“Good. Of course. Though more needed on the missing workers and the families, I think.” The pinched white faces of the wives and children silently demand it. I don’t know why he can’t see it, why he can never see it.

“They won’t find them. That’s not the story now.” He sounds testy. I won’t be the first person to have told him that; I expect he’s been on the receiving end of a pretty firm directive from the head of the newsroom as to where he should be focusing his time. He’s building up a head of steam, though. I let him rant. It’s not my job to talk him round this time.

“How’s Rod doing?” I ask when he’s finished venting. Rod is his field producer on this trip.

“He’s not you.” He’s still testy.

“I’m reassured that you noticed.” I’ve deliberately adopted an amused tone. Rod is fifty with a ginger beard and a large beer belly.

There’s a whiff of a reluctant chuckle down the phone. “He really isn’t you, though. He’s good enough, I suppose, it’s just . . . If I had to put my finger on it, there’s just not the same attention to detail.” Or perhaps there’s not the same attention to Jonathan. A silence falls between us. I realize he’s waiting for me to say something reassuring. Something like Don’t worry, it’s only for a few weeks. Or perhaps I’ll be back with you before you know it. He can’t ask me when I’m coming back, not without at least some sideswipe of acknowledgment of what brought me to Scotland—and he doesn’t want to bring that up at all, because then I will remember what he said in the dim light of the hotel room in Cairo . . . I close off the memory, but I still can’t find a voice for the platitudes. “Anyway,” he says eventually. “How’s the house?”

“Well, it could certainly use a repaint.” I grab on to this subject like a lifeline. “It actually borders the land of Kingrossie Hotel—you know, the five-star golf place? I might be able to sell to them; I’m guessing they might want the fishing lake if not the Manse itself.”

“You’ve sorted that certificate thing already?” I can hear the sudden hope in his voice.