, Ellie’s arms about the guy’s waist, McNab realized that not only had he been dumped, he’d also become a sad bastard stalker.

12

The trip north had been verging on pleasant. Little to no wind. Great views. Rhona had almost relaxed. Despite her frequent helicopter rides, her attitude to flying never changed. She understood the physics of flight, but she still didn’t really believe it, despite being a scientist.

Chrissy, on the other hand, was in her element. Chatting to the co-pilot, exclaiming at the scenery. Whooping as they crossed the swiftly moving Pentland Firth. Pointing out the Old Man of Hoy. The list of her joys was endless.

In contrast, Rhona was keenly awaiting the first mention of Kirkwall airport, which meant they would soon be on terra firma again.

Her wish finally granted, she and Chrissy headed across the tarmac and into the terminal to find PC Ivan Tulloch waiting for them, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Chrissy. She had been a favourite of his when they’d worked on the excavation case on his home island of Sanday.

Chrissy seemed equally delighted to see the young constable again and chatted to him enthusiastically on their way to the vehicle.

‘Inspector Flett is waiting for you at Houton Bay,’ he told them as he put their bags in the boot. ‘The police launch will take you out to the Orlova.’

Ivan was keen to give them the full story of the storm and how it had brought the ghost ship ashore at Yesnaby. How Geordie Findlater had gone out to check on his stock, and had spotted the MV Orlova and called the coastguard.

‘The weather was too coarse to get anywhere near it until later in the day. Divers took a look below the waterline, but thank God there was no leakage from the fuel tanks. The coastguard helicopter managed to drop two guys on board. That’s when they found the bodies. After that, Erling . . . Inspector Flett went on board.’

Rhona didn’t interrupt him, although she already knew the story after Erling had sent her through his report first thing this morning. Following that, they’d had a brief face-to-face chat, where he’d suggested that rather than have her brought to Kirkwall police station, she should come straight to the jetty at Houton and be taken out to the ship. Rhona had immediately agreed. The sooner she was at the locus, the better.