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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

‘If it was locals, I suspect the word will be out soon,’ Jamie said. ‘I assume you can’t discuss what you found?’

‘You assume right.’

Alvis, perhaps to back her up on this, swiftly changed the subject. ‘Have the police located the elderly man who was missing? Jake Ross, I think Sergeant MacDonald said his name was?’

Jamie’s face clouded over. ‘Not yet. Old Jake’s done this before but he’s usually been picked up by now.’ He glanced at the window as another flash of lightning briefly lit up the darkness. ‘He’s unlikely to survive a night out in this. Lee’s got together a search team. I’m out with it first thing tomorrow with the Mountain Rescue Team and the helicopter.’

Almost in unison, Alvis and Rhona asked if they could join the MRT.

‘Sure thing. Blaze will be there. Won’t you, boy?’ he said, ruffling the collie’s ears.

Rhona felt her mobile vibrate in her pocket. She hadn’t expected a response from Chrissy tonight but there was always a chance. Checking the screen, she saw it was Lee.

‘Rhona? I see your jeep’s still in the square. I take it you’re at the Isles?’

‘I am.’

‘Just to tell you there’s been an accident on the A851 and the road’s currently blocked. Lochaber and Skye Police Twitter account is posting updates.’

‘Thanks, Lee.’ She mentioned tomorrow’s search.

‘I’d appreciate your help. We hope to find Jake alive, but if not, having you early on the scene to record the circumstances would be good.’

As she rang off, Donald appeared from the back and repeated what she’d just learned.

‘Road to Armadale’s closed until further notice. It’s up on Twitter.’

‘Lee’s just phoned to warn me,’ Rhona told him. ‘Is there a room vacant here by any chance?’

‘Sorry, as far as I know we’re full of French, Americans—’

‘And Italians,’ Rhona finished for him.

Alvis looked flustered for a moment, and Rhona realized he might well be about to suggest she take his room, so she turned to Jamie.

‘D’you still have that spare room you offered?’

‘I do, and it’s yours if you need it.’

Rhona avoided looking at Donald, knowing her swift request, just as quickly agreed to, would probably further fuel the speculation that she and Jamie were an item.

‘You can leave the jeep here,’ Jamie said. ‘I’m only along the road.’

‘Which means I can now drink something stronger.’

18

A text to Chrissy had established that she would meet him at the jazz club after work, but only briefly.

McNab was aware that Chrissy’s mother looked after his namesake, wee Michael, and that Chrissy was always home in time to put him to bed. He thought, not for the first time, of his godson, and how close to death he’d been that night outside the Glasgow casino.