Page 1 of Time of the Warlord (Stones of Scotland #5)

I n this part of Scotland, the Atlantic Ocean met the land so gently that Sadie could hardly see the coastline - it was just an endless wavering line of sea and sand. On a day like today, when clear blue skies set the water sparkling a rich shade of purple, there could not be anywhere on earth more beautiful. If only Sadie had time to admire the beauty.

“This is the most exciting assignment I’ve ever been on,” said the young woman beside her, gripping the railing of the ferry as they came into the harbor. “Do you think we really will learn all about time travel?”

Sadie only just refrained from rolling her eyes. She had argued very strenuously with her boss when he insisted on sending a full team of reporters out to the island. Why send three people when Sadie was more than capable of handling this alone? She had pointed out the waste of money and resources, the hole it would leave in their in-office reporting team. But her boss had waved away her concerns as if they were nothing. And, of course, she could not tell him the real reason she wanted to take this trip alone.

If only he had not sent colleagues who were quite so frustrating. Mara, the younger woman, was a talented enough writer, but she didn’t have the common sense to set a foot outside the office. And Ian was a grumpy old curmudgeon who refused to acknowledge Sadie as an equal. What a fun few days this would be.

“You know as well as I do that this is just a routine assignment,” she told Mara. “We aren’t looking for time travel secrets, just any hints about what the bosses are up to.”

That wasn’t true, of course. But Mara did not need to know anything else. No one did.

Once the ferry had moored, the three of them made their way ashore, overnight bags in hand. Ian had still barely spoken to the two women, and Sadie wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or relieved. He really was insufferable. Still, she would be rid of him soon. He was not necessary for this investigation.

Their boss had booked three rooms at a small bed-and-breakfast. Or so he’d said. When they arrived at the front desk, manned by a cheery white-haired housekeeper, Sadie found to her dismay that she was assigned to a twin room with Mara. That would add an extra complication to her plan.

“I’m afraid we’re completely full,” the housekeeper said. “Will it be a problem?”

“Of course not,” Sadie and Mara both assured her. Mara’s insistences even sounded genuine. They accepted the matching room keys without any fuss.

“We need to visit Mr Marshall this afternoon,” Ian said. “Can you ladies be ready in half an hour? It’s best if we all arrive together.”

“Sounds perfect,” Sadie said, flashing him her brightest smile. Ian did not return it, but that was hardly a surprise. He’d always been grumpy.

Mara trailed behind as they made their way upstairs to the bright but cramped twin room. A large gray cat lay dozing on the bed, and Sadie chased it away with a reluctant smile. She’d always had a fondness for cats, but this one was clearly not supposed to be in the room.

“Why don’t you use the bathroom first?” she asked Mara. “I can start unpacking.”

Of course, she had no intention of doing any such thing. The second that the bathroom door closed, Sadie seized her bag and slipped back out of the room and down the stairs. She winced at every creak, but no one saw her. At this time of the day, most other guests were probably out enjoying the sunshine. Now, the trick would be avoiding Ian. He should be in his room, but nothing was certain.

Sadie paused at the bottom of the stairs, trying to decide where to go next. The main door was too risky - Ian might have dropped his bag and come straight back downstairs to ask the staff a few questions. She could hear the housekeeper’s voice in the front hallway, chattering away to some holidaymakers. Good. That meant the kitchen must be empty - a place this small would surely not have kitchen staff in the middle of the day. Sadie slipped through the most likely-looking doorway and took a second to glance around the big, whitewashed room. Anything useful? Carrying a butcher’s knife seemed a little excessive. At least she could enjoy the smug satisfaction of having chosen the right door. It wasn’t often that she made a wrong guess.

Sadie let herself out through the back door and emerged into a small walled garden. It looked like the housekeeper grew vegetables here, perhaps for the guests. But if everything went well, Sadie would not be here to enjoy a delicious home-grown dinner. Too late to back out now , she told herself. The only way was forwards. And there, leaning against the wall, was the perfect item to help her - a shovel. Sadie snatched it up before making her way through the garden gate, which was thankfully not padlocked.

Much as it hurt to admit it, Sadie knew that digging might be her only hope of finding the truth. She needed to know where the bodies were buried.