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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

‘We couldn’t identify the victim from the handsome Private Galbraith’s photograph. However, Dr MacLeod processed him and plans to check his DNA against army records.’

Janice looked askance at that. ‘I’ve never had much luck with the MOD. They prefer to keep everything in-house and under wraps for serving personnel.’

‘I know,’ McNab said. ‘What about your interviews with the locals?’

‘The ones Lee asked along showed up. According to him they’re keen to help. However, they all said the same thing. They didn’t know Watson was out of prison or that he was back on the island.’

‘Well, he didn’t come here for the scenery,’ McNab said.

‘Chrissy has part moulds, she reckons, of three sets of matching footprints found on the clifftop where we think he went over, bearing in mind the area is open to the public so there’s no guarantee that any prints we find there have something to do with the fall. However, we could use them to check the locals’ footwear if required. The dog also led them to this.’ Janice offered McNab a photo of a blue-green stone set in a metal casing, which he immediately recognized.

‘I know these. They’re semi-precious stones from Afghanistan. The squaddies bring them back. Have them made into rings and necklaces for their girlfriends.’ He fell silent for a moment. ‘Is there anyone local who’s served in Afghanistan recently, apart from our visiting vets?’

‘Archie McKinnon’s nephew Alistair was out there,’ Janice said. ‘He apparently came back in a bad way with PTSD and that’s when he started buying from Watson.’

‘Can we bring in Alistair?’

Janice shook her head. ‘Ali McKinnon was found dead on the Cuillin from exposure a year ago.’

From the way she said it, McNab knew it had to be suicide. It looked like the conflict in Afghanistan had left a trail of disaster behind it, and not just out there.

‘You’ve spoken to this Archie?’

‘Yes. And he didn’t mince his words. He hated Watson, but didn’t know that he was back on the island. And he’d wished him dead on several occasions. Which is, incidentally, the same story they all gave, almost word for word.’

‘I am Spartacus,’ McNab said. ‘They’re bandying together. Forming a united front.’ Like the locals did on Sanday, he thought.

‘Which the MOD will also do,’ Janice reminded him. ‘So what’s next for you?’

‘Rhona wants me to talk to Jamie McColl from the MRT about where they found the second body.’

Janice gave him a wide-eyed look. ‘The handsome Jamie? I’ve heard all about him from Chrissy.’

McNab ignored that and asked, ‘Have you checked in at the hotel yet?’

Janice nodded. ‘And I have a room with a four-poster bed.’

‘But no one to share it with,’ McNab reminded her.