She was breathing hard now. ‘Nothing. Just… let’s just check the bothy and then you can take your car. I’m freezing my tits off here and I want to get back to the pub…’
She attempted a smile, but it was clear she was scared.
‘Oh my God, it was you,’ I said. ‘You sent those anonymous messages.’
‘What? No, of course it wasn’t.’
But she was obviously lying. She moved to open the car door, but I caught her arm.
‘Morag, please, if you know something about what happened to Samir, you can tell me. Did you see him here? With Zack?’
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘Morag …’
‘Shut up!’
Silence filled the car. All I could hear was her breathing. She had closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.
When she opened them again, she said, ‘You have to leave this alone. I didn’t see anything. I don’t know anything. Do you promise me you’re going to stop asking questions?’
‘No. I can’t.’
‘Because you want to make a fucking film about this kid?’
I was shocked by the direction this conversation had taken. But Morag was calmer now; no longer breathing like she was about to spiral into a panic attack.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I can’t stop you.’ A pause. ‘Let’s check the bothy, then we can both get out of here.’
Morag got out of the car, and I did the same. Snow landed on my face and hair. Morag had left the headlights on but, in the darkness with the snow coming down, it was still difficult to see.
‘You’ll find the key on a hook outside the bothy door,’ Morag said.
‘You’re not coming with me?’
‘I need a moment.’
‘I’ve upset you. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.’
She raised her voice. ‘Patrick, just leave it. I’ll be there in a second.’
‘Okay.’
I headed up the path towards the little stone building. Through the snow it was barely more than a shadow. I looked behind me, but it was as if Morag had vanished in the blizzard, like she’d slipped through a portal into another world.
Could I hear a voice? Was Morag talking to someone?
‘Morag?’ I called.
‘Hold on.’
Suddenly she was by my side. ‘Were you on the phone?’ I asked.
‘What? I think you’re hearing things.’ She strode on. ‘Come on, follow me.’
The air was so thick I couldn’t see more than six feet in front of me but, suddenly, there it was, right before us. It was a hut constructed of stone, with a chimney and a single window at the front. Behind it was another wall of rock, protecting it from the worst of the elements.
Morag seemed to take forever to get the key into the lock but, finally, there was a click and we pushed through the door into the dark interior.
