All the time he was speaking, Wendy was weeping loudly. ‘Who the hell woulddothis?’ she shouted through her tears. ‘Who?’
Ally, feeling very shaken herself, felt there was little she could say or do because Greg was so obviously dead and, only for a moment, wondered if there was any possibility that he could have accidentally tripped, fallen on the sharp edge of the rock and split his head open. Then she noticed the torn piece of paper beside Greg’s body which had probably fallen out of his hand or his pocket. Certain that it was probably just a shopping list or a receipt, she picked it up and shone the torch on it.
If you want me to keep your secret, you need to meet me…was written before the horizontal tear. Ally’s blood froze. What secret? Who was he supposed to meet? And where?
Ross was still on his phone, explaining where they were as best he could, and stressing the need for urgency. When he clicked his phone off, he took Ally gently aside, leaving Wendy to grieve over her husband’s body.
‘This doesn’t look like an accident to me,’ he said, keeping his voice low.
‘You mean that you think someone’s killed him?’ Ally asked, horrified.
‘I do,’ Ross confirmed. ‘But then, I’m no policeman.’
The moon was throwing a ghostly, pale light across the moor, almost like something out of a horror film, before sliding behind the clouds again, leaving them with only Ross’s torch to illuminate the eerie scene. The dogs, sensing something was wrong, sat down next to Ally.
‘Will the helicopter be able to land?’ Ally asked, looking around.
‘Yes, on that flat area beside the loch,’ Ross said, recalling a previous emergency. He looked at his watch. ‘They’re bound to be half an hour at least.’ He looked at Ally. ‘Let’s find a comfortable boulder to sit on.’ He shone the torch back at Wendy, who was sitting up but still weeping softly.
‘Who would do this?’ she asked over and over again. ‘Someonedid it! Someone killed my brother, and now they’ve killed my husband! Oh God!’ She was holding Greg’s limp hand as she spoke.
‘Try not to touch him too much,’ Ross suggested, ‘and for God’s sake don’t try to move him. The police will want to see the body exactly as we found it.’
‘But I’m hiswife!’ Wendy shouted. ‘Why the hell did we ever agree to come over here!’
The wind had got up now and was carrying her voice soulfully across the moors.
Ally found a little hillock and had sat down with her head between her knees to ward off the nausea that kept rising inher throat. Ross sat down next to her and took her hand in his.
‘So he’s been murdered,’ she said in little more than a whisper.
‘Almost certainly,’ Ross replied, squeezing her hand. ‘And there goes one of your chief suspects for Archie Armstrong’s murder!’
They heard the helicopter in the distance before they saw the flashing light in the sky, coming from the south. Ally and Ross made their way back towards the loch, leaving Wendy still weeping beside her husband’s body.
As the helicopter approached, its lights illuminated them and the ground, and it hovered for a few minutes before carefully landing. With the blades still rotating, the door opened and out rushed a small group of forensics and paramedics, armed with a stretcher. As if on cue, at the same time, a Land Rover came hurtling up the path, disgorging Amir Kandahar and a young constable.
‘Fortunately, we were in the village overnight,’ Amir said before heading towards the white-clad forensic group. They all looked around.
‘I found this close to his body,’ Ally said, handing the scrap of paper to Amir. ‘I think it’s important.’
Amir, who knew better by now than to dismiss anything Ally told him, took the note with a nod, slipping it into a small evidence bag and handing it to the young constable.
‘Follow us,’ Ross said, taking Ally’s hand and leading them towards the red flag that heralded the beginning of the runners’ route. The dogs romped ahead, and, as they walked, Ally told Amir briefly about Greg Watson going for a walk earlier, intending to meet them at the castle for the barbecue, and the three of them setting off to look for Gregwhen it became obvious that something had happened. Ross also explained about the fun run and that this was the route the runners would have taken.
‘Meaning that most of the suspects for Armstrong’s murder would also have been running along here?’ Amir asked.
‘I’m afraid so,’ Ross replied. Then, as the rays of his torch lit up the rock: ‘Over there…’
They all trundled across the heather towards the rock and the weeping Wendy, still holding Greg’s lifeless hand.
‘I’m sorry, Mrs Watson, but I must ask you to move away, please.’ Amir spoke gently, laying his hand on her arm.
‘But he’s myhusband!’ she shouted.
‘I know.’ Amir’s voice was calm. ‘But we need to examine him before we move him.’
Ally moved across and took Wendy’s arm. ‘Come and sit with us over there.’ She motioned towards the little hillock where they’d sat earlier. She found a couple of tissues in her pocket and handed them to Wendy who, very unwillingly, allowed herself to be helped to her feet.
