Quaranteam - Hebridean Hame Ch. 10

A story set in CorruptingPower's Quaranteam Universe, with his permission.

As usual, my thanks go to the other QT authors who contributed to editing, made valuable suggestions, and whose work I would recommend you check out:

BreakTheBar, AgathonWrites, BronanTheLibrarian, OtterlyMindblowing, SilverRyden, RonanJWilkerson, BirchesLoveBooks, The_Licentious_Laureate, DisquietCertitude, 32inch, Ranthoron, Percheron, EldritchMuppet and 2charlie.

This story, set in Scotland during the DuoHalo/COVID pandemic, is slower-burning than most of the other QT series.

Constructive comments are always welcome!

---X---

Quaranteam: Hebridean Hame, Chapter 10

After midnight, Wednesday, 30th September 2020

Eilean Arthriagh, Inner Hebrides, Scotland

When Callum and Sarah eventually returned home after their evening at the Lodge, Sarah was absolutely clear regarding where she would be sleeping. And having mainly succeeded in keeping their distance from each other for the previous few hours, they were keen to get further reacquainted. From the point they left the lodge, Sarah had not been more than an arm's length from him.

After parking the ATV, they tended to the dogs, locked the house at Sarah's insistence, and quickly fell into bed. They grinned at each other like teenagers, hands and lips wandering at every opportunity.

Their kissing continued, and soon, the only sounds in the pitch-black bedroom were soft, breathy moans and gasps, the sound of lips on lips, and the gentle creak of the bed frame. They were lost in their connection, pouring years' worth of lost time into every kiss and touch.

Yet again, the sex was different from their previous encounters. Both were revelling in the closeness of the other, the intimate feeling of being so physically connected. Both basking in the sense of security and completeness this contact provided.

They started with Callum on top, the two of them stripping clothes off amidst giggles and light laughter. Eventually, they obtained the skin-on-skin contact they craved, with Callum slowly, comfortably and gently sliding his cock into her while they kissed, arms around each other.

Sarah moaned through their kiss as he settled his length into her, rocking her hips against him while her body squeezed his member. They languidly moved together like this, trying to maximise their contact without deliberate thrusting. His mouth sought out her jawline and moved with small kisses down onto her neck, nibbling at her collarbone, causing her to sigh in pleasure. In response, she ran her nails gently down his spine while doing the same to his scalp, causing him to shiver and goosebumps to appear on his arms.

Continuing their movement together, Sarah brought a leg up over his, holding him against herself and gaining more depth to his penetration. Still, even then, their movement together was limited and restrained. There was no discussion, only a mutual need for this connection. A desire for closeness and intimacy that could only be met by this slow coupling.

Everything they wanted to say to each other was conveyed in their touch and kiss.

Eventually, as the two slowly shifted about the bed, Sarah manoeuvred her way on top of him, her ample chest pressed firmly against his as they continued to kiss and writhe against each other. Callum was enveloped in the feel of her against and around him, the smell of her, even the taste of her mouth and skin.

Slowly but surely, the gentle movements grew more determined and deliberate. Hands wandered over each other's bodies more quickly and with greater intensity, stroking and squeezing. They squirmed and pushed, attempting to sync their movements. Their bodies pressed together, forehead pressed to forehead, as they both gasped for breath due to their kissing but also breathless from exertion and excitement.

As their coupling became faster-paced and less measured, Sarah shifted one hand to hold the top edge of the mattress. She pressed her hips down, circling them while entwining both her lower legs around his, seeking purchase as she pushed and bucked down and against him harder.

Their bodies moved together with ever-increasing urgency. Each sought to show the other their commitment, determined to express those things that were still too hard or too soon to say.

Callum groaned, aware of how deep he was inside Sarah, enjoying the pressure of her pushing her body against him, knowing her clit was being stimulated by their physical closeness and movement alone. Their rocking and pushing movements acted to edge him closer and closer. He could feel the heat of her and how willingly her body responded to him.

Suddenly, he could feel his orgasm looming as he fought the increasing urge to start thrusting upwards into her. He felt like he was plugged into the mains, knowing they were about to make another connection that seemed to push past the purely physical.

