Page 101 of The High Island

‘It’s safer for him if I don’t,’ Jo said, recalling Liz’s last words before she’d left.

‘So if it wasn’t the boss calling, who was it?’ Ivan said.

‘Ethan Howie,’ she told him.

Ivan looked intrigued. ‘Maybe he’s got some news on the missing couple,’ he suggested. ‘Or perhaps on the whereabouts of Harald or Max Mowat, who’ve apparently goneAWOL.’

He checked his watch. ‘I’ll take you to the ferry, then come back to await Mr Jason Mowat’s arrival.’

He dropped her at the visitor centre, where she took shelter from the stiff breeze and occasional shower of rain. Installed inside, she made the return call.

Ethan answered on the second ring. ‘Thanks for getting back to me,’ he said, before asking where she was.

‘In the waiting room at Lyness,’ she told him.

‘Are you coming or going?’

‘Heading back to Houton.’

‘I’m close by. Can we talk? It’s about last night in Kirkwall,’ he added.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Although I’m under orders to catch the next ferry and it’s due now.’

‘Then I’ll head over with you,’ he said. ‘And we can talk on the way.’

He arrived as the ferry docked, climbing out of his car, wearing the bright oilskin and knitted hat as though he’d just come off duty. Greeting her with a nod, he suggested they talk once on board.

After he’d stowed the car, they headed to the lounge, with Ethanbeing acknowledged en route by his fellow ferrymen. She too was observed, and Jo wondered how many of the crew knew she was a police officer, despite the lack of uniform.

She assumed they all did, since she’d been back and forth to Hoy often enough now.

Seated together in a corner, he removed the woolly hat to expose the thick head of black hair, beneath which the blue eyes were fastened on her.

‘Well,’ she said to sever the intense look. ‘What did you want to report about last night?’

‘The body in the harbour. It was young Eilidh Mowat, wasn’t it?’ he said in an undertone.

She wasn’t sure if that had been officially announced as yet, but saw no reason to prevaricate. ‘It was,’ she told him.

A look of pain crossed his face. ‘Jesus. The lass was only sixteen.’

‘You said you had something to tell me,’ she reminded him.

‘I needed to be sure the rumours flying around were right first, though when I got wind that you’d come back to Hoy, I thought they likely were.’

She studied him closely for a moment. ‘You heard I was picked up byPCTulloch and taken to Liz Mowat’s house?’

He gave a wry smile. ‘I did.’

She kept her tone brisk. ‘So what is it you wish to tell me?’

‘It’s about Eilidh,’ he said quietly.

‘Did you know Eilidh personally?’

‘I do. I did,’ he said, pain in his voice.

‘How did you know her?’ Jo found herself asking.