Rona would tell her, he was sure. But what about Robbie? Robbie was dead sure that it had been Jake who’d killed Gordon; and now he was starting to think that meant Jake had also killed Dougie. Which meant he’d think that Lauren was also involved. Would Robbie give Lauren away to the police? Or to Manvers and Webb?
He had to find a way to stop Robbie doing that, otherwise everything would be lost.
He looked at Alec MacClain, and then blurted out.
‘Someone’s trying to frame me. Me and Helen. Mostly they’re after Helen.’
‘The people from Immigration think she’s an illegal immigrant,’ said Alec.
‘She’s not,’ said Jake. ‘But she is . . .’ He hesitated. ‘At risk,’ he finished.
‘From what?’ asked Alec.
‘From someone who wants to get rid of her,’ said Jake.
‘Why?’
‘Because of the books,’ said Jake. ‘The Malichea books.’
Alec frowned.
‘Where is she?’ he asked.
‘Rona took her somewhere safe,’ said Jake. ‘But I’m worried that if Robbie says anything about where she is, she could end up like John Gordon. And your brother.’
Alec’s expression hardened.
‘Who’s behind all this?’ he asked. ‘Dougie, and now Gordon?’
Jake sighed and shook his head.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘All I’m asking is, can you stop Robbie giving Helen away to the authorities?’
‘Why should I do that?’ asked Alec.
‘Because she knows more about the Order of Malichea and the hidden books than almost anyone else.’
‘More than the Watchers like Dougie, and Robbie and Rona? More than the Russians?’
‘Much more,’ said Jake. ‘That’s why they’re trying to get rid of her.’
He didn’t know if it was actually true that Lauren knew more than the Russians, but she certainly knew more than everyone he knew. And he had to do something to try to keep her safe.
Alec studied Jake for a while, then he nodded.
‘I’ll have a word with Robbie,’ he said.
‘Thank you,’ said Jake.
There was the sound of rushing feet, and then Manvers and Webb burst into the room. They were both out of breath.
‘What’s going on?’ Manvers demanded. ‘We were across the headland when we heard the sound of a siren. There’s an ambulance and a police car and they look like they’re coming here!’
‘There’s been an accident,’ said Alec.
‘A murder,’ Jake corrected him.
They could hear the sirens getting nearer now.
Manvers threw a shocked look at Jake.
‘Did you say murder?’ he demanded.
‘Yes,’ said Jake. Suddenly a thought hit him. Were Manvers and Webb really from Immigration? Dougie MacClain had been battered to death, but Gordon’s killing had been entirely different: his throat cut.
He was just about to say this thought aloud, when Jeannie MacClain came into the room.
‘The police are here,’ she said.
The ambulance crew had taken John Gordon’s body away, and now the local police constable was questioning Jake. It was a very brief interview.
‘I’m going to have to take you in for questioning,’ the constable told Jake finally. ‘That piece of cloth, you understand.’
Jake nodded, resigned.
‘I didn’t do it,’ he said.
The constable nodded.
‘I hear what you say, but I have to follow procedure.’ He produced a pair of handcuffs. Jake looked at them, shocked.
‘Are they really necessary?’ he demanded.
‘We’re a small force on Mull,’ said the constable. ‘So it’s just me taking you in. How would it look if you suddenly overpowered me on the journey and escaped?’
‘But I’m innocent!’ persisted Jake.
The constable nodded.
‘I appreciate that, sir,’ he said. ‘But I have my job to do.’
Jake was about to raise more fervent objections, but he realised they would be of no use. The evidence was there, pointing to him as the suspect. The constable had to take him in.
‘OK,’ he said, and he held out his wrists for the cuffs.
All four MacClains, Pam Gordon, and Manvers and Webb, watched in silence as Jake was taken out of the guest house in handcuffs and put into the back of the small police van. The constable slammed and locked the rear doors shut. Jake sat down on the hard wooden bench that ran along the back of the van. The only windows in the back were two small wired-glass ones in the doors, and a tiny one between the rear of the van and the driver’s compartment, also made of thick wired glass. So, no chance of escaping on the journey, thought Jake.