McNab nodded. ‘Fair enough. However, we now have an address for a Go Wild premises in Glasgow. So I’ll be heading there on our way to the mortuary. Of course, you’re free to stay in the car while I take a look.’

Five minutes later, McNab drew up on a yellow line and, hopping out of the vehicle, went to check the semi-boarded-up shopfront. A quick glance through the letterbox found the usual pile of junk mail.

He immediately headed round the back, if only to get out of Cleverly’s view and express his irritation with a string of Glasgow expletives. There he found a small paved area with a shed for refuse bins and a party space as evidenced by the assortment of empties.

A quick examination of the back entrance suggested it could be easily forced if he wanted a look inside. Through a dirty window he caught a glimpse of an open inner door to what was an office, with a poster on the wall featuring the words ‘Go Wild’.

The place was definitely worth a closer look.

Trouble was, if he took the time to do that, Cleverly would no doubt come to see what he was up to. And McNab didn’t want that. Maybe later tonight when he’d rid himself of Cleverly, he decided, before heading back to the car.

Just in time, it seemed.

As he turned onto the main street, Cleverly was in the act of getting out of the car.

‘Something interesting?’ he said as McNab approached.

McNab shook his head. ‘Just a hang-out for kids. If Go Wild ever operated from there, they’re long gone.’ He checked his watch. ‘Time to head for the post-mortem. Your sole reason for visiting Glasgow.’

20

‘Self-immolation in the open air has access to huge amounts of oxygen,’ Dr Sissons was saying. ‘Which means you die from ferocious heat and burns, and not carbon monoxide. To put it bluntly, you incinerate.’

The scent of burnt flesh hung in the air. Rhona had grown used to it again, her memories of the fresh air of Orkney sadly dissipated.

Sissons turned to Rhona. ‘Am I to understand someone tried to put her out?’

‘An elderly neighbour saw her and ran out with a blanket,’ Rhona told him.

He nodded. ‘Without that, two-thirds of the body would have been cremated, with perhaps only the feet and lower legs spared. In that case, we would have expected to see a more pugilistic attitude as the muscles contracted with perhaps the skull splitting. As it is, both the blanket and the natural fibres of the clothing have helped protect the body.’

Evidence of Sissons’s words were obvious, now that the clothes had been removed. Rhona met McNab’s eyes across the table. He was never at ease at a PM, and they were nearing the point in the proceedings he was least comfortable with . . . the dissection.