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‘About two clicks?’
Max paused, unsure whether to reprimand Barney or admire his ingenuity. ‘Barney, you’re gonna get us all in the shit. Stay out of it, please.’
‘Max, Max, don’t worry about it, mate. Just doing a bit of camping in’t van. Barbie’s on right now for a bacon butty, come and join me?’
‘It’s close to bloody freezing.’
‘Aye, hence the barbie. I’m fine, and warm. Heating runs on gas, mate, don’t fret.’
‘Haven’t you got anything better to do than this?’
‘Not really, but I do have my new toy to play with.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Best don’t ask, pal. Any road, just thought I’d keep you in the loop. I’ll monitor the radio, see ya.’ The phone went dead.
Max rubbed his temples with his fingers, a sense of dread beginning to rise. Something was going to go wrong; he could just feel it. Something always went wrong whenever the Hardies were involved.
He looked at his phone again, and went to the contact marked ‘BF’ and dialled. Nothing happened. No ring tone, no automated message, nothing. Just silence. Max frowned, the anxious twinge he’d been feeling for some time worsening. He took a deep breath, shrugged and tucked the phone away, staring out across the long, sweeping lawn and onto the wide expanse of the Firth of Forth that stretched away in front of the cottage. He sighed again, trying to force away the gnawing feeling of doubt. Nutmeg whined and moved closer, nudging his hand with her nose. Max responded by tickling the little dog’s ears, and her tail started thrashing. ‘Good girl,’ he murmured, before picking up a small stub of wood, and throwing it as hard as he could. Nutmeg’s ears pricked and she raced off after the missile, with a delighted bark. Max picked up his axe and set at the pile of logs with vigour. As always, hard, physical labour helped, and he began to feel better. Not all better. Just a bit better.
21
DAVIE, LEO HAMILTONand DS Maxwell were all sitting in the marine unit’s liveried Toyota Hilux, which had arrived towing a black RIB on a trailer. It looked powerful and sleek with beefy-looking outboard motors at the rear. It had taken a couple of hours for them to get set up, get the boat into the water and get a couple of officers ready to enter the frigid waters of the loch.
Since their arrival, the loch had gone from being quiet, peaceful and deserted to a hive of activity. Various vehicles drove up, generators were started, and control vehicles established. The thrum of the generators was now competing with the whooshing of the nearby wind turbines.
‘Looks like they’re ready to go in. Are you gonna give them the final pointer, Davie?’ said Maxwell.
‘Aye, whenever they’re ready. She’s there waiting for you guys to find her,’ said Davie from the backseat, where he was still shackled to Maxwell.
A uniformed sergeant walked up to the vehicle and opened the back door. He was a solidly built balding man, with a wide smile and crooked teeth.
‘Okay, the RIB’s in the water, you ready, man?’ he said in a broad Glasgow drawl.
‘I’m ready,’ said Davie.
‘Okay, tell us where, and we’ll send the RIB out, and you just direct us in,’ said the sergeant.
‘Right, a hundred metres from the trees, towards the centre of the loch. Set your boys running, and I’ll shout when you hit the spot, although I only ever saw this on video, you understand?’
‘Aye, well. Whatever.’ The sergeant lifted his radio and repeated Davie’s instructions, shaking his head, the distaste for the convict evident in his face.
The engine notes of the RIB’s powerful motors picked up, and the craft carved through the glassy surface at a slow speed, the two divers sitting at the sides, with a coxswain at the rear.
‘A little to the left,’ said Davie. The sergeant relayed this by the radio.
The craft adjusted its course slightly, maintaining a slow and steady speed.
‘Another thirty metres,’ said Davie, quietly.
‘Thirty metres,’ relayed the sergeant.
‘There, stop there,’ said Davie, his face a mask of total concentration.
‘Stop there,’ radioed the sergeant.
Davie looked at the RIB, stationary on the calm surface, bobbing gently side to side. ‘That’s it. That’s where she is.’
