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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

As Maguire stood up, McNab said, ‘It seems Rhona’s back on the job. Doing some work for Skye and Lochaber police.’

That caught Maguire by surprise. ‘You think she’s planning to stay there?’ He looked worried.

‘I doubt it,’ McNab said cheerily. ‘Not enough criminal activity to keep her busy.’

Maguire was watching him, aware there was something else he wanted to say.

‘It’s a good sign, though,’ McNab went on. ‘And Chrissy’s planning a trip out there. If anyone can get Rhona to come home, it will be Chrissy.’

Maguire gave him a lopsided smile. ‘And all the time I thought it would be you, Detective Sergeant.’

19

‘Coffee or a nightcap?’

‘Maybe both?’ Rhona said.

‘Talisker good?’

‘Perfect.’

Rhona sat back in the sofa next to the fire. Her decision to spend the night at Jamie’s had seemed an even better idea during the short but wild walk back to his place, although there had been little choice with the road to the cottage still closed.

Despite her recent time spent in Jamie’s company she hadn’t until now visited him at home. In fact he hadn’t invited her to do so. Just mentioned he had a spare room if she ever needed to stay in town. Rhona wondered, as he disappeared into the kitchen to make the coffee, how she would have responded if Jamie had made a move.

They had joked with Donald and Matt about she and Jamie as wild teenagers together. It wasn’t strictly true, although there had been feelings between them back then. A teenage romance even, but she was never going to stay on the island and Jamie was never going to leave. Since she’d returned, Jamie had behaved towards her like a platonic friend, although Rhona didn’t think his feelings were that exactly. A more likely explanation was that Jamie believed that was the way she wanted to play it and was respecting her wishes.

And he’ll continue to behave like that, until I give him cause to think otherwise.

Through the open door to the kitchen, Rhona watched as he prepared the coffee and poured two generous measures of Talisker.

As he re-entered with his tray, she found herself asking him why he’d never married.

If Jamie was surprised by the sudden question, he didn’t show it. Setting the tray down on the coffee table, he handed Rhona a glass of whisky and offered her the water jug. Once she’d added a little to her glass, he did the same, then sitting alongside her, he gave his answer.

‘I almost did get married.’

Rhona waited, hoping he would tell her why he hadn’t. After sampling the Talisker, he did.

‘Trina met someone else she liked better. They’re married now and living over by Plockton. They have a son, Finn.’ He met Rhona’s eye. ‘What about you?’