Breaking from their kiss, he gasped a whispered warning, managing to utter, "Sarah, I... I'm gonna..."

Sarah let out a low moan of her own, the pace of her gyrations increasing as he felt her clenching and tightening around his length, her body trying to hold him inside. "Just..." She gasped, "Just a little..." The gasp turned to a moan, conveying her need and desperation for the connection, for him to bring her to that point.

Callum gritted his teeth, trying to fight back the increasingly intense feeling of pleasure, of needing to release, to buck and thrust into her. To claim her again as his. He closed his eyes, frantically searching for a mental distraction, something to think about other than the overwhelming need to empty himself into Sarah.

His traitorous mind instead returned the memory of how pleased the ladies had been at his decision earlier that evening, along with the knowledge that they would all soon be his sexual partners. Unhelpfully, he imagined them gathered around the bed, watching and masturbating as Sarah ground herself to orgasm on and against him. He tried to shake his head to clear it of the unhelpful imagery, instead bumping noses with Sarah as she pressed down over him.

He could no longer hold it. He needed to pull out, to push her from him, as the plan had been until seconds before.

But he wanted her. He wanted to cum into her, to make her 'his'. The caveman-like thoughts caused his hips to jerk up against her as his mouth desperately sought hers, and his hands gripped her hips, pulling her onto him.

Seconds later, Sarah buried her face in his shoulder, letting out a long, sultry moan as she reached her peak.

Instead of withdrawing, Callum began thrusting his hips frantically upwards against her. Into her. Sarah's muscles were already contracting around his length as her body quivered. Welcoming him, trying to hold him inside.

He found himself pushing as deep into her as possible while simultaneously pulling her down onto him as hard as he could, his hands now squeezing her ass cheeks, his cock still buried deep in her pussy. His legs moved against hers, seeking purchase as he physically humped his hips off the bed in an effort to bury himself as deeply as he could inside her and prevent her from withdrawing from him.

He fucked himself into her with wild abandon, fingers digging into her flesh as he used her pussy to sate his increasingly urgent need for release.

The first spine-tingling pulse of his orgasm sent a rope of his cum deep into her. Finally finding the level of connection he had sought, Callum let out a deep-throated groan of his own. His vision had failed, but he realised it was because his eyes had screwed shut. The room was spinning slightly, or the bed was. That first ejaculation was both quickly and, from his perspective, excruciatingly slowly and pleasurably followed by the next. Then the next.

At the first pulse of his cock inside her, Sarah managed an "Oh, shi..." before the vaccine-induced orgasmic reaction to his cum overwhelmed her, pushing her already intense natural feeling of pleasure to new heights. She shuddered and spasmed against him as if she were having a fit. Her nails dug into his skin where she desperately held him, clinging to him as her wail of pleasure was barely muffled by her mouth pressing against the flesh of his shoulder and neck.

Then came darkness and stillness.

Neither was aware of how long had passed as they lay limply clinging to each other, bodies still locked together, gasping for breath and attempting to regain the power of speech.

They knew they had a lot to say to each other, but somehow, they had just said a lot without uttering a word.

****

Callum shifted aside, pulling open the duvet as Sarah hurried into the bedroom after her bathroom visit. She dashed towards the bed and immediately cuddled into him, causing him to flinch as her cold hands touched his warm skin.

"That was deliberate." He said accusingly as she giggled in the darkness. With her head on one of his arms, he brought his other over hers, holding her cool body against himself.

They lay in comfortable silence as she slowly warmed up.

Eventually, she shifted slightly, raising herself so he could withdraw his arm. They settled back, now facing each other in the darkness.

"Speaking of deliberate..." She said quietly. "We're going to have to address the bareback thing. Not that I'm complaining. And I do want to have kids. But..."

"But right now isn't ideal." Callum finished for her. "I know. There are too many unknowns and unresolved questions hanging over us."

Sarah sighed. "You'll have to have a conversation with the others, too. You'll need to know what they want in the long term and whether any of them want children. I know Mira isn't that much younger than us. Catherine's older and might want to try. Either of them might want to be pregnant sooner rather than later."

