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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’re off-grid. That’s the rule when we’re practising survival techniques. Mobiles are switched off unless there’s an emergency.’

‘When do you plan to meet up?’ Rhona asked.

‘Three days’ time in the square in Portree.’

‘Will they come for you?’ Alvis said.

‘I’ll walk in. Portree’s not far.’

While they’d been talking, Blaze had moved back to the girl, sniffing her scent.

‘You’ve got a real friend there,’ Rhona said.

A flash of what might have been concern or fear on the girl’s face vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, causing Rhona to wonder if she’d imagined it.

‘Can I give you my number?’ she said on the spur of the moment. ‘So you can let us know when you’re back safely in town.’

The girl looked perplexed by such an idea. ‘Okay,’ she said finally, accepting the hastily scribbled number.

Rhona called Blaze to her side again.

‘We’ll tell Sergeant MacDonald we met you, and that the guys are okay too.’

‘Thanks,’ the girl said.

‘You didn’t mention your name?’

‘Seven,’ the girl offered. ‘The guys call me Seven.’

‘You’re their lucky mascot?’

She gave a half-smile.

Emerging from the trees, the heather-topped hill of Beinn a’ Ghlinne Bhig presented itself.

‘She was right,’ Alvis said. ‘That was easier.’

The rain came on as they headed down a narrow path that would take them, they hoped, to the main track.

Rhona, leading the way, didn’t attempt a conversation until they met the turning circle again and could walk side by side.

‘She never gave up her real name. Nor did she mention any of the others by name,’ she said.

‘And that bothers you?’

‘Why do you think they christened her Seven?’

‘Maybe there were seven in the group at one time,’ Alvis said. ‘Or else . . .’

When he didn’t finish, Rhona said it for him. ‘That was her fuckable rating among the men.’

33

McNab, fully suited now, took a final breath of fresh air before securing his mask.

Through the glass panels he could see that Dr Sissons was already at work. The second pathologist, required by Scots law, was likely Dr Walker, who’d processed the second victim in the sin-eater case.

The victim had already been stripped of his clothing by the two forensic assistants, who were currently taping his nether regions, every move of which was being photographed.

Being late to the party would be much frowned upon by Dr Sissons, who didn’t like McNab anyway, so his entry, however meek and mild, would still provoke ire.

‘Fuck that,’ McNab muttered as he pushed the door wide and strode in.