Page 51 of The High Island

‘I’ll speak to Hugh,’ Erling said. ‘Although, if he doesn’t want the family connection to Kris confirmed, I suspect he’ll not hand over Ivor’s things willingly.’

‘Unless we open an investigation into Ivor’s death?’ Jo said quietly. ‘Then we could check out the contents of his box.’

She watched as Erling considered this, and not, she thought, for the first time.

‘The Hoy victim must take priority for now,’ he said. ‘If the body does in fact prove to be that of Kris Mowat, Hugh will have to turn over anything he has belonging to Ivor, plus we examine the contents of the box.’

When he checked her reaction to this, she gave a firm ‘Okay, boss.’

Erling continued. ‘I’ve spoken to Willie Halcro and he’s offered the Longhope fire station to use as an incident room. There’s alsoaccommodation available for yourself and Ivan Tulloch at a nearby B&B on Hoy. I’ll travel back and forth as required,’ he added.

The reaction she had on hearing this news must have shown on her face, because Erling immediately asked if she was okay with staying out on Hoy.

‘Of course,’ Jo said, hoping that being marooned on Hoy meant she might avoid Gus Gowan.

‘Good. I’ve also requested reinforcements,’ Erling continued. ‘Detective Sergeant Angus Gowan has answered the call, and he’s coming over on the ferry from Scrabster first thing tomorrow morning.’

Did that mean Gus had actually volunteered to come to Orkney? Jo found herself freaked out by such a thought.

‘I’ve just remembered,’ she said swiftly. ‘There was a call to sayDSGowan couldn’t make the early Stromness ferry, but would arrive on the lunchtime one.’

Erling looked briefly put out by that. ‘I had hoped to introduce him to the full team before you head for Hoy. No matter. I suggest you and Tulloch catch the first ferry to Longhope and start interviewing the locals regarding the fire and the body found at Lyrawa Bay.’

This time Jo managed to hide the relief she experienced at Erling’s order, and went in search of Ivan Tulloch.

On the way, she contemplated how much she liked the young officer from Sanday. Ruddy-cheeked with a wide smile, he had an easy way with folk and appeared to be well known far and wide. If you wanted to find out what was happening anywhere in the islands, Ivan was the man to speak to.

Now seated together in the canteen, she relayed Erling’s orders about their trip.

‘So we don’t get to meet the new bloke from Caithness,’ he said.‘That’s a shame.’ He checked her expression. ‘Maybe you know him already? Seeing as you worked over that way before moving to Orkney,’ he added, an expectant look on his face.

This is where the lying begins, Jo thought, even as she tried to choose her words. Eventually, she said, ‘The name sounds familiar, but I can’t put a face to it as yet,’ while thinking,and I don’t want to.

‘He’ll likely still be here when we finish on Hoy,’ Ivan offered by way of appeasement.

She managed a half-smile at that, while praying fervently that he would not. Seeing Gus again might plunge her back into the pit she’d finally climbed out of by coming here.

Having sorted out the arrangements for the next day, Jo decided she should check in with Rachael. Ask how she was after the events of the morning. In truth, she felt an affinity with the young woman in her present circumstances. And hearing the news surrounding the will, was both pleased for Kris’s obvious support for Rachael and his unborn child, while also fearful for Kris’s welfare and for Rachael’s.

When her call rang out unanswered, eventually switching to voicemail, Jo left a message, urging Rachael to get in touch and offering to come through to Stromness tonight if she needed someone to talk to about today’s developments.

23

Despite all that had happened since his five o’clock rise, Erling had the feeling that the day had run away from him. The afternoon certainly had.

Having missed out on lunch, due to the shenanigans at Balfour Legal Services, hunger drove him to seek out a coffee and sandwich, which he duly took back to his office. There he mentally listed the calls he still had to make. Including checking in with Colin atUHI, as much out of courtesy as to enquire if he’d had anything back about the mother and child at Lyrawa.

Although fairly certain Stella and wee William had died too long ago to become a live murder investigation, he couldn’t shake off the notion that Ivor, the croft house land and the current Mowat feud were all somehow connected.

Often the older people became, the more intense their desire to right past wrongs or deal with perceived slights. Ivor Mowat had begun distancing himself from his family by moving into a care home on Mainland, where he seemingly didn’t relish family visits, even from his eldest son, Hugh, if Cathy and Elspeth were correct.

He had then instigated trouble by secretly selling off the former family croft to someone with war links to Hoy. Apparently approaching Richard Webber Maitland directly after reading a piece written by him inTheOrcadian.

According to Auld Mackie, Ivor had had a schoolboy crush on Stella and one of his older brothers had likely gone out with her. The fact the dead child’s name was William suggested which of his brothers that may have been.

How much had Ivor known about the supposed Stella, his brother and her child? Was the discovery of the two bodies a surprise, or had Ivor always known or suspected what the digger would find? If so, when had Ivor learned of the burial of mother and son? Back when it happened? Or more recently?

Auld Mackie had been keen to talk about Stella, but was what he’d said merely imagined rather than factual? With no one left alive to confirm or deny Mackie’s tale, Erling couldn’t be sure. At this point he made a mental note to talk to Tommy again about Sandy. Might Tommy recall anything else his own father had said about Ivor and his brothers on Hoy?