Callum almost giggled at the thought of Catherine wanting to have kids with him. "Catherine? That'd be one hell of a contract." He muttered, struggling to maintain a straight face.

Sarah nudged his shoulder lightly. "Don't be mean. I think a lot is going on with her. She seemed really nice when I spoke to her, but her behaviour around you is different. The girls also commented on it when you were having your meeting."

"Sorry. It just amused me, given how she spoke about having a 'transactional sexual entanglement' with me." Callum offered in response. "I know she's a lot more relaxed with the ladies than with me."

"A wha..." Sarah managed before she began to laugh, bumping his shoulder again.

"Yep, that's how I felt," Callum responded. "I think she's spent more time battling against male egos than most other women. I'm not sure there isn't something else there either. Though I'm not sure what."

"Oh, yeah," Sarah said, having calmed herself. "Even from just talking to her tonight, there are some autistic traits there. But at the same time, I think she's just... posh. Like, 'I've so much money I don't have any other worries' posh. The type whose parents never hugged them, and now they don't know how to deal with emotions."

Callum gave a half shrug. "She did seem quite entitled when she first arrived. I wasn't sure she'd stay long. I had to pull her up pretty quickly about how she was treating Alison."

"Really?" Sarah asked, the surprise evident.

"Yeah. She hadn't realised that Alison had hearing problems and was being really rude, expecting everything to be done for her, raising her voice, snatching and barging about. Being a proper Karen, basically. We had to wait for Mira to arrive that same afternoon. It was just before lockdown, and Mira had to get public transport, so she ran late. I bit Catherine's head off when she started snarking about waiting 'for the staff'. She was mortified when she realised Alison had hearing problems. Her sister is deaf." Callum smiled wistfully, remembering that first encounter way back in March.

Sarah tutted in the darkness. "So she turned up the entitled toff, and you tore a strip off her right away?"

"Absolutely. No one deserves to be treated like that. I explained that Mira had never been here before, and I wouldn't leave her waiting in the middle of nowhere at the side of a loch on a wet day so that Catherine could stick to some irrelevant timetable she had in her head." He sighed. "Those were tough times. All the bookings we had for the year were disappearing. We had no certainty that a lockdown was coming or how long it would last. Your mum and dad were still in Glasgow, and I felt like I had just sunk their business. I accepted Catherine's booking as we had nothing else on the books for the rest of the summer. I'd hired Mira because of her nursing experience, and I thought it might be useful when things started to open up again. Things started to go south before she arrived, but I didn't have the heart to tell her not to come."

Sarah shuffled forward, bringing her lips into contact with his. "It's a good job you didn't." The words that followed were laden with remorse. "You two would... will... be a great pair together. I can see how you'll get on with most of the ladies, but I'm most worried about Mira." She paused for a moment. "That didn't come out right. I mean, I'm worried your relationship with her will surpass... well, ours."

He pulled her gently into a hug. Holding her there while he composed his thoughts. "I can't picture how it'll work." He knew it wasn't what Sarah would want to hear, but it was the best he could offer. "I don't know what type of relationships everyone will want or how I go about being what each person needs. Just the basic logistics of it make my brain itch just thinking about it."

Sarah softly chuckled in amusement. "Like what?" She asked.

"Well... take this right now. You and I are cuddled together, basking in the glow of our recent activity. But what happens when there are four other women? Do we all sleep together in one bed? Or do I have a rota for whose turn it is to sleep beside me each night? Or do I just sleep alone?" He let his forehead rest against Sarah's. "And that's just sleeping. Don't get me started on who stays where."

"Oh, I see what you mean. And there's no way that bitch Mira gets to sleep beside you more than I do..." Sarah almost growled. He could tell she was joking even without seeing her face in the darkness. "We're just going to have to communicate, compromise and be sensible. We all want to stay alive and keep you alive. And it's obvious that the ladies all have a connection with you, even Catherine."

They lay silent for a while before Callum circled back to the original issue. "Top of the agenda in the morning will be finding out about contraceptive options. Or else we're all going to have to be pretty disciplined."

