At this point she should tell him she believed him. Last night she’d feared him. Had thought of him alongside Richard, which was wrong. Hearing his voice brought back their last few hours together.

‘Should I come up?’ she found herself saying.

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’ll keep in touch. Let you know what happens next.’ The voice that followed was thick with emotion. ‘I’ll understand if you want to go home. Malcolm will run you to the station. You could catch the night sleeper.’

Now that he’d made the suggestion, she realized her desire to leave had diminished.

‘I’ll wait until we know what’s happening,’ she managed.

A surprised silence for a moment, then, ‘Okay, if you’re sure,’ he said tentatively. ‘Colin will come round for the dogs. Malcolm says if it’s too lonely for you up there, you can have a room at the hotel or with Kath.’

The kindness of those who chose to believe in Greg made her feel ashamed. ‘I’ll stay here for the moment.’ She didn’t say in case you come back, but that’s what she meant.

Before she could work out the best way to end the conversation, a voice from the background caused him to abruptly end the call, and she was left staring at the silent receiver.

Greg

They’d spoken to him only briefly when he’d been brought in last night. After which he’d been placed in the cell. He’d slept fitfully, worried more about Joanne than himself.

He’d been waiting for them to arrest him and, now that it had happened, he no longer had to wonder when, or if, they might.

It was the unveiling of the truth that he now feared the most. Although he wondered if that might be for the best. Ailsa’s disappearance had haunted them all for long enough. Undoubtedly, someone would have to pay for her death. The question was, would that someone be him?

As he understood it, they could hold him for twenty-four hours without charge. Everything would depend on the evidence they had, which had led them to believe him guilty. They obviously hadn’t enough to charge him right away or they would have done it. So what he said in the coming interview would be important. Very important.

His alibi could save him, but only if Caroline stuck to her story, and the police believed his lie.

For what he and she were about to tell them was most definitely a lie.

Malcolm had promised to let Caroline know what had happened. If she came voluntarily to the police station, he could be out of there soon enough. But before that would be the interview with DI Snyder. Whatever fear he’d felt being interviewed in the village hall would be nothing to what he would experience here. Of that he was certain.