Mark gave a strangled laugh. ‘I wonder who told him that.’

‘Then it’s true?’

‘Well, it wasn’t the boys in blue who did this to me,’ he assured her.

He’d taken a seat at the kitchen table as though his legs would no longer hold him up. Ava set the whisky bottle before him. With an attempt at a smile, he refilled his glass. After which he bent over, removed his left shoe and extracted something.

‘This is what I wouldn’t send you by email.’ He handed Ava a memory stick. ‘Everything I have gathered so far on Go Wild is on there.’

She gestured at his face. ‘Is this why you were attacked?’

‘Maybe. But I have my fingers in many pies, as you know. On the current subject, I heard that the Met sent someone up about a fire victim in Glasgow, who apparently had a link with Go Wild.’

Ava had no knowledge of that and said so.

‘Is there someone you can approach in Police Scotland to ask if that’s the case? Because, if so, that would make four deaths so far linked to the company.’

She doubted if she approached Erling that he would be familiar with the Glasgow case. So it would have to be someone close to that.

‘I met a Dr Rhona MacLeod in Orkney,’ she said. ‘She was the forensic scientist on the Orlova and I believe on the Glasgow fire too, although we obviously didn’t discuss either case.’ She paused, remembering. ‘Except when I mentioned looking into Go Wild and Rhona’s assistant realized an insignia she’d spotted on board might stand for the company.’

‘She’s your way in, then,’ Mark said, his eyes lighting up.

‘To do what?’

‘The guy the Met sent up, a DI Cleverly – there’s evidence on the memory stick to suggest he’s involved with Go Wild in some way.’

Ava’s head was spinning. ‘You’re talking about a Met police officer,’ she said in a shocked voice.

‘I know.’ He held her gaze. ‘Which is why someone in Police Scotland should be made aware of that.’ He gave a half-smile. ‘And that information should come from someone with an unblemished investigation record. And that’s clearly not me.’

‘I’m flying home tonight via Glasgow.’ Ava hesitated. ‘I could make a stopover. Talk to Dr MacLeod.’

‘Great.’ He took hold of her hand. ‘After that, promise me you’ll return to Orkney and stay there?’

‘I got you into this,’ she said.

‘And I’m glad you did.’ He forced a smile past his bruised lips. ‘We’ve always been good together at getting the bastards.’

Before he left he gently kissed her and held her tightly to him.

‘Be safe,’ he said, and Ava murmured back, ‘You too.’