He could feel Sarah nodding against him. "Yes, it'll be worth knowing what we can do before you need to give the four ladies the best orgasm of their lives."

"I'm not sure it counts when it's medically induced," Callum said.

"It certainly fucking does." She responded with a snigger.

****

Late morning, Wednesday, 30th September 2020

Eilean Arthriagh, Inner Hebrides, Scotland

Waking when it was barely light, his routine long since set by the needs of Piper and Skye, it had taken an effort to pull himself from the warm bed. Made even harder by the fact he'd been curled up tight behind Sarah, his morning erection pressed between their bodies, and one of his hands around her, holding a breast.

The temptation to initiate something was strong, but after all she'd been through, he quickly dismissed the idea.

Instead, he slowly and carefully withdrew from her embrace, leaving Sarah to sleep. She murmured her disapproval at the withdrawal of his body heat but otherwise remained still.

The dogs, barred from the bedroom the previous night, were pleased to see him. Callum noted that Karl moved much easier, even placing weight on his injured front leg. The three animals were allowed out for their morning toilet before Callum began distributing their food, water, and Karl's medication.

Letting the dogs out and then back in let him feel how cool it was outside--not enough to cause frost, but enough to make him light the fire in the sitting room. This would warm the whole house and keep him comfortable while he worked, without returning to the bedroom for more than yesterday's trousers and T-shirt he'd grabbed from the floor on his way out.

The underfloor heating and air source heat pump Rory installed during the house renovations were old. They were an early example of their type, and while they kept the house at a reasonable temperature, log fires were sometimes needed to create a cosy feeling. An upgrade had been considered, but most of the Buchanan's spending had been focused on the rental properties.

With the fire going, a mug of tea in hand, and some cereal consumed, Callum was sitting at his laptop, beginning his morning trawl of pointless TrueCheck emails, when he heard the bedroom and bathroom doors opening and closing.

His mobile vibrated immediately after that, showing an incoming call from a withheld number.

Picking the handset up, he frowned momentarily, not expecting any calls. Although there were any number of people it could be, including Steven.

Callum hit the button to answer, taking a breath but letting the other person speak first. Seconds ticked past with neither party speaking. Callum gently cleared his throat, signalling the call had been answered.

A rather officious-sounding English woman broke the silence. "Hello? Mrs Campbell? Hello?"

'Bugger' was the first thought he had. He had no idea who was calling, but someone could be trying to confirm Sarah's location. The trick would be finding out who they were without giving anything away. "Hi, you've actually come through to my phone. Can I ask who's calling?"

The woman paused before demanding, "And who are you?" Avoiding Callum's question.

"I'm Callum Scott. And you are?" He asked, keeping his tone level.

"I am looking for Mrs Campbell. Is she there?" The unknown woman sounded irked. Angry even.

Callum had handled many such calls in his career and knew this one was going nowhere. Neither party was willing to give anything away. He couldn't determine who might be calling, but it was a real possibility that someone linked to Steven was trying to confirm Sarah's whereabouts.

He assumed that anyone calling for a different reason would reach him through another method, so he terminated the call. He slightly sighed before simply stating, "I'm sorry, I don't recognise anyone by that name anymore."

Then, he hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Sarah's voice came from the kitchen, causing the three dogs to jump up from where they had formed a trip hazard in front of the fire and dash off towards her.

"Morning," he called back. "They wouldn't say. Some English woman with an attitude. They were asking for you by your married name. I thought it might be best not to engage with them, just in case."

Sarah moved to the doorway, both hands busy petting the jumble of dogs around her feet. "You think it was to do with him?" She asked with a slight quiver in her voice.

She didn't say the name, but both knew who they were talking about.

"I don't know 'Rah. Better safe than sorry. Until I know who's calling, I'm not confirming you are here."

****

She joined him after she'd eaten, sitting on one of the sofas where she could benefit from the heat of the fire, clutching her mug tightly. Karl joined her on the sofa while Piper and Skye took to the floor around her feet. "You should have woken me," she said before blowing on her steaming drink.

