She realized she was annoyed because he was a policeman, and she didn’t want a police officer to know anything about her, or her whereabouts.

Then you shouldn’t have answered the door.

If she hadn’t, the likelihood was that he would have just walked in. After all, Greg never locked the door, as apparently no one else did in Blackrig.

Watching from the window, she saw the police car turn onto the track to the Party House.

What the hell had happened up there?

She decided it was time she found out.

Greg had given her a small set of binoculars and a telescope for when she went walking, telling her, ‘The binoculars are for scanning. The spyglass to magnify.’

She was pretty sure she could see the grounds of the infamous house from the top of the hill behind Beanach, especially via the telescope. Joanne decided to get dressed and make use of it.

Greg

As he pulled up short of the tarpaulin-covered hot tub, a fraught Colin came hurrying towards him.

‘They’re here already. Two carloads plus caterers. I explained about the damaged hot tub. The one who says he booked the place told me they don’t care. They’ll stay anyway. He’s called Aidan Stratton.’

At that name, Greg swore inwardly. Stratton was CEO of Global Investment Holdings and they’d met before. Greg had no doubt Stratton would remember that.

‘And the police?’ he said.

‘I called Harry,’ Colin confirmed. ‘He says he’ll take a run up.’ He hesitated. ‘I didn’t mention . . . it. You can’t see it unless you pull back the plastic.’

Greg had a terrible thought. ‘Tell me you didn’t touch the plastic?’

Colin went as white as a sheet. ‘Jesus Christ. I wanted Harry to spot her first. Now I’ll have to tell him I did. He’ll wonder why I didn’t mention a body on the phone.’

Greg’s brain was already racing after hearing Stratton’s name. Now this.

‘Just tell Harry you touched the plastic.’

‘But if my DNA is on it—’ Colin’s eyes widened in horror.

‘Fuck’s sake, Colin, you didn’t live here when she disappeared.’

‘So you do think it’s the missing lassie?’

Greg was saved from answering as a tall blond man in his thirties emerged from the house and came striding towards them.

‘That’s him. That’s the one I spoke to,’ Colin said under his breath.

‘Wait here for Harry. I’ll go and speak to Mr Stratton,’ Greg ordered, having no wish for Colin to be there when Stratton recognized him, which he undoubtedly would.

Stratton’s grip was firm and his gaze direct as he took Greg’s hand. ‘Your man told me about the damage. We’d prefer to stay despite that.’ He halted there, before saying, ‘We’ve met before, I believe. The last time we were here.’