Page 73 of The High Island

‘Why would you think that?’ Jo demanded.

‘What the Mowats want, the Mowats get,’ he offered darkly, before heading off.

‘Maybe he’s right,’ she said to Ivan as they set off back the way they had come.

‘If the body proves not to be Kris, then I’d say it was him who came for Rachael at the hotel,’ Ivan told her in a determinedmanner. ‘And they’re hiding out somewhere. Or they’ve left Orkney altogether.’

‘We’re watching the ferries and the airport,’ Jo reminded him.

‘They could still get a boat to take them across the Pentland Firth on the quiet. They might both be in Scotland, or even south by now.’

Jo found herself wishing that were true, while at the same time thinking how easy it would be to bury their bodies somewhere on this empty island, where they might lie undiscovered, perhaps for ever.

‘Do you think Ivor knew or suspected Stella’s body was buried next to the croft house and that’s why he sold the land for the eco-house?’ she asked Ivan.

‘I’m beginning to think that,’ Ivan replied with a nod.

Otherwise the grave would never have been discovered, Jo thought, as she stared out at the emptiness. Hoy was the second largest island in the archipelago with a single road on one side only, and a population of just four hundred souls.

On reaching their accommodation, they were treated to mugs of tea and home baking by a Mrs Maggie Clouston. It was at this point Jo realized that their landlady was a distant relative ofPCTulloch on his mother’s side. What the relationship was exactly she didn’t ask, just listened to their chatter and tried to pick up the gist of what was being said.

The call from the boss had come on their way back from Lyness. She’d been dreading its arrival, aware as the time passed for the Scrabster ferry to arrive in Stromness that Gus Gowan was likely now in Kirkwall.

Her relief when she realized that Gus hadn’t exposed her lie by mentioning her in his initial conversation with the boss had swiftly faded as she acknowledged there was plenty of time yet for that to happen.

Unless she asked Gus not to?

That idea came and went, leaving a sickening feeling behind. On no account should she ask anything of her former lover, because he would undoubtedly use it against her.

At this moment she was stopped in her thoughts by Ivan’s voice asking if she was all right.

Noting both Ivan and her host observing her with concern, she shook her head in apology. ‘Sorry, I was miles away,’ she offered, before changing the subject. ‘Would it be okay if I had another scone?’

The topic of food was somethingPCTulloch knew and appreciated. The plate of scones was pushed in her direction.

Jo concentrated on adding the butter and jam, as Ivan and their landlady continued to discuss what had happened on Hoy and what Maggie’s thoughts were on the matter. As she tuned in again, Jo realized that nearly everyone she’d spoken to that morning bar one had echoed the story now being recited. All blame lay somehow with the Mowat clan. Ivor had kept them in check, but now he was gone it was a free-for-all. The younger bloods were the worst. Back in the day Ivor had ruled his sons with a rod of iron. Those sons hadn’t been so firm with their own offspring. This was the result, she was told.

Now Maggie was talking about Betty. ‘A bonny lass, she was a big favourite with Ivor. He was broken-hearted when she left Orkney.’

It seemed an apt moment to bring up Kris’s parentage, so Jo said, ‘Did Ivor know who Kris’s father was?’

Maggie shook her head. ‘There was a lot of speculation but no one really knew, except Betty, of course, and she chose not to say. She wasn’t seeing anyone local as far as I remember. It could have been one of the visitors to the island or one of the workers at Flotta. There were more of them back then. Anyway, whoever it was ruined that poor lass’s life. But,’ she said, meeting Jo’s eye, ‘Ivor found his great-grandson and that was a blessing . . . until now,’ she added, a catch in her throat.

Ivan came in then to assure her there was no forensic evidence as yet to prove that the body on the beach was Kris. With a quick glance at Jo, he added, ‘You mentioned that Hugh and his brothers don’t keep their sons on a tight rein the way Ivor did?’

‘Aye.’ She looked to Jo. ‘You’ll know that Max Mowat, Harald’s son, was up in court in Aberdeen recently on a drugs charge?’

Jo nodded, then waited, giving Maggie a chance to continue.

‘He got off, apparently, and is boasting about it to anyone who’ll listen. Harald, his father, needs to take him in hand. But maybe Harald’s involved? That club in Aberdeen they run. Who knows what goes on there?’

Ivan came in again. ‘Is there talk here of drugs coming into Longhope or Hoy?’ he said.

‘There’s drugs everywhere now. Used to be drink that was the big problem in Orkney. You only have to read the Sheriff Court pages inTheOrcadianto know it still is. But most of the time it’s drinkanddrugs. So the drugs are getting in for sure. Flotta’s not as busy as it once was with outsiders, but there’s still a lot of coming and going there.’

It seemed an apt time to mention Mr Maine, his telescope and the boy racers, so Jo did that.

‘I know Tom Maine,’ Maggie said. ‘He definitely didn’t want the eco-house built there to spoil his view, but he’s right about the boy racers.’