She’d felt Caroline’s eyes boring into her back as she’d climbed towards the main path, the waves of dislike as powerful as they’d been in the shop, the day she’d arrived.

So, she was right. Caroline and Greg had been a thing.

Well, she obviously wasn’t with him now, which was probably why she was so pissed off.

Deciding she would keep the cemetery for another day, Joanne chose the Main Street route, hopeful that by leaving the woods altogether she could avoid meeting Caroline again.

Minutes later, she passed through a gate and onto a pathway, with Main Street visible ahead. And there, yards away on her left, was the back door of the village hall. This was where Ailsa had last been seen as she’d left to walk home. Six youths had given statements that they’d been standing here together when she’d set off into the woods around ten thirty.

The drill of her mobile broke into her thoughts. Since only two people had this number, she expected either Greg or Lucy’s name to be on the screen. Instead she found an unknown caller.

Unnerved by this, she tried to find an explanation for it . . . spam, of course, being the most likely one. Staring stupidly at the screen, her heart racing, she finally reached for the dismiss button, just as Caroline appeared alongside her, waving her own mobile.

‘Greg just called me. He says they’ve found a body in the wreckage of the hot tub. He thinks it might be Ailsa Cummings.’ There was a pause as she checked for Joanne’s response to her announcement. ‘You do know about Ailsa?’

So Greg had called Caroline about the possibility that it might be Ailsa, yet he’d refused to discuss it with her.

Having already lied to Caroline about her knowledge of what was happening at the Party House, Joanne was at a loss as to how to respond, then decided attack was now her best line of defence.

‘I’m glad he told you,’ she said evenly. ‘I didn’t want to break his confidence until he made up his mind what he should do.’

She was rewarded by a surprised look from Caroline, which swiftly turned into one of annoyance.

‘Greg and I have always shared things,’ she said. ‘We grew up together here in Blackrig.’

Joanne smiled. ‘It’s important to have friends you can share things with. Especially in a small community like this. Now I’d better get back to Beanach. Greg will be expecting to find me there.’

And with that she left Caroline, hopefully open-mouthed, although she didn’t look back to find out.

Now she was sure. Caroline and Greg had been a thing and Caroline was apparently under the impression they still were.

What about Greg?

Had he invited her here not imagining for a moment she would take up his offer?