Sissons had recorded the state of the body into the overhead mike, establishing the burn patterns on the left arm and hand. He’d quickly dismissed the possibility of electrocution, and determined that the victim had likely been dead before the fire had started.

The lingering scent of an accelerant on his clothing had been obvious as they’d taped and undressed him, and the tracking of the burns showed where most of it had been poured.

‘If this was an attempt at disguising the method of his death, it wasn’t successful,’ Sissons had remarked in a laconic voice.

At this point Campbell and McNab had walked in. Luckily for McNab, the suit hood and mask covered the worst of his injuries, so the pathologist didn’t get to view the increasingly colourful damage.

Dr Sissons acknowledged their entrance, then carried on relating his thoughts to the overhead microphone, as though in conversation with God on the demise of one of his creations.

‘It is now obvious that the fire did not kill the subject, who, by the state of his bloodshot eyes and bruising round the nose and mouth, was most likely suffocated before the fire was set. High levels of carbon dioxide in his blood and no evidence of soot in his lungs will confirm this.’

He turned to Rhona. ‘Was any evidence found of a pad or a plastic bag at the scene?’

Rhona explained about collecting fibres from the nose and mouth. ‘The cloth used wasn’t in the room, or it was destroyed in the fire.’

‘Do we know anything more about the victim apart from the fact he’s male and likely in his twenties?’ Sissons said.

It was Campbell who responded. ‘There was no record of the crew or passengers. Neither did the search find any personal belongings that might help identify them.’

‘What happened to the other people on board?’

‘We suspect some will have been lifted off. Alternatively, some may have gone overboard.’

It was a scenario Rhona had imagined herself. What had happened after the killings? Where had the crew gone? The kitchen and waiting personnel? Those who’d been sleeping in the units set up on deck.

The Orlova had been a ghost ship before, and it was a ghost ship again.

Having finished noting all aspects of the body, Sissons now indicated he was ready to open it up. This was the cue for McNab to withdraw. Campbell didn’t look that keen to stay either.

‘There are two more bodies after this,’ Sissons reminded them as they left.

Rhona assured him she would be back, before following in the wake of the two detectives.

Once in the changing room, Campbell said, ‘You’ll keep us informed about the results on the other two autopsies, Dr MacLeod? DS McNab and I are better occupied with investigating how the fire death is linked to the Orlova, via this Go Wild company.’