Callum looked around from the document he was commenting on and turned ninety degrees in his office chair to face her. "Sorry. I was tempted. But I thought..."

She interrupted him with one eyebrow raised. "You thought you shouldn't do anything to me without my consent, so you snuck off?"

He froze before nodding slowly. "I was going to say I thought I'd let you sleep, but yes, I was concerned about making you uncomfortable."

Sarah shook her head and placed the mug down, rising to her feet and carefully stepping over the dogs. She wore an old pair of jogging bottoms and a faded, baggy Garfield the cat t-shirt, with sleep and sex-tousled hair. She still looked like one of the sexiest creatures on earth to him.

Reaching him, she sank to her knees, brushing hair from her face before placing her hands on his knees.

The look she gave him was one of total sincerity. "Callum, I want you to listen to and trust me. I know you are not him. I know it with every fibre of my being. And I consent to you, to us. I know we're a long way from... well... from being like we were all those years ago. But in the last day you've shown me more love and affection in your gestures, looks and touches than I've had in years. Not to mention more mind-blowing orgasms. I consent, any time you want to touch me, kiss me... fuck me, I consent. Do you understand?"

He nodded, reaching forward to cup her face before leaning in for a kiss. "I'll remember that," he told her as they broke apart.

"Fantastic," she responded before looking him up and down and licking her lips. "Quick blowjob to seal the deal?"

Callum snorted a laugh before shaking his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I need a shower..."

"Great idea! A blowjob in the shower it is, then." Sarah was already putting her hair up as she stood, extending a hand to him once the task was done. Her eyes never left him, and a cheeky grin completed the look.

Callum glanced back at his laptop screen before grabbing her hand and pulling Sarah towards the bathroom.

****

When he returned to his desk sometime later, feeling clean and relaxed, he noticed a missed call on his mobile phone - which had been left next to his laptop in the rush to the shower. Another withheld number had rung. No voicemail had been left, so the caller's identity remained unknown.

There had also been a flurry of group chat messages from the ladies, all four of them confirming that they had received notification that their partner requests had been accepted. Alison and Mira were particularly chatty, Emma and Catherine less so. After a couple of quick replies, his phone pinged again.

"Jesus," he gasped as the picture messages from Emma opened.

She'd sent a series of increasingly erotic images taken while she was shaving her legs and pubic area in the shower. The last photo showed her hand cupping her mons with two fingers dipped inside.

He realised he should have anticipated this kind of reaction from her. After his announcement the night before, the women found Emma's request for some 'practice' with him before the vaccine quite amusing.

Callum was reasonably sure that she hadn't been joking.

"Are you okay Cal? You look a little flushed." He jumped slightly at Sarah's voice, fighting the urge to hide his phone and the feeling that he had been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Err... Yeah. The ladies say good morning. And... Emma decided to send me some nudes from her morning shower." He kept his voice carefully flat, unsure whether to say anything but interested in gauging Sarah's reaction.

To his surprise, Sarah responded with a laugh. "I think that means either Catherine or Mira wins. Alison was sure Emma would send you something dodgy last night. Mira said it would be this morning. After being pushed, Catherine guessed it would be between breakfast and lunchtime. I'm not sure she said who's breakfast, though. Oh, and say hello back."

Callum nodded slowly, wondering what else had been predicted and still trying to grasp how much he was supposed to share. "So you're not jealous?" he asked tentatively.

She paused, fixing him with a strange look. "Yes. And no." Came her eventual answer.

She sat back down on the sofa, leaning forward to pet Piper. "I mean, she's in her mid-twenties and looks stunning. She's smart and talented. That pudding last night... Phew. I'd be willing to sleep with her for more of that." They both laughed, Callum nodding in agreement.

"Whatever you do, don't tell Emma that," he advised earnestly.

