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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

When she answered, McNab immediately asked if there was any word on Rhona.

‘Not yet,’ Chrissy told him with a heavy heart. ‘But she’s with Alvis, so she’ll be all right.’

‘What about the other soldiers?’

‘Nothing there either.’

They lapsed into silence at that point before McNab changed the subject, making Chrissy wonder if what he was about to say was the real reason for the call.

‘I plan to drop in on Maguire. Bring him up to date on what’s happening there with Rhona.’

‘Is that wise?’ Chrissy said.

‘Why? Has Rhona said something about being in touch with him herself?’ McNab asked.

Chrissy only wished she had done.

‘Is she coming home when this is over?’ McNab asked the question that Chrissy realized probably lay behind all of this.

Chrissy decided to tell him the truth. ‘She mentioned she might spend Christmas on Skye. Said she hadn’t had a Christmas here since she was a teenager.’

When McNab didn’t immediately respond, Chrissy rushed on, ‘And she’s been invited to Jamie’s pal’s wedding. They’re having his stag do up at A.C.E Target Sports where this all began,’ she added, as though that explained it all.

‘And she’s going with Jamie boy, no doubt?’

When Chrissy didn’t respond, another expletive was voiced.

‘She’ll have to come back for the sin-eater trial,’ Chrissy said. ‘And once Rhona comes home, she’ll stay.’

An ominous silence followed her declaration.

‘What’s wrong?’ she demanded.

‘He’s changed his plea to guilty, so there will be no trial,’ McNab said.

Chrissy wondered if that was the news Rhona wanted to hear. Now she wouldn’t have to give evidence. Wouldn’t have to face her nemesis again in court. Yet, that would have brought her back. Chrissy realized she had been clinging to that thought, believing that once Rhona did return to Glasgow, she would be persuaded that she belonged there.

Plus, Rhona may have feared her demons, but, knowing her, she would have also relished facing up to them during the trial, maybe finally conquering them, which would no longer happen.

‘He didn’t want his forensic knowledge disputed in court,’ Chrissy said. ‘This way it won’t be. He thinks he’s won already.’

‘So we can’t bring her back that way.’

‘Maybe it’s up to Sean now,’ Chrissy said.

Ringing off, she found Janice at the open door of the production room.

‘They’ve found them?’ Chrissy asked eagerly.

Janice shook her head. ‘They’ve found a tent near Ramasaig Bay, but it’s empty.’

‘Is it Rhona’s?’