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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

‘We’ve taken a 360-degree recording and checked for ID but the pockets we can reach without moving him are empty,’ Scott told her. ‘There’s no evidence that he abseiled down or planned to climb the cliffs, although his outfit and boots suggest he was prepared for a walk at least.’

From where she now stood, the crumpled and twisted body was partially visible between the black rocks. Rhona glanced upwards again, trying to visualize where he may have fallen from.

‘They’ll have secured the possible fall-off area for you to take a look at,’ Jamie assured her.

Outer jacket removed, a forensic suit now encasing her body, Rhona stepped over the tape.

Although the MRT guys had already recorded the scene, Rhona did it now for her own purposes. Jamie had assured her that the remains lay above the high-water mark, unless and until a storm brought surging seas to Staffin Bay. The ongoing weather forecast apparently didn’t indicate such a possibility, but that could change as swiftly as the weather on the Cuillin, according to Jamie.

Rhona noted that the body, now in full view, didn’t appear swollen or waterlogged, as it would have been had it been washed ashore. Instead, the broken shape immediately suggested a high-impact fall. None of the limbs held their basic shape, but were twisted back on themselves where they’d hit the boulders.

Landing on his front, the victim’s left cheek and partial forehead were visible, as too was the back of the head. The hair was blond, the facial features too battered to be recognizable.

The victim’s height Rhona estimated as close to six feet. His build was lean and muscular, much as she imagined a rock climber who might tackle these cliffs would be, but as Scott had indicated, there was nothing on or near the body to suggest the victim had fallen while climbing the cliff.

‘How long will you need?’ Jamie called out to her.

‘As long as it takes,’ Rhona told him.

23

‘We last met when you were heading to Sanday with Dr MacLeod,’ Neil, the observing officer stationed in the rear of the Air Support helicopter, reminded Chrissy.

‘When you promised we would land on a beach,’ she accused him in return. ‘Which we didn’t.’

‘You’ll have to get sent to Barra for that,’ Neil told her above the beat of the helicopter blades. ‘Although I can’t imagine there’ll be a big call on your services out there in the Western Isles.’

‘That’s what we thought about Sanday,’ Chrissy said. ‘Turns out we were wrong.’

‘So what’s it this time?’ Neil asked.

‘A body at the foot of Kilt Rock. Dr MacLeod’s on the scene. Luckily she was on Skye when it was discovered.’