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Back Time for the Dead
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

‘The dog Blaze apparently took Rhona to a spot in the woods, and she detected signs of a scuffle and blood which she thinks may be human.’ Alvis explained what Rhona planned to do. ‘She didn’t intend to call you unless she was certain.’

‘We get plenty of punch-ups on Skye. Mainly domestics and drink-fuelled fights, but they don’t normally take it into the woods and we usually hear about it. News travels fast here.’

‘Might it be drugs-related? Over a stash maybe?’

‘We’ve taken a couple of big hauls of cannabis and cocaine recently. But no indication of internecine wars over it. Most visitors bring it with them, if they’re so inclined.’

‘Where does the general supply come from?’ Alvis said.

‘The nearest distribution centre, Glasgow, although Inverness is fast catching up, and we have the coastline. Fishing boats and yachts coming and going.’

‘We have the same problem in Stavanger,’ Alvis nodded.

‘Well, Dr MacLeod doesn’t strike me as someone who would be easily mistaken,’ Lee said thoughtfully. ‘I’ll make some enquiries. Check the hospitals here, Fort William and Inverness, and let you know.’

9

When Rhona stopped at the edge of the clearing to don her kit, indicating that Blaze should come no further, the collie did not demur, but sat down to observe whatever it was this white-suited woman was planning to do.

On first inspection the evening before, she’d looked for any indication of something being buried nearby. Although back then the dog hadn’t made a point of digging anywhere, and Rhona had picked up no scent of decomposition.

Walking the area again, Rhona could find no evidence of disturbed earth and no discoloured vegetation. A buried body would have produced a sinking in ground level as it decomposed. Plus, she suspected, Blaze would have led her straight to such a point of interest.

She now approached the tree that had caused her disquiet the previous night. The contact environment round the mature birch consisted of exposed soil. And it was this area that had so excited Blaze. Blood could leave behind a change in the microbial community and in the volatile organic compounds which emanated from the soil. Police recovery dogs hit on blood in soil and got excited. Just as Blaze had done.

Then there was the compressed vegetation . . .

Rhona adjusted her camera, taking multiple shots of the contact area, more convinced than ever that a body had lain here, a body that had definitely been bleeding.

Now she turned her attention to the tree.

She’d detected blood at around five feet from the ground on her last visit. Now a phenolphthalein test confirmed her suspicions, suggesting someone’s head had hit off the bark. She used a magnifying glass to take a closer look.