Hunkering down beside the tell-tale red, she did her best to take a sample, then straightening up, she studied the churned ground immediately ahead.

So, whoever was injured had been heading here.

It wasn’t clear by the tread marks from which direction the vehicle had come, nor which direction it had headed when it left. Portree was minutes away, but had it gone the other way, it would eventually have reached Bracadale, where it could have headed north towards Dunvegan, or south to Broadford.

The dog, having led her there, was now looking quizzically at her. If Rhona could have interpreted what Blaze was saying, it would have been, ‘So what now, partner?’

‘We head for home,’ Rhona told him. ‘Or your home at least.’

Rhona looked back to the hillside track that had led her here. She’d done her best to mark it on the map as she’d walked, all the while taking photos and soil samples. Not for the first time did she wish she had a soil scientist with her, like her friend and colleague Dr Jen Mackie, who’d been instrumental in the sin-eater case.

Checking her phone, she realized firstly that she had no signal, and secondly that she’d been absent long enough for concern. The likelihood was that either Donald or Matt would already be out looking for her.

Rhona set off at a brisk pace, accompanied by her new forensic assistant. She smiled, thinking of Chrissy’s expression when Rhona told her she’d been replaced by a Border collie.

The rain came on minutes later, light at first then falling in sheets. The midwinter light had turned everything grey, and the surrounding hills were wrapped in mist. Rhona imagined the downpour washing away all remnants of the possible crime scene not protected by the tarpaulin.

To the north, intermittent headlamps signalled cars on the A87, the road Donald had described as leading to the Fairy Glen. In this light, in this place, Rhona could almost believe in fairies.

Head down against the onslaught, she didn’t register the approaching vehicle until Blaze gave a warning bark. Drawing up alongside her, Donald rolled down the window.

‘Come on, hop in,’ he said.

Blaze waited patiently as Donald saw Rhona inside, before having the back door opened for him.

‘Thanks for coming to look for me,’ Rhona said as Donald sought a place to turn the big 4x4.

‘I suspected if you hadn’t come back via the woods that Blaze would have taken you to the road. Did you find what you were looking for?’ He eyed her obviously laden backpack.

‘I did,’ Rhona said.

‘I could take you straight to Sergeant MacDonald?’ Donald offered. ‘The sergeant and Blaze go way back,’ he smiled. ‘In fact Blaze has been behind bars for toast stealing. Isn’t that right, Blaze? And we have photos to prove it.’ He tossed a tennis ball into the back, which the collie deftly caught.