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Finn did.
Tam McReady moved off towards the distant lighthouse. He'd hike back with the equipment, and in some small way, that would be his self-imposed penance for not being able to save Ivar Ward two nights before.
The wind grew colder, biting into Finn's skin as he descended to the dock where Amelia awaited. He could see concern etched on her face, a deep furrow forming on her brow far below. She looked at him questioningly.
“Who was the watcher?” Amelia asked.
“An old lighthouse keeper,” Finn said. “He was the one who found the body. He's away to get some cutting tools for us.”
“That would be handy,” one of the other officers said. "I don't fancy having to go back and forward to the mainland today. We'd make it across, and I hope to later on, but the weather is going to turn again and I wouldn't like to be coming back here at night."
They stood there on the dock waiting. And in that waiting, Finn found himself looking across the miles of sea towards the mainland of Scotland. It was like the shadow of a giant lying down in the heart of a storm. Somewhere, hundreds of miles to the South, England lay, and then much further, London.
Finn wondered what Demi was doing right now. Was she still at the hotel? Was she worried about him? Was she really telling the truth about the affair being a lie?
“Are you okay?” Amelia asked, dragging him out of his daze.
“Yeah,” Finn said. “I'm fine.
“It's just you seem a bit preoccupied,” Amelia asked.
Finn shook his head. “I'm not, it's fine.”
“Is it the case back in the US? Have they set another court date yet?” A sea breeze moved over them, casting Amelia's hair around, her red locks wild and beautiful all at once.
“The case?” Finn asked. He had been so preoccupied with Demi, his ex, that he hadn't been thinking about it. “Eh... Yeah... I don't know what's happening with that yet. They postponed it when I got shot, but now I'm back on a case, I assume they'll get wind of that and speed things up. To be honest, I just want it over with.”
Amelia nodded. “I still can't believe they are blaming you for the damage to that building, you saved the hostage.”
“I know,” Finn said. “Sometimes, I think someone is after me. But then I realize, it's just my luck. It's always been like that. And... Sometimes it's of my own making.”
“Don't be too hard on yourself,” Amelia said. “Life's too short for that.” She cast her eyes down towards the far end of the dock, where the body was still chained beneath.
Finn did, too. He had to get himself back on track. “We've got to get Ivar out of that water. It's a sin what's been done to him.”
They then stood there for what seemed an age. Staring out at the ocean surrounding Huldra island, the vast sea ready to release its violence at any moment.
Finally, Amelia turned as though to say something important to Finn, but before she could speak, their attention was diverted to the sound of heavy footsteps. McReady emerged, carrying with him an assortment of heavy-duty cutting tools.
"I hope this works, if it doesn't..." Amelia whispered to Finn.
"It will," Finn replied, taking a deep breath. "Let's get this over with."
“Here you go, Laddie,” McReady said, handing over a petrol-powered buzz saw in one hand and a massive pair of bolt cutters in the other.
“Thanks, Mr McReady. But you don't need to see this.”
The older man looked for a moment as if debating with himself. “I'll be up on the cliffs again, just hand the tools up tae me when yer done.”
“Thank you,” Finn said, turning towards what needed to be done.
He walked along the metal barred dock and then approached its edge, eyes fixed on the trapped body. Dread washed over him as Finn removed his coat, handing it to Amelia. The cold sea air made him shiver, but he was undeterred.
"You don't have to do this," Amelia told him, her voice filled with a mix of concern and admiration.
Finn glanced at the body, his resolve hardening. "No one should end up like this," he replied determinedly.
Taking the buzz saw in hand, Finn set to work. Sparks flew as metal clashed with metal. The deafening noise was in sharp contrast to the morbid silence of the scene before them. After several tense minutes, the iron gave way, creating an opening large enough to retrieve the body.
