The Devil Stone by Caro Ramsay

Author:Caro Ramsay [Ramsay, Caro]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2022-08-16T00:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Saturday, 9 July, five days before

Such was her paranoia that she immediately called Kinsella to confirm where the meet-up was. He replied, in a vehicle from the sound of it, that Craigo knew and was coming to collect her. She closed off that message and turned on the locating device on her phone before texting Lizzie, the one person who had the connecting app. She phoned Mrs Keane, expecting voicemail, but the call was answered, with Alice saying immediately that Scott wasn’t there.

‘Is he out of hospital?’ asked Caplan, curious.

‘Yes, he was discharged this morning. I’ve got to make sure he takes his medication. He was doing well, more like his normal self, and then, a couple of hours ago, a friend of his phoned and he went out.’ There was a pause. ‘I thought it was a good sign, you know, that he felt well enough to go out.’ Another pause. ‘Should I be worried?’

Caplan, tired and stressed, had no answer for her.

The street outside was empty except for a battered old Hilux pick-up. She looked up and down for Craigo. A horn peeped at her, and the pick-up’s door opened a little. It was Craigo, looking like a child in a man’s car.

She climbed in.

‘Is this yours? I thought you didn’t drive?’

‘And you believe that from a man who never gets my name right? Of course I can drive. Just don’t like bringing this into town – that’s all, ma’am. It’s bad for the environment.’

On their way into the darkness, Craigo said, ‘Bainsy’s not been doing much, just hanging around, getting drunk. Seems to have a lot of young, very young lady friends. He’s certainly not been hiding – either too confident or too stupid to think we’re not keeping tabs on him. Yesterday he got together with his mates – the core of the Deilmen, we think – got drunk on the beach, lit a fire, smoked some weed, did some dancing. But this evening is different. He’s stayed sober for a start. He got the bus out of town, then back in again. Acting like somebody trying to lose a tail.’ He crunched the gears and took a corner fast; Caplan grabbed her seatbelt.

‘He wouldn’t have worked that out for himself?’

‘Doubt it. He then travelled by coach to Glencoe village, cut through the caravan park at the top of the glen. He was carrying a rucksack, moving quickly, which is unheard of. He’s up along the path that goes to the fairy pools.’

‘I’ve no idea where you’re talking about,’ said Caplan, noting a change in Craigo. He was handling the big vehicle easily, and the information he was giving was precise and ordered. He could be efficient when he wanted to be. It unsettled her.

‘We need a dog. It’s not the terrain for a man on the run, too easy to hide.’

‘But for a daft boy like McBain? Surely, he’s more likely to get lost and die of exposure.’

‘Unless he’s meeting somebody.’

‘Craigo, did you see anything on the system about Scott Frew and his whereabouts at the moment?’ Caplan watched his response.

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