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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

‘Unconfirmed, although likely. There is some good news, though,’ she said, seeing Chrissy’s woeful expression. ‘Archie’s been sent home. The number that called here to implicate him has been traced. The owner said a guy asked to borrow his mobile, said his had run out, and he had some information for the police.’

‘Who was it?’

‘He gave us a description. We ran it past Archie before we told him what it was about.’

‘And?’

‘He said it sounded like the guy who was looking for the female medic.’

That made sense, Chrissy thought, if the soldiers were involved in Watson’s death – and knowing what they knew now, that looked increasingly likely.

‘What do we do?’

‘The only thing we can do. We wait.’

76

Looking upwards, Rhona realized her view of the top was impeded, which more than likely meant Alvis couldn’t see her either. Even the waving light of her torch. She would have to rely on the hope that he had heard her shout that she’d reached the beach safely.

Before he’d lowered her down, they’d made the decision that Alvis would go west, heading into the bay at the first opportunity. From there, he would attempt to make his way back along the shoreline to reach her.

Rhona was already beginning to doubt that as a possibility, aware as she was of an encroaching tide. The sand at the foot of the gully had been wet, but more because of the stream that had helped her slide to the bottom. Alvis had checked the tide tables while they still had a signal. High tide along the Duirinish peninsula was scheduled for shortly after 4 a.m., and they were getting perilously close to that now.

Like Kilt Rock, there would no doubt be areas of foreshore, but not necessarily the entire way along, and the cliffs here were peppered by caves, arches and stacks, which only served to illustrate the continuing force of the sea against the basalt rocks.

She was taking a chance even being down here. And yet Blaze, having been set the task of finding Seven, hadn’t hesitated. Rhona thought of Donald’s description of his dog’s sure-footedness: ‘He’s cautious too, though. He only attempts what he knows he can do.’

Rhona prayed that Donald was right, while wishing she could claim the same for herself.

So in what direction had the dog gone exactly?

Any call she’d made to Blaze had remained unanswered, but the relief of not finding an injured dog at the bottom of the cliff face had given her a measure of hope at least.

Training her head torch on the surrounding sand, Rhona searched for paw prints. Luckily, the tide had not yet reached the area she stood in. Blaze had barked to them from where she now stood at the foot of the gully. Where had he gone after that?