Ann Cleeves - Raven Black

Perez was surprised that the man was so forthcoming. He didn't know him well, but Alex had never been one for volunteering information. When the Henrys went out as a couple it was Margaret who did the talking. The only time you couldn't shut him up was when he got started on the islands' wildlife.

'What did people say?'

'That Magnus had killed her. His father had died. It was just him and his mother. It was Mary, the old lady that kept the croft together. She was gone eighty when she died, tiny, but strong as an ox. Formidable. He did most of the work around the place, but just what she told him. She wouldn't hear a word spoken against him. I remember one day there were people gathered outside the house, calling for Magnus to give himself up and tell where the girl's body lay. The old lady came out. She screamed at them. My Magnus is a good boy. He hasn't hurt anyone, They admired her for sticking up for him, but it did no good. They still thought him guilty.'

'And you? What did you think?'

'I find it hard to have firm views on anything, unless I'm given proof. Too much the scientist, I suppose. I didn't think there was the evidence to convict him. I thought if he had killed her, in a moment of rage maybe, or more likely by accident, then he'd have admitted it. I couldn't see him lying. But I have no other explanation about what happened to the girl.'

'Did Catriona ever come into your house?'

'Aye, occasionally. We were friendly with her parents. Not in and out of each other's houses every day.

Margaret and I don't live like that. But special times. They used to come in for Boxing Day tea. We'd go to them New Year's Eve, take Sally with us, put her to bed upstairs, then carry her out still asleep when we went home. You know how it is.'

Oh yes, Perez thought. I know how it is. Is that how it'll be for me on fair Isle? Everything planned and the same for years to come.

'What were they like, the parents?'

'Quiet people. Kind. Kenneth's father had farmed that land and that was all he'd wanted to do since he was a lad.

But after Catriona went, he couldn't face it. They sold off the house and the land separately and then they moved south.'

'There were no problems? You never suspected that the parents might be involved?'

'Never once. It always crosses your mind, doesn't it, when you see fathers on the television and there's a child gone missing. I wonder if it could be you, if this is all an act. That's what we've come to. We can't trust anyone. But with Kenneth and Sandra, no, we never thought like that. Not once.'

'Were there any other children?'

Perez knew, of course. He'd read the file over and over. But he was getting more of a feel for the family by listening to Alex than he had from pages of witness statements.

'There was a peerie boy. Brian. two years younger than Catriona. Margaret taught them both.'

'Where were you that day, Alex? The day Catriona went missing?'

'I was working here, preparing papers for a planning committee. I didn't go home. I had a meeting the next day in Kirkwall and went straight down to Sumburgh to get the plane out. I didn't hear that Catriona was gone until I phoned Margaret that night. She said everyone was out searching. I was sure they'd find the girl, either dead at the bottom of Raven's Head, or alive on the hill, lost and scared. I never thought she'd just vanish.'

'Couldn't the tide have taken her? If she'd fallen from the diff?' Taylor spoke for the first time.

'Only on a high spring tide with a strong wind behind it. There's a shelf of rock and a shingle beach which only gets covered twice a year. The weather was bad but it was a neap tide and the wind was offshore. If she'd have fallen she'd still have been there when the cliff rescue team looked the next day.'

'What sort of child was Catriona?' Perez asked.

'Margaret must have talked about her. Was she the sort who might wander off?'

'Perhaps that's why I wasn't too worried when I heard she was missing. She was a minx by all accounts. A bit precocious anyway. Always showing off in class, Margaret said. She thought Sandra spoiled her. But they were an older couple, her and Kenneth. They'd had to wait a while for kids to come along:

'Catriona wasn't easy then?'

'Lively: Alex conceded. 'She was certainly that: 'Bad she run away before?'

'Not run away. But she caused a bit of a stir the week before she vanished. Nobody could find her. Kenneth was down at the schoolhouse looking for her. They discovered her in Hillhead. Mary Tait was baking and Catriona wanted to wait until the scones came out of the oven. Mary said she insisted. Just refused to leave. That's why everyone assumed she was there when it happened again:

'Where do the family live now?'

'I don't know. Margaret might remember. We had a Christmas card the first year, but nothing after:

'And what did you make of Catherine Ross?' There was a long pause. 'She was a young woman,'

Alex said. 'Not a child:

'Only the same age as your daughter:

'Well maybe she's a young woman too, only we don't want to see it. Margaret doesn't at least. Sally's never had much confidence. She's a pretty lass, just not skinny like some of those stars they all read about. She's always been worried about putting on weight. Catherine was different though. More sure of herself. More sophisticated. Margaret didn't like it. She thought Sal was overpowered by her, that she was leading Sal astray: And what did you think?'

'I was pleased that Sally had a friend of her own age living so close. At first we both were. It can't have been easy for Sally being the teacher's daughter. It sets you apart right from the beginning. She found it hard to make friends with other children. I was worried about her, thought at one time she was being bullied. Margaret didn't think there was too much to – worry about and we let it go. We hoped it would be better when she moved to the Anderson, but she never seemed happy there either. It was worse if anything. Sally didn't seem to have any friends at all. Not until Catherine arrived. Perhaps she just tried too hard to belong and that put the other kids off:

'And Catherine made a difference?'

'Sally wasn't on her own so much. I'm not sure how close they were: Be paused again. 'Perhaps Margaret was right and Catherine was only using her. But I didn't see it that way. I thought she was unhappy. She wasn't good at making friends either. And she was a teacher's kid:

'Is there anything else you can tell us about her?'

'I don't think so. She wasn't an easy girl to know.

She was always polite. You could tell she'd been well brought up. But she was never relaxed. She wanted to make an impression. Perhaps her father could tell what she was thinking. I'm not sure anyone else could: Perez thought the girl had fascinated him. Those weren't the sort of things you'd normally say about your daughter's friend. Alex had wanted to understand her. 'Did you ever meet her on your own?'

Alex looked shocked. 'No, of course not. Why would I?'

'What were you doing the evening before Mrs Hunter found her body?'

'It was another late night. A meeting of the natural history society. Their visiting speaker had let them down so I gave a talk! He looked up. 'There were thirty people there. It wasn't a brilliant speech, but they'll remember it!

'What time did you get home?'

'I went for a drink with them after. One drink. So it was probably about ten-thirty when I got in. Perhaps a bit later!

'Was it snowing then?'

'No. There was even a gap in the clouds, a bit of moonlight. The snow came later!

'Did you see anything unusual when you drove down the hill?'

'A body in the field, do you mean? I'm sorry, I've thought about it. I didn't notice anything but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. The road was very icy. I was concentrating on getting down the bank in one piece!