Sarah snorted a laugh before continuing. "My point was that there's lots to be jealous about. But - I know you and I have a connection and history. And that what you have with Emma will be different - just as how your relationship with each of the others will differ. So it's not something for me to be jealous about." She laughed at his raised eyebrow. "I know, it sounds weird. It is weird. I feel like I should be more upset than I am about it, but I can see the value in it as well. We all get what we want. You get to be safe. Mira, Alison, and Emma get the connection with you they hoped for. From what you told me last night, even Catherine gets what she wants. And if I hadn't been so stupid... If I'd been here with you all along... we'd still be in the same position. You'd need other partners to ensure you're as protected as possible. So really, we're in the same position we would have been - if that makes sense." Her smile had slowly faded as she spoke, the last few lines thick with emotion.

He rose from his office chair, joined her on the sofa, and wrapped his arm around her. Sarah sighed, rested her head on his shoulder, and grabbed his knee with her nearest hand.

After a moment, she squeezed his knee. "Communication will be important. We'll do some planning to make sure everyone gets a fair amount of time with you, and... we know you will also be stringent about that. Then it's just a matter of talking. Lots and lots of talking. No secrets, no hidden feelings. We all make compromises and be patient."

Callum's response came with a small sigh of relief. "Well, I'm glad someone seems to know how this'll all work."

Sitting upright again, she turned to him and flashed him a bright smile, keeping her hand on him. "We'll cope. I was wondering if you think it would be safe for me to use my old phone. I could maybe get a pay-as-you-go SIM or something for it. I'm just not sure how the tracking stuff works. It'd be good for me to be able to join the ladies' chat and get to know them individually."

Callum rose as he spoke, moving back to his desk. "I'm not sure either, if I'm honest. Maybe it would be best to order you a new one? I can get another personal contract or do it via the business. Hopefully, it would only take a few days to get here, and it wouldn't be in your name then." Callum started checking online for options. He knew some devices had become more challenging to find after the lockdown - all those home workers needed IT kit that had to come from somewhere, and the video calling boom had seen demand outstrip supply.

She smiled at him gratefully. "If that would be okay."

"No problem at all. If you need anything else, let me know. Clothes or anything. We're not flush with cash, but there's enough for you to get what you need. I've got a tablet somewhere if you want to use that in the meantime." Callum looked up from his mobile phone supplier's website and around the room, trying to remember where he'd last seen the device.

She sighed quietly before murmuring, "I'm sorry."

He looked back at her with a frown. "There's no need to be sorry."

She smiled sadly at him, knowing he meant what he said but disagreeing. "But there is. All I've done since yesterday is disrupt your life and make things complicated. Now you have to spend money on me because I've got nothing of my own. You know how much I hate being unable to support myself. Yet here I am, having to ask you for more help."

Callum stepped back towards her from his desk and offered her his hands, pulling her up as she took them with a questioning look. Leaning to kiss her lightly, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "Stop thinking like that. This is your home - literally and figuratively. What's mine is yours. And this whole place is yours. Once Catherine starts the ball rolling with all the legal stuff - once she gets in touch with your parents' solicitor - I doubt you'll have any money worries."

She sank into his hug.

A few moments later, they separated, Sarah placing her hands on his chest as he held her hips. "Sooo..." she began, changing the subject. He tilted his head questioningly. "You know it's really, really bad when you send a guy a nude and he doesn't respond, right?"

"Oh, for fucks sake," Callum responded. "I didn't know there was an etiquette to it. Do I send her a thumbs up or something?"

Sarah laughed again with a grin which could only mean trouble. "I have some ideas..."

****

A half-hour later, his phone went crazy with messages. First, Emma responded with shocked emojis to the picture he had sent in response to her earlier erotic images.

Then, he received multiple messages from Mira, and Alison wanted to know what had caused Emma to spray tea all over the kitchen while checking her phone, but Emma refused to share. They reported that Emma had turned a shade of red they'd never seen before.

He'd sent a 'tongue out' smiley back to Emma and told the other two that he had no idea what they were talking about with a winky face emoji.

He knew that while they waited for news on the ladies' vaccinations, Emma's approaches would become more and more adventurous - and aggressive. While Sarah had suggested some naughty - but mainly tame - images he could take in return, he'd decided to grab the bull by the horns and send a clear message.

Sarah had been happy to participate.

