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stood back reluctantly.
    Hamish walked into the kitchen and took off his cap. ‘Sit down, Bella,’ he said.
    ‘What’s this all about?’
    ‘It iss about your police record,’ said Hamish, his accent becoming more sibilant with worry.
    ‘That was a long time ago,’ she said defiantly. ‘And on both occasions I was provoked.’
    Hamish took a deep breath. ‘Have you been battering your husband?’
    ‘What!’ she shrieked. ‘A wee thing like me wi’ a big man like that!’
    ‘It does happen.’
    ‘No, I told you the truth. He’s the bully.’
    ‘There’s a freshly dug patch in the ground outside. Who dug it?’
    ‘Me. I was going to put in some flowers.’
    ‘So you won’t mind if I take a spade and have a look.’
    Bella’s face hardened. ‘You’ll need a search warrant.’
    ‘Oh, I’ll get one. But in order to get one, I’ll need to report your criminal record, and it won’t just be me but the top brass from Strathbane who’ll question you,
and a forensic team will be going over your house.’
    ‘Oh, dig it up, then,’ she snarled. ‘The spade’s by the kitchen door.’
    Hamish went to the door and seized the spade. He went out into the bright sunlight. He began to dig in the freshly turned earth. Only about two feet below the surface, he uncovered a dead
collie. He picked out the body and laid it on the turf. It had died recently – been killed, for its head had been smashed in. He sat back on his heels, feeling sick.
    He turned his head. Bella was standing by the kitchen door. ‘You did this,’ he said flatly.
    ‘Sean did it,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want you to know.’
    Hamish rose and went to the Land Rover, called Strathbane, and spoke rapidly. Then he returned and stood guard over the dead dog. ‘You interfering bastard,’ hissed Bella, her face
now ugly with rage. ‘I tell you, he walked out and said he wasn’t coming back.’
    ‘You will be asked by police from Strathbane, who will be here soon, to go with them to police headquarters for questioning.’
    ‘I thought you were the policeman here,’ she jeered.
    ‘Not when it iss a question o’ murder,’ said Hamish quietly.
    After Bella had been taken away, he returned to the police station to type out his report. Then once he had finished, he leant back in his chair. What if Sean had really run
off because he was frightened of her? He would need money. Hamish put on his cap and went out and walked along to the bank and asked to see the manager, Mr MacCallum.
    ‘It’s about Sean Comyn,’ said Hamish. ‘He’s gone missing, feared dead. But has he drawn out any money recently?’
    ‘I should not be discussing a customer’s account. That’s confidential.’
    ‘A possible murder does not keep anything confidential.’
    ‘I suppose if I don’t help you, you’ll get a warrant.’ The bank manager switched on the computer on his desk. Hamish waited patiently while he typed in various codes.
‘Ah, here we are,’ said Mr MacCallum. ‘Sean Comyn made out a cheque to Queen and Barrie, estate agents in Strathbane.’
    ‘When?’
    ‘Yesterday.’
    ‘Anything else?’
    ‘Two hundred pounds out of a cash machine in Strathbane the same day.’
    ‘Well, it looks as if the man is still alive, thank God.’
    Hamish went back to the police station and dialled the estate agents. He explained the police were trying to contact a Sean Comyn.
    ‘We rented him a cottage. He wanted somewhere cheap. We got him a place in Stoyre.’
    ‘Address?’
    ‘Number six, the waterfront.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Stoyre again, thought Hamish as he drove off, leaving behind a sulky Lugs.
    When he descended into the huddle of houses which made up the tiny village of Stoyre, he was relieved to see people moving about and men working at the nets. Elspeth and her
fears! He parked outside the pub and walked along the waterfront to number 6. It had been a fisherman’s cottage and had a run-down appearance, unlike its neighbours. He knocked on