Finn said something to the restraining officer and, moments later, was released.

It struck him that Finn, like most of the villagers, including himself, probably wished the body had never been found. What Josh had unearthed with his anger-filled assault on the hot tub had brought this horror down upon them all.

Joanne

It was sheer luck she’d gone to the window in the hope that she might see Greg’s Land Rover heading up the drive.

She’d heard a vehicle on the gravel, but it definitely wasn’t Greg, or the post van, but a mystery car instead.

Joanne immediately withdrew from the window and retreated into the kitchen. Since Stratton had spotted her with Greg outside the pub, she was in fear that he might arrive unexpectedly at Beanach to check if she was staying here rather than in the village, as she’d told him.

Her second and more frightening worry was that Stratton, having encountered her, would set about getting in touch with Richard to tell him the story of how he’d run into her in Blackrig, writing a piece about the virus village.

Her heart slamming in her chest, she quietly moved into the back porch and waited, cursing herself for not locking the front door (which Greg never did) and planning her escape on to the hill at the back if need be.

‘Greg!’ a female voice called. ‘Joanne! It’s me, Caroline.’

Realizing she would have to emerge, Joanne quickly prepared her excuse and, marshalling herself, re-entered the kitchen.

‘Caroline. Sorry. I was out the back and didn’t hear the car arrive.’ Even as she said the words, she knew how dire her excuse was. Of course she would have heard the car approach if she’d been outside, even at the back. She should have said she’d been in the bathroom. At least that might have sounded probable.

Caroline made a face. ‘I thought you were hiding from someone. Maybe that arse Aidan Stratton,’ she joked.

‘I wasn’t sure, when I didn’t recognize the vehicle,’ Joanne was relieved to admit.

Caroline gave a nod, signifying her agreement. ‘I missed Greg when he was at the village hall earlier and wanted a word with him,’ she said.

‘I haven’t seen Greg all day. I thought he was out stalking.’

‘I was told he was at the village hall being interviewed again about Ailsa,’ Caroline said, throwing Joanne a worried look. ‘The word is that the body they found is definitely Ailsa.’

When Joanne couldn’t find the words to respond to this, Caroline said, ‘Is it all right if I wait here for Greg? I need to speak to him about Finn.’

‘Finn?’