The image taken was of his erect cock, with three of Sarah's fingers holding it near the tip with his shaft pressed against her face while she kissed it and winked at the camera.

He knew it would be so much more than Emma would have expected - she'd always previously gotten a kick out of winding him up, knowing his response would be restrained. This time, he'd upped the ante significantly.

And it also sent the message that, for the time being, his dick belonged to Sarah - and that Sarah knew what Emma was sending him.

****

After that excitement, Callum's workday was longer than planned as he caught up on events within TrueCheck. The two blowjobs he'd received that morning hadn't helped him clear his workload either. The second one of the day occurred during the photo shoot, with Sarah taking a few more pictures 'just in case'.

The main topic of the day that impacted him was the increasing number of unplanned staff absences, and he was pulled into a hasty meeting about the impact this might have on the contractual deadline in early November.

The previous day, senior management had decreed that, following the completion of the Delphi survey, any work hours lost due to 'vaccine complications' would not count as sickness leave. In a rare example of competency and empathy, they would classify these absences as 'paid special leave'.

Of course, only after they announced this did they realise it might impact their precious productivity forecasts.

Ultimately, the simplest solution was to assume that every staff member would need 48 hours off over the next few months. Fortunately, the loss of time and productivity was offset by the news that they would shortly receive new data. The expectation was that the staff would now be broadly aware of DuoHalo, so there was less need to conceal the death rate.

Callum shook his head at the stupidity of that decision, aware of how much time and effort could have been saved if TrueCheck staff had been trusted with the truth earlier. Undoubtedly, individuals they had already checked in September had died since the end of May, the date of the last data set they had received.

While he worked, Sarah lounged on the sofa near him, his tablet computer propped on her chest in front of her, as she communicated via group chat with the ladies. He wasn't sure what was happening, but there were occasional chuckles and the odd gasp or two coming from her. She would briefly comment on whatever she had learned in her various chats between his work calls. Mainly, she was amused by having to avoid answering some very personal questions from Emma while doing so as teasingly as possible.

They both stopped what they were doing when Callum's mobile rang again, and another withheld number appeared on the screen.

Flashing her what he intended as a reassuring smile, Callum answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Hello?" came a soft female voice with a decidedly Welsh accent.

"Hi, can I help you?" Callum asked.

"Oh, is that Mr Scott? I'm Lily, I'm calling from Averna. I think you spoke to one of my colleagues this morning?" The voice sounded both calm and relieved.

"Hello Lily, this is indeed Mr Scott. Your colleague didn't give a name or organisation, so I can only assume we're talking about the same call." Callum remained cautious, glancing at Sarah while he spoke. "Actually, Lily, do you have a surname you can give me?"

There was momentary silence on the other end of the call. "Can I ask why you need my surname, Mr Scott?"

Callum raised an eyebrow in Sarah's direction. "Just a security thing, Lily. My employer works with Averna, and I want to check if you appear on the global address list."

"Oh, no problems then. It's Bevan. Lily Bevan. I'm sorry if my colleague was a little rude, Mr Scott - we're swamped here you see, and the work can be challenging."

While she spoke, Callum turned to his TrueCheck laptop and searched MS Teams. He wasn't sure he would find her, but he'd seen emails from and to Averna staff in the past. He suspected all the various vaccine-process staff had been added to the government's secure network.

A Lily Bevan did appear in response to his search, and the Teams icon indicated that she was online. Oddly, there were none of the usual details, such as team hierarchy or location. Lily was listed as part of the Averna 'Police Liaison' team.

He prepared and fired off a quick chat message, saying hello.

"Oh, yes - I see your message, Mr Scott." There was the sound of typing, and Callum's laptop pinged with a return 'hello' and a waving hand emoji.

He gave Sarah a nod, and she looked relieved in response before turning his attention back to the call. "Great. How can I help you, Lily?"

"Ah, I hope you can, Mr Scott. We're trying to get a hold of Mrs Campbell, and we have information that we can reach her through you?" Lily's sing-song accent made her sound trustworthy - but Callum remained slightly on edge.

Carefully phrasing his question, he attempted not to sound antagonistic. "Can I ask you, Lily, where you got that information from?"

