A sudden and piercing human cry was almost immediately followed by the barking of a dog. Not any dog, though.

It was Blaze. Definitely Blaze.

Swivelling round, Rhona searched desperately along the line of the breaking waves.

Then she saw them.

Two figures in the water, the dog frantically running back and forth along the shore east of where she stood. They appeared to be struggling together, one definitely having the upper hand. Then suddenly there was only one, the other swallowed by the waves. Too tall to be Seven, the remaining figure turned and began wading towards the beach.

Rhona knew in that moment that the dog was in as much danger as the body left behind in the water, and shouted frantically for Blaze to come to her.

Blaze ignored her call and, instead, dodging the approaching figure of the man, jumped into the water and began to swim towards the bobbing body of what had to be Seven.

Rhona ran along the water’s edge, certain that if she didn’t get out there in time, both Seven and her rescuer were liable to be swept away in the insistent swell of the incoming tide.

But she was wrong.

She knew from Donald that Blaze was a keen swimmer. She’d also seen him in action in the loch near the plantation. But keeping himself afloat was one thing. Helping Seven stay above the surface of the choppy water was another.

She drew nearer and, with the aid of the dawning light, saw what the dog was trying to do. He had something in his mouth, likely the hood of Seven’s jacket, and was slowly but surely pulling her body towards the shore.

As Rhona waded out to meet Blaze, she saw the dancing lights of three torches emerge from beneath the arch and head quickly towards them across the sand.

Then Donald’s voice resounded across the intervening water.

‘Here to me, Blaze. Here to me.’

The girl was alive.

The three men had carried her to shore where Rhona had removed her wet clothes and wrapped her in a sleeping bag Donald had given her, and then inside a survival bag. Blaze, having seemingly satisfied himself that Seven was okay, then took off, despite Donald’s instruction to the contrary.

‘Blaze doesn’t give up easily,’ Donald said with a shake of his head.

‘He reminds me of Chrissy, my other forensic assistant,’ Rhona smiled, her heart lifting because, despite the cold and the wet, Seven was safe.

Donald, answering a radio call, told her that the helicopter was on its way.

‘What about her attacker?’ Rhona said as another call came through.

‘Currently climbing the gully. Not sure if he realizes Blaze will be right behind him, with Jamie and Scott at the top awaiting his arrival.’

‘I’m sorry I put your dog in danger,’ Rhona said.