The shock of the recall from the music was profound. He hadn’t thought about his mother for a long time, and now here she was again through the words of a song. The lyrics were wry and humorous, poking fun at Scots folk in general, and Skye and Portree in particular. It was parody at its best and even made McNab smile.

And it was all thanks to Sissons. A sobering thought.

Emerging from the lift, he pocketed the mobile and brought his thoughts back to his next predicament. A decision would have to be made soon about where Harry McArthur went when he was discharged. McNab had tried a couple of hostels, but knew Janice had been right when she’d pointed out how easy it would be to find him there, were Malky intent on doing so.

‘We could lock him up?’ had been her final response.

‘It might come to that,’ McNab had confessed.

It wasn’t until he recalled his haranguing of Ellie about giving Prince Harry money that the idea came to him. An idea he hadn’t yet broached with Ellie.

Emerging from the lift, he headed into the ward. The safest place would be here, McNab thought, seeing the bored officer still sitting outside Harry’s room, but they couldn’t keep him in hospital forever.

‘How’s he doing?’ McNab asked at the desk.

‘Okay,’ the nurse said cautiously. ‘The methadone’s helping. He has a visitor, by the way.’

‘A visitor?’ McNab said, instantly on the alert.

Noting his alarmed expression, the nurse added somewhat defensively, ‘The officer okayed it. Says you know her.’

Who the fuck?

‘He was pleased to see her,’ the nurse embellished some more. ‘I heard them laughing.’

Desperate to find out the identity of the woman who could make Harry laugh, McNab walked swiftly along the corridor. Without speaking to the officer, he peered through the glass. The visitor had her back to him but he knew instantly who it was.

The officer was on his feet. ‘Sorry, Sarge, I know you said no visitors but . . .’ He tailed off, noting McNab’s expression.

Without giving a response either way, McNab stepped into the room, where Harry caught sight of him and went even paler than usual.

Ellie, on the other hand, turned to greet McNab with a smile.

‘Michael, you’ll be glad to hear Harry’s feeling much better.’

‘Can I speak to you?’ McNab gave a jerk of his head. ‘Outside.’

Ellie’s expression didn’t change, seemingly unintimidated by McNab’s thundering look.

‘Okay,’ she said, rising. ‘Will I bring you back a coffee?’ she offered Harry.

McNab swore under his breath.

Once outside the room, he marched down the corridor, past the nurse, who he thought might be wearing a half-smile, and out onto the landing beside the lifts.

‘What the fuck, Ellie?’ he said, his tone shifting from belligerent to utter amazement.

‘I told you I knew him.’