‘Exactly,’ Rhona said.

Jamie brought up a series of images to illustrate his explanation. ‘Okay. From where we found him, we think he may have been tackling the An Dorus twins, Sgurr a Mhadaidh and Sgurr a Ghreadaidh. The ascent of An Dorus is over steep scree and involves tricky scrambling. Considering the weather, he should have had an ice axe with him. We didn’t find one. After the scree there’s a steep and narrow gully. If it was icy that could have proved very tricky. If a mist comes down, An Dorus can seem unrecognizable from what you’ve seen on the way up. Pretty scary.’

Jamie continued, ‘He should also have been wearing a helmet. We searched for one, but if he lost it further up, it could have landed anywhere. Without protection you’re open to boulder falls. And remember what he looked like when we found him.’

He shared the image again.

The body lay on its front, two-thirds of it obscured by a mound of rock debris.

‘The scree was very loose. We struggled to reach him, and even more when trying to bring him down.’

McNab was staring at the image intently. ‘How far is this spot from a road?’

Jamie, with a glance at Rhona, brought up an Ordnance Survey map and showed McNab.

‘There was no vehicle abandoned at the usual parking place.’ Jamie pointed to the location. ‘So we’re assuming he walked in.’

‘You believe he was alive when he arrived at the scree slope?’ McNab said.

Jamie looked taken aback by the question. ‘How else could he have got there?’

By Jamie’s tone, Rhona wondered whether the two men had already had words before they’d got to the Isles. That might then account for McNab’s belligerence and Jamie’s response.

McNab had fallen silent after Jamie’s question, but Rhona could almost hear his thoughts, they were so loud.

‘You’re suggesting foul play?’ she said.

‘Everything that’s happened here in the last few days strikes me as foul,’ McNab said pointedly.

Rhona brought an end to the war of words. ‘We need to bring Lee up to date with this, plus there’s been a development on the Seven front,’ she said. ‘Courtesy of Archie McKinnon.’ She directed this at McNab. ‘Shall we head over there now?’

The way back across proved to be a sheet of black ice. Rhona’s boots coped, as did those of Donald and Jamie. McNab, however, was visibly struggling.

‘I can lend you grips,’ Jamie offered as McNab just saved himself from going his length for the second time.

It was kindly said but, Rhona thought, by McNab’s face, it only added insult to injury.