‘Okay,’ Chrissy said cautiously. ‘You’ll keep in touch?’

Donald shrugged, indicating how likely that would be.

In that moment, Chrissy longed to be back on the mainland. Preferably in Glasgow where shit happened, but at least they knew where and when it had.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, as though it was all her fault.

‘I’ll see you when I get back?’ It sounded almost like a plea.

Chrissy nodded.

She watched as he climbed the hill towards the road, no Blaze at his heels. It was difficult not to assume that they had brought as many problems to the island as those they were intent on resolving.

Lee’s approach, his expression grim, did nothing to allay Chrissy’s concerns.

‘No response from Rhona?’ he said.

Chrissy shook her head.

‘I think we should bring in Search and Rescue. We need Dr MacLeod here, and it’s the quickest way to locate her. Although with the failing light, we’re running out of time.’

With fewer than eight hours of daylight, wherever Rhona was, she would already be considering making camp for the night, assuming of course that she, Alvis and Blaze were okay.

‘Donald’s worried about Blaze, which makes me concerned for Rhona,’ Chrissy said.

‘And you have no idea where she might be?’ Lee tried.

‘Rhona thought that Seven would most likely head for the coast,’ Chrissy told him. ‘She thought she was avoiding civilization.’

‘That’s easy enough in Duirinish.’

‘But it all depends on where Blaze leads them.’

‘Okay. We’ll send the chopper to check the coastline, although in truth we have a limited time before the weather sets in again. For this too.’ He gestured at the burnt-out jeep. ‘There’s heavy rain and sleet forecast.’

‘Can’t we raise a tent?’

‘No tent will stay put in what’s coming our way. I’d advise you to get as much evidence as you can in the next two hours.’

As Lee walked away, Chrissy, raising her mask, turned her attention back to the wreck and what it contained. There were two bodies in the jeep, a driver and one in the front passenger seat. From observation, both were male, both of medium height. Both overweight, which suggested it was unlikely to be two of the medics. Lee’s search on the partial from the number plate would hopefully produce a result as to who owned the vehicle.

The worst of the fire had apparently occurred at the front of the jeep, and by the concentration of intense localized burning and trail lines, Chrissy suspected the fire hadn’t happened spontaneously.

The wind had picked up since she’d arrived, and despite the protection of the forensic suit, Chrissy was beginning to register the cold. She stood for a moment, running mentally through all the tasks Rhona would have set her had she been here, while at the same time wishing she was.