He didn’t add, We were already arguing about that. She wanted me down in the village with her. I didn’t want her up at Beanach with me.

‘You saw Ailsa that night?’

‘Yes. I saw her come up to the bar a couple of times.’

Snyder’s expression didn’t change. ‘What did she have to drink?’

Greg knew exactly what she liked to drink, but if he revealed that, what would that say about the remote relationship he’d been promoting?

‘The bar in the hall only stocks bottled beer, the usual spirits, gin, vodka, whisky, plus some soft drinks. I don’t know what she chose.’

‘You didn’t serve her?’

‘No.’

That was the truth. He’d avoided Ailsa all night, catching the eye of everyone but her.

‘So, your girlfriend Caroline served her?’

‘She must have done.’ Even as the words left his mouth, he knew what horror they might bring.

‘Is that the only time you saw Ailsa?’

In truth, he couldn’t remember what he’d said when the police had arrived after Ailsa’s disappearance. So whatever he said now was unlikely to be the same. He decided to just go for it and hope for the best.

‘It was hectic that night. A real Blackrig get-together. Loud, with plenty music and dancing. When it’s like that it goes past in a blur, just constantly taking orders.’ He paused, hoping he’d set the scene, while remembering these two were from Glasgow where no doubt they had a lot more experience of such nights than he did.

They were waiting silently for him to continue.

‘I might have seen Ailsa leave. At least, she was over by the open fire exit at the back because a few of the local lads were shouting at her.’

‘Who was shouting?’ DS Reid said. ‘And what were they shouting?’

‘Offering to walk her home. That kind of thing.’

‘Who was doing that?’ Snyder said.

‘I couldn’t see them, just heard them.’

‘So how did you know they were local?’

‘Their accents. The visitors were mostly English, plus a few campers.’

‘Was Josh Huntly among the group asking to take her home?’

He had been. In fact, he’d been the most persistent voice he’d heard, but Ailsa had swatted him away the way she’d done to all the others. None of this he said.

‘So no outsiders pestering her? No one making a nuisance of themselves?’

‘Ailsa didn’t entertain arses,’ he said, remembering how easily she got her way. He knew, of course, he shouldn’t have said that, because it gave the impression he knew her far better than he’d admitted up to now. The trouble was the truth forced its way out sometimes.

‘Ailsa didn’t entertain arses,’ DS Reid repeated. ‘You knew her well enough to be aware of that.’ It wasn’t a question, but he answered as though it was.