"He's got a point, ma'am," said Sanders uneasily.

"As I said, they are looking into it."

"Well," continued Sanders, "what we are really looking for is a big shipment of heroin coming in. We've picked up whispers."

"The monster," said Hamish suddenly. "The monster in Loch Drim."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Olivia.

He told them about Ailsa thinking she had seen a monster. "It could have been the light from a boat," he said. "Or they could have rigged up something to frighten the locals and keep them away."

Olivia sat frowning in silence. Then she said, "We're doing nothing this evening. We may as well drive over and have a look."

"I'm on duty, ma'am," said Sanders. "Will I be expected to come with you?"

"No, that won't be necessary. We'll just have a recce."

After Sanders had left, carrying the remains of the cake, Olivia made omelettes for them. After Hamish had washed up the dishes, she said, "We'd better put on some dark clothes. You know the villagers there, don't you?"

"Yes, Drim is on my beat."

"How will you explain me?"

"Monster fanatic. There's a lot of them around."

They set out an hour later, Olivia driving. "You know," she said, "I've never, ever been this far north in Scotland before."

"No Highland holidays?"

"You know how it is, everyone goes abroad these days. Why spend a holiday in the Highlands of Scotland getting soaked to the skin when you can bask in the sunshine in Spain?"

"It's good for the complexion," said Hamish. "Just think of the damage the sun does to your skin."

"And just think of the damage cold, wet weather does to your temper."

"Aye, you could be right."

"Tell me, Hamish, you seem to be an intelligent if unorthodox officer, and yet you're still only a policeman. Why is that?"

"I'm considered too much of a loose cannon for promotion. Besides, you've seen a wee bit of Strathbane. Would you like to work there?"

"It's not very different from Glasgow. Aren't you ambitious?"

"Not at all."

"That's very odd."

"I suppose it is, but it makes for a contented life. I love Lochdubh."

"What's so special about the place?"

"It's easygoing, the people are friendly, I've got my bit of croft at the back of the police station. It's beautiful everywhere you look. If I moved to Strathbane, I'd be old before my time. I don't have to deal with any bad crime-well, not lately. The odd burglary, boundary disputes, sheep-dip papers, things like that."

"Don't you get bored?"

"Hardly ever."

"You're not married."

"No," said Hamish flatly.

"Which way now?"

"The signpost to Drim is just coming up. Make a left round the next bend."

They made their way down the one-track winding road which led to Drim. Olivia could just make out the gleam of the sea loch. The wind had died down and everything was very still. A few lights twinkled in the cottages.

Because of the towering mountains above Drim and on either side of the loch, Olivia felt they were sinking down into complete blackness.

"Just stop the car outside the stores there," said Hamish. "We'll get out and walk."

"I don't much like the atmosphere of this place," said Olivia with a shiver. "At least no one is about to see us."

"Oh, they've seen us all right," said Hamish. "Every curtain in the village will have been twitching."

"So why doesn't someone come out and ask us what we are doing?"

"That's not their way. They prefer to speculate. Much more fun. The path is along here. We'd better switch on our torches. As we get near the sea, we'll switch them off. The mountains fall back there, and there'll be enough light from the sky. I suggest we don't talk anymore. Sound carries a long way up here."

He took out a black woollen hat and pulled it over his hair. "Just in case we meet someone who shouldn't be here, my hair shines out like a beacon."

After some time, they heard the sound of the sea and switched off their torches.

"All quiet," whispered Olivia.

"Get down and don't make a sound," Hamish hissed suddenly.

"What…?"

"I sense something."

Hamish pulled up a clump of heather from the side of the path. "Take some of the dirt and black your face."

They smeared their faces and then waited in silence. Olivia began to relax. Hamish was a nice fellow but she was beginning to think he was eccentric, maybe a bit touched in the head.

She was just about to press his arm, to say something, when two great green eyes glared at them out of the blackness. "Don't move," urged Hamish. The eyes came closer. They were attached to a small head and long prehistoric neck. In the faint starlight, they could make out the coils of a serpentine body.

They waited. Olivia could feel cold sweat breaking out on her face. Then the creature turned and disappeared around the bend to the sea. Olivia tried to rise to her feet but Hamish grabbed her shoulder and pulled her down. "Wait!"

They waited for what seemed to Olivia like an age. Then Hamish rose and pulled her up and said, "Come on. Let's see who's playing tricks."

"We're unarmed and I don't have the thing with the panic button with me," muttered Olivia. "We're not in a position to confront drug smugglers."

"I haff this feeling it is not the smugglers. Let's see."

They walked quietly to the end of the loch. The sound of the sea was very loud now and would, Hamish hoped, drown any sounds of their approach.

"A cave. There must be a cave around here."

His keen eyes scanned the steep rocks on either side of the entrance to the loch. "Over there," he whispered. "Do you see that dark cleft? I bet it's there. Over on the other side."

"How do we get over there?"

"We swim. You can swim?"

"Yes, but…"

"And you'd best keep close to me. The current can be strong."

Olivia thought miserably as she entered the loch after Hamish that it must be the coldest water in the world. She was a strong swimmer but found she had to use every ounce of energy to battle with the current. Hamish reached down and pulled her up on the other side.

Together they approached the entrance to the cave. "Just leave the thing to deflate," said a voice. Jock Kennedy, thought Hamish. The bastard!

"Come on," he said to Olivia. "It isn't the drug smugglers."

He strode into the cave. By the light of the hurricane lamp he saw Jock Kennedy and two men. The rubber neck of the monster was making a hissing sound as it deflated.

"Whit's the meaning of this, Jock?" demanded Hamish sternly.

"Och, it's yourself," said Jock in a disgusted voice. "I thought I had frightened you off"

"What the hell were you up to?"

"Trade at the shop has been that slack. I thought if I had a monster and spread stories that the folks would come. You know what they're like in Drim, Hamish. They're aye putting the tourists off. I thought a monster would draw folks."

"But you told me not to encourage Ailsa in thinking she had seen a monster."

"Aye, but I didn't want you to take it seriously or I know you would start poking your nose in."

"How did you know we were on our way?"

Jock held up a mobile phone. "We just happened to be along here putting more finishing touches."

"Finishing is the word," said Hamish bitterly. "Get rid of that damn thing and, instead, try to get the villagers to be nice to strangers. How did you get over here?"

"There's a track a bit up the mountain on this side."

Olivia found her voice. "Book him," she said savagely.

"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary," he said soothingly. "Jock won't be pulling that trick again."

"Outside, Macbeth," snapped Olivia.

He followed her out. "You cannot be calling me Macbeth and giving me orders in front of the locals," he chided, "or they will guess you are a senior officer, and gossip spreads like wildfire in the Highlands. It wass only a prank and we've got more important work to do than charge Jock Kennedy. Surely the drug job is too important."