Corstorphine looked through the papers scattered on the study floor whilst he waited for the rest of the team to arrive on site. There was nothing unusual, nothing incriminating. On an impulse he phoned the Sheriff Court in Inverness, checking when the sheriff was next expected to sit there. Thursday morning, came the disinterested response. He started to relax, allowing the sense of urgency that had overtaken him to dissipate. The laird had probably gone off somewhere for a few days and taken his dogs with him. It was likely that John Ackerman had taken advantage of finding the house deserted to get his own back and steal some of the family silver. Stupid bugger never even saw the security cameras, Corstorphine thought to himself. Strange the alarm didn’t go off. With that thought uppermost in his mind he checked the alarm system and the worry returned – it hadn’t been set. That could only mean that the laird had only been expecting to be out for a few hours or had forgotten to set the alarm.

A blue strobe flashing through the downstairs windows attracted his attention and he opened the front door to greet Frankie and PC Lamb. “There’s been a break-in. He got in by breaking the ground floor window around the side. We need to dust the glass and frame for prints, although the silly bastard shows up on the CCTV.”

“Anyone we know, sir?” Frankie’s question was straight to the point as always.

“Our friend, John Ackerman. Looks like he’s made off with something that he can readily exchange for cash. We’ll pick him up once we’re done here. There’s also some blood on the study door handle. Get a swab for DNA and remember to photograph everything.” He turned his attention to the young PC. “Lamb, have a look around outside, see if there’s any sign of a struggle, anything out of the ordinary.”

PC Lamb turned neatly on his heel. “Sir! Right away, sir.”

“And Lamb,” Corstorphine called to the departing constable’s back. “See if you can identify another set of tyre tracks outside the wall. Ackerman didn’t walk here but his vehicle doesn’t show up on the camera covering the courtyard. Looks like he parked outside the wall somewhere.”

“You think there’s been some dodgy business with the laird, sir?” Frankie asked as she carefully collected the blood sample off the study door handle.

“I don’t think so. Ackerman may be stupid but he’s not going to kidnap a sheriff. No, I expect he’s taken himself off for a few days somewhere. He’s expected in court tomorrow morning, I think we’re best to wait until then before going all out on a missing person search.”

“What about Margo? Should we ask her if she’s seen him the last couple of days?”