Page 121 of The High Island

‘I do,’ she admitted.

‘Right, back in five or ten, depending if Mackie’s up for a chat,’ he told her.

Jo let out the breath she wasn’t aware she’d been holding. Somehow Ethan’s presence here had helped ease her own fear of what was about to happen. Rising, she made her decision and began towards the desk to ask about Rachael.

But a voice stopped her. Froze her in her tracks.

Turning, she saw him, almost as close now as he had been in the boss’s office. Why was he here? She knew the answer before she’d asked herself the question.

He was here for her.

‘Don’t come near me,’ she said, keeping her voice low.

‘We need to talk,’ he said. ‘Outsidenow.’

She considered what might happen if she disobeyed his order. They were both police officers. If they were to have an argument here . . .

That can’t happen, she thought.

‘Okay,’ she said quietly.

It was raining. Just a smirr, touching her face like damp thistledown. Below her skin, the blood rushed round her body, willing her to run, escape before things got worse.

Because they would.

She didn’t meet his eye but waited, heart thumping, for what he had to say. Giving him this chance might defuse his anger and she could walk away.

His voice when it emerged from his stone-like face was a hiss of fury. Fury that had, she knew, been smouldering since he’d first arrived here in Orkney. Ready to see her. Something she’d managed to avoid, withDIFlett’s help, until she’d taken his seat at the monitor to examine the diary entry. That’s when Erling had sensed by her reaction why she’d been lying about knowingDSGowan.

If only Erling were here now.

The words spewing from Gus’s mouth were all the ones she’d heard before. That she’d murdered his child. Ruined his life. She wasn’t a police officer, but a baby killer. She should be in prison for what she’d done.

Impulse strove to make her fight back with words. Or walk away.But if she did either of those things, his response would be swift and probably painful.

As she made her decision with a decided ‘No!’, his hand grabbed her arm, twisting it until she had to smother her pain against his chest.

‘Get off her!’

Even as he shouted the order, she saw Ethan reach out to grab Gus’s arm.

‘I’m a police officer,’ Gus said in a menacing tone.

‘So is Jo.’ Ethan’s tone was equally forceful.

As Gus’s hold lessened, Jo shook herself free and stood back, conscious that she had to defuse the situation in case Ethan decided to punch Gus and find himself on the wrong side of the law, despite the circumstances.

Moving to take Ethan’s arm, she turned and walked him back to the hospital entrance, feeling Gus’s vengeful eyes on both their backs.

Once inside, she turned to look and found Gus gone.

‘What the hell was that all about?’ Ethan was searching her face, looking for an answer.

Jo found herself saying the words, quietly but definitely aloud.

‘We were together back in Caithness. I got pregnant and had an abortion, because he was . . .’ She tailed off, aware she’d almost made the accusation she’d avoided until now.

‘Violent towards you,’ Ethan finished for her.