Page 115 of The High Island

As to what the family had done by their secret burial of William’s former lover and child in an unmarked grave . . . had it been shame on their part? Or a need to protect the young Ivor from the pain of everyone in the community knowing the part he had played in her demise?

‘I wondered if Ivor told Hugh who Stella was and how she’d died,’ Jo said.

Erling was wondering that too. ‘Hugh did offer his ownDNAto check if the child was part of the Mowat family,’ Erling said. ‘I think he’ll stand by that.’

Changing the subject, he suggested Jo should go home now as he’d like her to head up the Cava search team tomorrow.

‘Ethan Howie knows the island better than I do, sir.PCTulloch probably too,’ she said.

‘But you do want to go?’ he checked.

She did.

‘Okay, speak to Ethan, tell him the plan. Ask if he’d like to bring theAngelover to Cava and help us with the search. I’ll let Constable Tulloch know.’

‘I could return to Hoy tonight, sir?’ Jo said. ‘Liaise along with Constable Tulloch from there.’

Noting her tone, Erling thought she might be keen to avoid any further close proximity toDSGowan. He didn’t ask if that was true.

‘That’ll put you nearer to the search location, along with Tulloch and Ethan. I’ll send the patrol launch from here.’

Her face brightened at this. ‘Right, sir. I’ll head for Houton right away.’

When she’d departed, Erling decided it was time he gave Magnus a call.

‘What about coming in by Seaview on your way home?’ Magnus said when he told him he had news of Stella. ‘I’ve some photographs I think might be her, you can take a look at them.’

Magnus didn’t mention Eilidh Mowat’s death, although he would be aware of it already.

‘I’ll be there in half an hour,’ Erling told him.

‘Just in time to eat,’ Magnus said in a tone that brooked no argument.

It was the mention of food that reminded Erling of how little he’d eaten that day. Which led him to think about Rory’s disappearance. And then the police diver’s report that they’d had a tip-off from someone they thought to be a professional diver with a Scouse accent.

Might that have been Rory? Had he discovered something on his solo dive near Cava? Since he wasn’t answering his texts, Erling wasn’t able to ask, but something told him he was right.

Exiting the station, Erling headed for his vehicle. Passing the Balfour on his way out of Kirkwall, he briefly contemplated calling in to check on Mackie, then decided against it. He’d organized achangeover for the constable on guard duty and the report at the time was that Mackie was now sleeping comfortably.

Maybe because Mackie believed he’d successfully delivered the message about Kalfey to Jo, he thought.

The evening was soft, the seemingly inevitable wind of Orkney taking a rest. He tried to empty his mind of the day’s proceedings and enjoy the scenery. Opening the window a little, he took a deep breath of the salt air.

Now surrounded by the green of new grass and the grazing kye, his mind moved to Home Farm and his father, remembering that evening not so long ago when they’d sat and talked about Ivor and his family.

So much had happened in the interim and Tommy would know about Eilidh Mowat’s death by now and be wondering how such a terrible thing could have happened here in Orkney. He would, of course, never call Erling to ask. Waiting always for his son to decide what to tell him.

As it had ever been.

He would visit as soon as the current case was over, Erling promised himself. Maybe it was also time to take Rory down to the farm with him.

That thought lingered long enough for him to imagine Rory in the farm kitchen, talking to his father, each trying to understand the other’s accent, before he questioned if Rory might ever be inhiskitchen again, never mind his father’s.

Turning now towards Houton, he noted a police vehicle in the car park, confirming thatDSGreen had caught the ferry. Spotting the boat already heading for Lyness, he found himself relieved that Jo was again putting Scapa Flow between herself andDSAngus Gowan.

57

Jo watched as Houton retreated and Lyness crept ever closer. Dusk had come to claim the sky, reminding her what a long day it had been. Long and too full of darkness and, in some instances, fear.