‘Fuck off, then,’ were his last words before he slammed the receiver down.

‘Rhona,’ he said, coming towards her, his expression suddenly transformed into one of pleasure. ‘You’re back.’

‘I am.’

Sean enveloped her in his arms. ‘How was Orkney?’

‘How did you know where I’d gone?’ she said.

‘It was on the news and in the papers. Forensic team visit the ghost ship Orlova, wrecked off the west coast of Orkney. Something about a bloodbath aboard?’ Sean was reading her expression. ‘Apparently I have the tabloid version. Are you planning on telling me the real story?’

‘I attended a crime scene on board the Orlova. That’s all I’m willing to say,’ she told him with a smile.

He kissed her. ‘Good. I’d rather talk of other things.’

‘Like what your Mr Angry phone call was about?’ Rhona tried.

Sean pulled a face. ‘Club matters. Like you, that’s all I’m willing to say. Are you sticking around for a while?’ he added hopefully.

‘I have to work tonight,’ Rhona said. ‘Catch up on my report from Orkney.’

‘Okay,’ he said, slowly releasing her. ‘I’ll await your command. Until then, I too have work to do.’

Rhona retreated, although she was unconvinced by Sean’s brush-off regarding the phone call since he rarely, if ever, lost his cool regarding anything, including being turned down by her.

‘What’s up?’ Chrissy said on her return.

‘Nothing,’ Rhona assured her with a smile.

Accepting this, Chrissy changed the subject. ‘I hear a detective from the Met was at the autopsy on the fire victim?’

‘Your army of spies were right. McNab brought along a DI Cleverly. Although they did not look the best of pals,’ Rhona added.

‘Know why?’ Chrissy said.

‘No, but I guess you’re going to tell me?’ Rhona said, catching the glint in Chrissy’s eye.

‘Cleverly was part of the safe-house team, when McNab did a runner. He told Janice that Cleverly was an arse.’

Now the scene in the mortuary began to make sense.

‘I’d assumed he didn’t like the Met getting involved with our fire case, but then again, we work with their officers all the time.’

‘Janice says it’s all take and no give on this one.’ Chrissy sipped her drink. ‘The boss doesn’t like it either. He sent McNab to the airport to pick up Cleverly, to try and get the real story out of him.’

Rhona contemplated this. ‘Cleverly wants digital reconstruction so the face is recognizable, but if they already have a possible identity via the credit cards and dental records, surely they would be pursuing that first?’

Chrissy assumed a thoughtful expression. ‘Something smells in all of this and it isn’t fried chicken,’ she said. ‘And look who’s here to tell us all about it.’