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Back Time for the Dead Save as PDF
Chapters (94)
  1. Cover
  2. Time for the Dead
  3. Dedication page
  4. Map
  5. Epigraph page
  6. Prologue
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. Epilogue
  92. Acknowledgements
  93. About the Author
  94. By Lin Anderson

Raising her hood, Rhona made the short but wet journey across Somerled Square to the Isles where she found Archie seated next to the fire with Blaze at his feet. When the big collie spotted her, he immediately came over.

Rhona, as pleased to see Blaze as he was to see her, took some time telling him so.

Archie made room for Rhona beside him on the window seat. ‘You’ve got a friend for life there.’

‘Best canine assistant I’ve ever worked with. Can I get you a drink, Archie?’ Rhona offered.

‘I’ll get you one, lass. You’ve had a harder day than me. What will you have?’

Rhona delighted him by ordering a whisky.

‘Thought you’d go for that fizzy wine that’s all the rage and tastes like water.’

‘You’ve tried prosecco then?’ Rhona laughed.

‘My granddaughter persuaded me. It won’t happen again.’

Archie headed for the bar, returning shortly afterwards with two nips of Talisker.

‘So,’ Rhona said, once he was settled, ‘I heard you wanted to speak to me?’

‘Aye, lass.’ He eyed her intently. ‘You can decide if you want to pass this on, mind. Or if it doesn’t matter.’

‘What is it?’ Rhona said, unnerved by the seriousness of his voice.

‘After you asked about the lassie, a big bloke with a backpack appeared and asked the same question.’

‘Really?’ Rhona said. ‘And you didn’t know or recognize him?’

Archie shook his head. ‘He told me he was a pal and keen to catch up with her. I said the lassie had caught the bus to Glendale and would likely be back later, for she was camped up in the plantation. I figured he’d hang around and wait for her so I directed him to the pub. Turns out I was wrong, because I saw him head off in a jeep, a Wrangler, I think, a wee while after that, heading out on the Dunvegan road.’

‘Did you tell Lee about this?’

Archie shook his head. ‘You can tell him if you think it’s important. I’m a suspect in another crime,’ he said with a wry smile.

‘I can’t believe that.’

‘You’d better believe it. That detective lassie from Glasgow had us in one by one, asking questions about the death of that bastard on the beach. I had plenty to say about him. Probably enough to get myself jailed.’

‘Archie, no,’ Rhona said.

‘I told her I’d wished him dead plenty of times. Prayed for it even. Probably better that I didn’t know he was back here. If I had, who’s to say what I might have done?’

58

McNab peered in the window to find Janice alone in the interview room. Taking his chance, he headed in with two coffees.

‘So you’re back,’ Janice said. ‘How did it go at the mortuary?’