Page 32 of The High Island

‘The names of the witnesses?’ Erling requested.

There was the sound of papers being rustled, before Eddie cameback with, ‘Cathy McCue and Elspeth Crawford, both of Kirkwall. I can email their contact details, although if you call in at St Magnus House . . .’

‘I plan to do that,’ Erling said and, thanking Eddie, rang off.

At that moment, the door opened and hisDSlooked in. ‘That’s the call gone out on social media for any sightings of Kris Mowat, together with his photograph,’ she told him.

‘Good.’ Erling rose from his desk. ‘I’m heading to the care home to speak to two assistants who are witnesses to Ivor Mowat’s will.’

‘D’you want me to come with you?’ Jo immediately said.

‘Is everything okay here?’ he checked.

‘It is,’ she assured him.

‘Then, yes. Come with me.’ Erling didn’t say why, because he didn’t have to. Jo chatting to two female staff at the care home seemed a no-brainer. Just as it had been with Rachael.

However, his plan was soon thwarted. As they attempted to make their exit, they were presented with the arrival of Maitland and his partner in the station car park. Noting their expressions, Erling suggested Jo should head to the care home and find out what she could about Ivor’s time there. ‘I’ll join you after I’ve spoken to Maitland,’ he promised.

Erling registered the obvious relief on Maitland’s face when he realized the man he’d come to see wasn’t about to leave, but instead was waiting to speak to him.

Since he’d arrived in Orkney, Richard Webber Maitland had learned of Ivor Mowat’s sudden death, followed by the remains of a mother and child being discovered on what he believed to be the land he’d just bought from Ivor. Then, not only had work on the foundations of his new eco-home been halted by the exhumation, the location had subsequently been the site of a wildfire the previous evening.

Erling couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the man’s predicament.

As for Bethany Barrett, even her carefully made-up face couldn’t hide her real feelings on the matter, which Erling read as fury.

Inviting them into his office, he offered them each a seat and then the possibility of coffee or tea. The seats were accepted. Not so the refreshments.

‘The fire last night on Hoy—’ Maitland began.

‘Was caused by an arson attack,’ Erling finished for him. ‘Fire Master Willie Halcro of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service believes the digger belonging to Ian MacDougal was set alight on purpose, and from there the blaze spread up the hill. I visited the scene this morning and spoke with Willie. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the digger is a write-off, and they’re still dealing with dead wildlife and areas of underlying smouldering peat.’

Maitland was looking back at him, open-mouthed. ‘But why would someone set the digger on fire?’ he asked.

‘Because they don’t want you building there,’ the woman immediately intervened. ‘I told you this whole thing was a bad idea from the start.’

Maitland ignored her and, looking directly at Erling, said, ‘Is that true, Inspector? Do the locals not want me to build a house on that spot?’

Erling searched for the right words. ‘I don’t believe it’s about you in particular,’ he said. ‘But it is beginning to look like someone doesn’t want work to proceed at the old Mowat place.’

Maitland appeared to consider this, before saying, ‘Hugh Mowat has been in touch. I understand he is Ivor’s eldest child. He maintains that his father was not of sound mind when he approached me with regard to buying the property from him.’

So Hugh had done what he’d threatened to do. Erling found himself unsurprised by this. At the end of the day, this was a familyfeud, which would more than likely play out in court. The legality of who sold what and when was a civil matter, and not a police one. Which meant it wasn’t his mess to sort out.

However, he reminded himself, there was still the issue of the missing Kris Mowat and, of course, the crime of fire-raising, which were definitely his domain. Plus the identity of the woman and child buried at the old Mowat homestead above Lyrawa Bay, whose ownership was currently in dispute.

Again, he couldn’t help but wonder if the existence of the grave there lay at the heart of the current problem.

Coming to the end of that train of thought, he noted that both Maitland and Ms Barrett were waiting for what he might yet have to say. So he obliged.

‘Ivor Mowat’s will is being read tomorrow morning at eleven o’clock. Perhaps that can throw some light on the proceedings. Or his family will decide to dispute it, along with the sale of the land to you.’

Maitland’s face, Erling thought, could fall no further. As for Ms Barrett, he read her as determined to leave Orkney as soon as possible, with or without her partner.

15

The care home had a fine view over Scapa Flow. As Erling approached, he imagined himself ending his days in a place like this. Just as Ivor Mowat had.