But not all men are like him, she reminded herself.

Just as she reached the entrance to the woods, she spotted the post van climbing the hill towards her. Was it heading for the Party House or Beanach?

The answer presented itself as the post van drew up alongside her and the window rolled down.

‘Joanne Addington?’ a female voice asked.

She nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘I have a package for you. I can drop it at the house, or—’

‘I’ll happily take it here,’ Joanne said. ‘Save you the trip.’

The supplier had promised discretion, with no outward signs as to what the small parcel might contain. As it was passed out of the open window, she hoped the guarantee had been kept.

Trying to appear nonchalant, she slipped the package into her jacket pocket.

‘Great weather for your stay,’ the postie said. ‘Have a nice holiday.’

Doing a swift three-point turn, the van then headed back towards the village.

Taking refuge in the woods, her heart pounding, Joanne waited until she was well out of sight of the road before she examined the package. It was impossible to tell what it contained, she decided, and luckily, since it hadn’t been delivered to the house, she need not field any possible questions from Greg.

The next task would be to use it. She found herself recoiling at such a thought. Since the odd performance of her stomach in the house at Forrigan, she’d felt okay. Yet still the concern haunted her.

She would take a test and prove herself right.

But what if you’re wrong?

She had weeks to sort that out, her inner voice replied. And the longer she stayed up here, the further she would be from his view.

The saddest part of all of this, she admitted to herself as she chose the path which led to the fairy glen, was that the longer she stayed, the bigger the web of lies would become.

Greg

Finally told he could go, a shaken Greg emerged to stand in full view of the forest path, which was the last place Ailsa had been seen alive. He wondered if the fire exit was being used as a memory jogger for the innocent or a way of triggering fear in the guilty.

DI Snyder, he now knew, did nothing without careful consideration.

So what had the detective thought of his performance? And what about his sidekick, DS Reid? Greg had been as uncomfortable under her gaze as he had with Snyder. His gut feeling was that DS Reid also had a keen nose for a liar.

And he’d definitely been one of those.

He made a call to Colin when he reached his vehicle. The speed with which it was answered didn’t bode well.

‘Where are you? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.’ Colin’s voice rose in the way it did when he was more than a little freaked.