"Hatchback? Saloon?"

"I don't know," she wailed. "And you're harassing me."

Hamish decided to get back to her later. "I'll send a policewoman to sit with you."

He went out again and found a policewoman and directed her to Felicity. He approached Parry. "What's the latest?"

"I heard thon pathologist say it's an open-and-shut case of an overdose."

Hamish fretted because he felt he was being kept out of things. But, he reminded himself, it was his own fault for having decided to remain an ordinary copper instead of taking promotion when it had been offered.

After a long wait Jimmy Anderson, who had gone back into the dead man's chalet, emerged.

He came up to Hamish. "They're taking the body away. They'll know more about what happened after a postmortem. But it all seems very straightforward. No murder for you, Hamish."

"That book he was writing," said Hamish. "He was writing a book about his experience with drugs. Anything there? I mean anything that might have incriminated anyone?"

"We're looking into it," said Jimmy sharply. "Why don't you just get back to your beat and let us sort this out."

"This is my beat," said Hamish huffily.

"Aye, well, it's not as if you can do anything. Had the wee lassie anything to offer?"

"She said he was all right. She asked Tommy if he wanted any groceries, then she drove to Lochdubh. She said two cars passed her on the road going the other way but when I pressed her for a description, she started on about harassment, so I got out of there and sent in a policewoman."

"If it was a murder case," said Jimmy, "she could howl about harassment until she was black in the face, but this is just an accidental death."

"But Glenanstey is a dead end. After here the road does nae go anywhere," protested Hamish.

"Aye, but there's a wee road afore here that goes to Crask," said Jimmy.