BooksBarbecue
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

‘Nor in the woods behind A.C.E, which is native birch.’

‘So the victim had likely been in a Sitka plantation, of which I fear there are many hectares on Skye.’

‘I suggest we try and identify them,’ Rhona said. ‘Since that may have been the last place the victim was alive.’

29

Rolling over in the bed, Rhona reached out to douse her phone alarm. Above her the skylight window offered a vision of a red-and-blue-streaked dawn complete with scurrying grey clouds.

The night before had gone on longer than she’d anticipated, but the detailed discussion with Alvis had proved useful. They’d spent some time identifying the tracts of land laid down with Sitka spruce, which turned out to be fewer acres than they’d imagined.

Skye’s landmass according to Google Earth was 639 square miles. Looking at the forest cover, they’d identified four plantations, covering roughly 5 per cent of the total acreage.

‘Tightly packed, with little to no wildlife to be heard or seen, and no undergrowth,’ Alvis had said. ‘Most likely planted between the sixties and eighties for commercial reasons. They’re not managed woodland for walking in.’

‘What about this one?’ Rhona had indicated the green block further along the B885. ‘I think the party exited the woods just beyond Matt’s place. If they headed away from Portree, that’s the closest plantation to their route.’

‘We could take a look that way tomorrow?’ Alvis had suggested. ‘Unless you’re heading back to Kilt Rock.’

It was at that point Rhona had decided to leave the remainder of the work on the clifftop to Chrissy, but when she and Alvis went back to the bar, Chrissy was no longer there to tell her so.

‘She’s gone off somewhere with Donald,’ Jamie had informed her. ‘Last I heard he was describing his favourite excursions round the island, all of which seemed to include the word fairy in the title . . . the Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools and a few even I haven’t heard of. Chrissy said to tell you she’d see us later at my place.’

‘Which I think I’d like to head for shortly,’ Rhona said.

The next morning, showered and dressed, Rhona headed downstairs to give Chrissy her instructions for the day, only to discover the bed settee, which Jamie had made up in preparation for her forensic assistant’s late return, lay unmarked by evidence that anyone had slept there.

‘Coffee?’ Jamie called from the kitchen.

‘Please,’ Rhona said. ‘And some of that bacon I can smell.’

When Jamie brought through her bacon roll and coffee, she raised an eyebrow and said, ‘I take it Chrissy never came home?’

‘Looks like it.’ He gave her a knowing smile in return.

As if on cue, the front door opened and in walked Rhona’s wandering assistant.

‘That smells good. Anything left for me?’ She gave them a wide grin.

‘Of course,’ Jamie said.