‘How’s your own stomach?’ she said, returning Chrissy’s smile.

‘The rats have retreated because it was growling so loudly.’

Rhona checked the time only to discover just how late it was.

‘Can you finish up here while I photograph the first locus? After that, we’ll head back. Eat and get some sleep, then come back at first light,’ she said.

‘Which, as it’s Orkney, will be very early,’ Chrissy warned her.

Erling had left them a radio to keep in touch. Rhona called him now, saying they were ready to transport the evidence and the two bodies ashore from the arena, and that they would return at first light tomorrow.

‘I’ll send Ivan out with the launch. The guys will see you safely down the ladder and back to shore, where Magnus is ready with the food.’

At the promise of food, Chrissy’s eyes lit up, the bannocks and cheese which Magnus had packed for their lunch having been consumed long since.

Rhona glanced back at the rusty ship as the launch powered its way to shore. The decision had been made to land the coastguard helicopter on the cargo deck, now possible after the Portakabins had been moved. The bodies of the two Vikings would be transported to the Glasgow mortuary in the morning. After that it would be the forensic pathologist’s job to discover their secrets.

‘When we were shown the fancy quarters,’ Chrissy said suddenly, ‘I noticed something.’

‘What?’ Rhona said.

‘The bedding all had an embroidered symbol on it. I took a photo out of curiosity. Then I noticed the same symbol was on the handles of the swords. So I presume it was a company mark. You’ll no doubt have captured it in your photographs.’

She handed Rhona her phone. It was an insignia. The swirling adjoining letters looked like a G and a W intertwined.

‘I wonder if Erling’s picked up on that,’ Rhona said.

Chrissy grew ever more excited as the image of Magnus’s house got closer.

‘I’ve always wanted to stay there,’ she announced to Ivan, who looked a little put out by that.

‘The sea comes up and round the foundations, you know,’ he warned. ‘Two fishermen built it below the high-water mark because that land was free.’

‘How romantic,’ Chrissy said, much to Ivan’s chagrin.

Rhona now suspected her assistant was definitely having the poor man on, and kicked her to register that. Chrissy, however, when rapturous about something, wasn’t likely to be dissuaded.

Chrissy was out of the launch first, and heading straight for Magnus’s front door. Rhona thanked Ivan and reiterated that they’d like to go back out at dawn the next day.

‘Sun’s up just after five tomorrow,’ he checked. ‘Shall we say six o’clock for our trip out?’ He looked worried that she might suggest even earlier, so Rhona complied.

‘We’ll be ready,’ she promised.