‘Why?’
‘What does this have to do with anything?’
‘Context, Mr Strachan.’
‘Fine, I had plans to renovate it, get it working again.’
‘And?’
Adam stared at Ritchie. ‘I was trying to persuade Roddy to invest in the idea.’
‘I take it from your tone he said no.’
Adam nodded. ‘We were on our way back when a sheep came out of nowhere, and Roddy swerved to avoid it. Unfortunately we were right at the edge of the cliff, and went over.’
‘Mr Hunter was driving?’
‘Yes.’
‘Had he been drinking?’
‘What?’
‘It’s a simple question. Had Mr Hunter been drinking?’
Adam thought back to the hipflask Roddy was glugging from as he drove.
‘No,’ he said.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Pretty sure.’
‘Had he been taking any drugs?’
‘What’s this all about?’
Ritchie stared hard at Adam. ‘A blood sample taken from Mr Hunter during surgery reveals a high level of cocaine in his system.’
Adam felt the air buzz around him. ‘You’d have to take that up with Roddy.’
‘I’m asking you.’
‘And I’m telling you I don’t know anything about it. Look, we’ve been through a hell of a lot here, I don’t need you…’
Ritchie raised a placating hand. ‘Settle down, Mr Strachan, I’m only asking a few questions.’
Adam could feel his pulse in his forehead, thumping away. Without realising it, he pressed the button on his broken watch. Serenity now.
‘So,’ said Ritchie. ‘You’re a whisky expert.’
‘Not so much an expert,’ said Adam. ‘More an enthusiastic amateur.’
‘And you wanted to start a distillery.’
‘That was the plan.’
‘Had any previous experience of distilling?’
‘No.’
‘Not even a little moonshine set-up at home?’
Adam realised he was rubbing at his hands, picking under his fingernails. He made a conscious effort to stop.
‘That would be illegal.’
‘That’s a no, then?’
‘That’s a no.’
‘Do you know anything about illegal stills?’
‘Why would you ask something like that?’
Ritchie looked out the window. ‘Just chatting.’ He turned. ‘So, back to the crash. What happened next?’
Adam rubbed his forehead. ‘I woke first. I’d been thrown clear, landed further up the slope. I found Molly and Roddy in the car, got them both out. Then we went looking for the others. I found Ethan, his head was totally…’ He stopped to take a breath. ‘We took his body back to the car and waited there.’
‘See, this is what I don’t quite understand.’
‘What?’
‘You just sat there all night waiting by the car?’
‘That’s right.’
‘You didn’t think to go and get help?’
‘We couldn’t get back up the cliff.’
‘But you could’ve walked round the coast. Maybe found a way up.’
‘We didn’t think Roddy was up to it, he was pretty badly injured. And we didn’t want to just leave him.’
‘So you didn’t leave the scene of the accident at all?’
‘Except to search for Luke in the surrounding area, no.’
‘You didn’t head west along the coast for a few miles.’
‘I told you, no. What are you talking about?’
‘I’m surprised you haven’t heard from the local busybodies.’
‘Heard what?’
‘Your friend Ethan was not the only person to die on the Oa last night.’
‘What do you mean?’
Ritchie examined Adam closely. Adam felt his stomach clench and he struggled to swallow.
‘There was an incident a few miles along the coast.’
‘What kind of incident?’
‘Two bodies found in a burnt-out building.’
‘That’s terrible,’ said Adam, his voice sounding flat in his own ears.
‘It was an illegal still.’
Adam raised his eyebrows. ‘That’s what the whisky questions were about? You think I had something to do with that? Come on.’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘No, but you’re bloody well implying it.’
Ritchie stared at him. ‘So you never came across an illegal still last night.’
‘I told you, we didn’t leave the car.’
Ritchie looked away. ‘I believe you were acquainted with the people we found in the still.’
Adam could hardly breathe. ‘I doubt it, I don’t really know anyone here. I’ve only been on the island for two days.’
‘They were police officers,’ said Ritchie. ‘Joe McInnes and Grant Nichol. You had an altercation with them in the Ardview Inn on Friday night.’
‘Those two? I wouldn’t say I knew them.’
‘You knew them enough to throw punches at them.’
‘They attacked us, completely unprovoked.’
‘You were having a drink with McInnes’s wife.’
‘Ex-wife,’ said Adam. ‘And I didn’t think having a drink with someone was a bloody crime.’
‘And police records have a note of Mr Hunter receiving a speeding ticket from McInnes earlier in the day.’
‘I don’t know what you’re getting at here.’
‘Why was Ms Gillespie in the car with you yesterday?’
‘What?’
‘I was wondering why someone you’d just met was going with you to a disused distillery.’
‘I’ve met Molly on previous trips to Islay.’
‘So you knew her when she was still McInnes’s wife?’
‘It’s not like that,’ said Adam, feeling sweat under his arms and on his palms. ‘You’re twisting everything round.’
‘I’m just trying to work out what your relationship is with these people.’
‘I don’t have one.’
‘And yet Ms Gillespie was in the car yesterday.’
‘She just came along for the ride.’ Adam could hear his voice rising, couldn’t stop it. ‘I’d told her my plans for
