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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

‘I came that way too, but I had to hack a bit to get here. Then I discovered it was easier to approach from the trig point itself.’ She gestured to a more obvious path on the opposite side of the small clearing.

Rhona introduced herself. ‘Rhona MacLeod, and this is Blaze.’

The dog was whining now, staying close by the girl in a protective manner. When Rhona gave the ‘Here to me’ command, it had to be said twice. Even then Blaze didn’t seem keen to leave the girl’s side.

‘I know Blaze,’ she offered as way of an explanation for the dog’s determined behaviour. ‘From the Isles bar and A.C.E Target Sports.’

‘You were there with the group of army medics?’ Rhona voiced what she’d suspected since finding the camp.

The girl looked surprised by the question. ‘Yes.’

At this point, she registered Alvis’s presence. The swift glance the girl threw him moved from surprise to recognition and Rhona realized she must have spotted Alvis the night of the drinking session.

‘The Portree police are keen to make contact with you and your colleagues,’ Rhona explained. ‘Check you’re okay out on the hills in this weather. They like to take care of their tourists on Skye,’ she added with a reassuring smile.

‘We’ve all served in Afghanistan,’ the girl said. ‘Believe me, we can take anything Skye throws at us.’

‘Sergeant MacDonald’ll be pleased to hear that. Are the others about?’

The girl shook her head. ‘We all split up. The plan was to do our own thing for a bit before we head back to Glasgow.’

It sounded plausible.

‘Where’s your vehicle?’ Alvis said.

‘The guys took it. Why?’ She appeared a little ruffled by the questions.

Rhona decided to tell her what had happened, as much to view her reaction as anything else. ‘A man’s body was found on the shore at Kilt Rock. It looked like he’d fallen from the cliff. No ID on him. The police are keen to eliminate any walkers or climbers on the island.’

‘Oh my God!’ The girl’s hand rose to her mouth in what looked like genuine distress. ‘When did this happen?’

She looked so upset, Rhona had to tell her the truth. ‘The body was spotted the day before yesterday.’

The girl’s relief at this news was palpable. She sat down abruptly as though her legs could no longer hold her, colour rushing back into an ashen face. ‘So it can’t be any of the boys. They all left here yesterday.’

Rhona almost believed her.

‘Are you something to do with the police? Is that how you know all this?’ the girl said.

‘MRT volunteers,’ Alvis swiftly told her. ‘Can you make contact with your colleagues? Check they’re still okay?’