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Rhona
Rhona sat on her bed, running her palms up and down her jeans. Why the hell had she arranged to meet Calum Matheson? What moment of craziness had seized her? If she’d been sober, she’d never have sent that stupid email. But the dig. Yes, the dig…
‘Argh!’ She jumped up and held her hand to her forehead. She’d agreed to meet him at the land because she could walk there. If she went to his office at Tobermory, she’d need a lift. How could she hide what she was doing from her parents?
Instead, she’d planned to meet a potentially violent man at a deserted country place.What kind of idiot am I?It was Crete all over again. She’d met Annike and they’d house shared. Rhona had helped her out, been kind, friendly and open. What was wrong with that? Wasn’t that what people did? But look what had happened. She always tried to assume the best in people. Marcus was a prime example. ‘Oh god.’ She clutched her face. When would she learn?
Her parents were intelligent; they held the grudge against Calum for a reason. Rhona had seen the damage Calum had done to Arran. She bolted downstairs and pulled open a kitchen drawer. Her fingers closed around the handle of a steak knife. Just in case? No. But her pick would work. It wouldn’t be odd to have that with her. She riffled through her backpack on the shelf near the front door and found it. Should she? She sucked her lip for a moment, then stowed the pick in her bag.
Cloudy grey skies loomed overhead and a smir of rain lingered in the air. Rhona nipped into the garden and crossed the lawn towards her mum’s studio, craning her neck towards the shore. The tide was out and so low the sandbank spread almost to the other side of the firth with only a narrow channel of sea. ‘Hey, Mum.’
‘Do you need a lift somewhere? Dad’s still out and I’m a bit busy.’ She held out her paint-covered hands.
‘No, it’s ok. I’m going for a walk. I’m heading towards Kilnarkie. If I’m longer than an hour, send a search party.’ She kept her tone airybut please, Mum, remember.
‘It’s a bit of a murky day for a walk.’ Judy examined her easel. ‘So don’t be too long.’
‘Just a short one.’I hope.Rhona shut the studio door and pulled up the hood of her purple waterproof. Her hefty boots clumped along the road and she kept her head bowed as the rain drove into her face. Her ears pricked for the sound of an engine. Only one road ran in and out. Calum would have to use this way too.
She climbed the gate and strode up the path. The tide was rolling in and waves rushed mournfully against the shore, now some distance away, over the grassy plain. A gull called from high above and Rhona hurried on. She’d crested the hill and was hotfooting it down the almost invisible path when the low grumbling of a car broke the hush. This was it, surely. It had to be Calum. The few scattered holiday cottages were the only nearby habitation.Help.They were well out of shouting distance. Rhona slipped her fingers into her bag and found the handle of her pick. She clung to it, ready to whip it out, holding her breath. A dark grey 4X4 came into view. Would he rush by and ignore her?
It slowed and the window came down. Rhona’s pulse quadrupled and she edged out the pick. Calum leaned towards the passenger window. ‘Do you want a lift?’
‘Oh… I, er…’What now?Did she get in the car with him? Her heart was drumming like rain on a tin roof. Could he hear it too? ‘I’m nearly there.’
‘Suit yourself.’ He shrugged and pushed the button to close the window. ‘You just look a bit wet.’
‘Well, ok, thanks.’ She had the pick. If he made any sharp moves, she could clobber him over the head with it. Pulling open the door, she jumped in. Her hand trembled as she fumbled for the seatbelt. Did she even need it? It was only a short way over rough ground and she didn’t want to let go of the pick handle. What if he did something now?
She edged close to the window, keeping him in her sightline as she clicked the belt. If he made the slightest move, she was ready. He pulled off, rolling the car over the undulating ground.
A deafening ring split the silence and Rhona leapt, bashing her head on the glass.
‘Are you ok?’ Calum eyed her. The ringing continued.
‘Yeah, fine.’ Rhona rubbed her temple, keeping one hand firmly on her pick. ‘I got a shock. That’s loud.’
‘I should take it.’ Gruline Property displayed on the handsfree screen. Calum grimaced, then jabbed at a button on the dash. ‘Hello.’
‘Hi.’ A man’s voice crackled around the car. ‘We’re still having trouble with the rats. I saw another one at the bins today.’
Calum drummed a steady beat on the wheel with two fingers. ‘I’ve called pest control. They’ll be out within the week.’
‘When exactly?’
‘I don’t have an exact date. It’s not like they can nip out in a day.’
Rhona silently nodded. Yup. Island life.
‘It’s not good enough,’ the man said. ‘We should get a reduction in rent for the inconvenience.’
Calum’s jaw went rigid, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. Rhona backed against the window. Was he going to blow a fuse? She fumbled for the door handle. Calum’s eyes dulled and his shoulders slumped. An uncomfortable sensation flickered in Rhona’s chest. She clenched her fists, fighting an urge to reach out to him. What a drain it must be to have people moaning all the time.
‘I can’t do that.’ His tone was calm but firm. ‘Your rent is already very reasonable for that size of house—’
‘But it’s falling apart. I don’t need to remind you about the chimney, do I?’
‘No, but that was last year and it’s been fixed and you were fully compensated for that. This is a separate issue completely.’ He side-eyed Rhona. She blinked and looked at her bag, absently fingering the handle of her pick.Awkward. Calum cleared his throat. ‘I can’t give you a reduction in rent for every inconvenience. It’s a house in the countryside, there will be rats from time to time, it doesn’t—’
