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Back Time for the Dead
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

Rhona gave a brief nod, although she had no intention of ever coming back. To her mind, she had done what was required of her.

They shook hands again. His was warm and dry. Her own, she noticed, was cold and damp.

Registering the increased beat of her heart and her trembling hand as she unlocked the jeep, Rhona took a deep breath and fastened her gaze on the mountains to remind herself that she hadn’t been buried alive again in Dr Bailey’s questioning eyes.

Now outside the funeral director’s, which was minutes away from Am Fasgadh, Rhona was counselling herself against going inside, the meeting with Dr Bailey having stirred up memories of a certain Glasgow undertaker’s and what had happened there.

Which was why dwelling on the past was not a good thing.

When Rhona rang Jamie’s number, he answered immediately.

‘Are you on your way?’

‘I’m here already.’

‘Great. I’ll be right out.’

He was as good as his word. Rhona watched as his tall figure emerged and felt her heart lift at the sight of him. With Jamie she could relax because he wouldn’t ask her how she felt and why she was here.

Rhona climbed out of the driver’s seat. ‘I think you should drive. It’s your jeep after all.’

Jamie took her place behind the wheel, while she buckled herself into the passenger seat.

‘She’s running smoothly for you?’

‘I really like her,’ Rhona assured him.

‘I didn’t want to use one of the funeral cars, not where we’re going.’

‘And where is that exactly?’ Rhona said as they set off.

‘A.C.E Target Sports to book a stag do for my mate. I’m the best man so it’s my job to organize it all.’

‘Okay . . .’ Rhona said. ‘But you don’t need me to tag along. I can walk into Portree. Have a coffee.’

‘I want you to try out some of the weapons.’

‘Weapons?’

‘Axes, knives. That sort of thing.’

‘You are joking?’

‘Nope.’ Jamie grinned. ‘It’s just up the road a bit. In this weather it’ll be muddy. How’s your footwear?’

‘Sturdy.’

‘Good.’

He headed towards Portree before turning right into the Struan Road.

‘And how are you with dogs?’

‘Fine . . .’ Rhona ventured, somewhat puzzled by the question.

‘Then you’ll enjoy meeting Blaze. He basically runs the place.’

4

Stavanger, Norway, the previous day

Inspector Alvis Olsen watched the snow-dusted coast of Scotland approach from his window seat. They said that whatever weather you left behind in Stavanger, you met it again in Aberdeen an hour later.

On this day, the saying was proving to be true. Rising early this morning, he’d found the sky still heavy with snow clouds from an overnight fall, the picturesque wooden buildings of old Stavanger draped in white.