There was another momentary pause and the sound of Lily clicking her tongue and rolling a mouse scroll wheel. "Well... I understand why you might be concerned, Mr Scott. I'm looking at an email chain that goes back to someone in the Home Office. From a David Lawley. It suggests you spoke to him, that he told you to expect a call, and that Mrs Campbell was with you."

Callum let out the breath he'd unintentionally been holding, giving Sarah a smile and a wink. She looked pale-faced and worried.

Addressing the phone, the relief was also evident in his voice. "Thank you, Lily. This is a sensitive matter, so apologies for the cloak-and-dagger stuff. I have Miss Buchanan here with me now."

"Miss Buchanan?" Came the Welsh woman's confused response.

This time, Sarah spoke up. "Yes, I'm no longer using my married name."

"Ah, I see, tidy." There was the rattle of keyboard keys. "Can I ask you a few questions now in a minute, Miss Buchanan? Then I'll need to have you on camera, and your Mr Scott will need to leave the room. Would that be ok?"

"Errr... sure. And you can call me Sarah." Sarah shot Callum a questioning look, and Callum just shrugged. 'Now in a minute' was a phrase he'd heard Welsh colleagues use.

"Lush. Okay, Sarah..." Lily asked her a series of security-style questions, asking her to confirm her date of birth, the address and postal code she held when vaccinated, as well as her NHS and National Insurance number. "That's tidy." Came the response once those questions were done. "Okay, I need to do the next bit on a video call. Can I call you via Teams, Mr Scott?"

"Sure." Moments later, Callum's laptop notified them of an incoming video call. Callum answered, turning on his webcam. Lily's camera remained off.

"Okay, hello." Lily's voice echoed through the phone and laptop, causing a mild screech. "Oh." The noise stopped when the Welsh woman muted one of her microphones. "Sorted. Sorry about that, you can hang up the phone. Now, I'm not joking about the next bit. Mr Scott, I need you to turn the camera so I can see Sarah, then I need you to leave the room, ok?"

"Okay... Why?" Callum asked as he turned the laptop.

"Well, mainly, you see, I need to ensure Sarah is safe and not being held against her will. And I can't really do that with you in the room, now, can I?" Lily's voice remained calm and friendly, but there was a hint of something else in her tone. Something a little sharper.

Satisfied with the camera's view, Callum stepped back. "Right then. I'll go make some lunch." Giving Sarah a quick kiss, he grabbed her mug and headed to the kitchen.

****

Not knowing how long Sarah would be, Callum decided on something simple. Making the most of his recent shopping, he prepared a pair of BLT sandwiches, setting them aside for when she was done. His next task was to let the dogs out. Piper and Skye had been waiting expectantly for some time outside, which had been their routine for the last few months. He'd thrown a ball for them before realising this was making Karl put pressure on his wounded leg to beat the other two.

Almost an hour passed before he heard Sarah calling his name.

Having washed up, he took her food and tea through and was surprised to see the call was still active. He smiled apologetically at the camera as he handed Sarah the mug and plate. "Sorry, Lily. I didn't realise you were still there, or else I'd have offered you one."

Gentle laughter came from the laptop. "It's ok. I've got some amazing leftovers to have later."

As Callum joined Sarah on the sofa, he gave her a questioning look. Anything Sarah might have said was interrupted by Lily. "I'll try not to keep you, Mr Scott. I just need some information from you as well. Can I go through some security questions first?"

Callum nodded. "Before you continue, Lily, can I just ask what's going on with Sarah's... account? Is that the right word? David told me that some issues had been identified on your end. I don't know if you've discussed this with Sarah already, but I'd like to know what's happening."

Lily paused momentarily, long enough for Callum to think he'd said the wrong thing. Just as he was about to speak again, Lily began to talk. "I can't tell you much, Mr Scott. I can say that several things are being looked into on our end because of discrepancies in Sarah's Delphi survey and her vaccination process. Once those discrepancies were identified, we could not contact Sarah or Mr Campbell, which, as you can imagine, didn't settle anyone's nerves."

"No, I imagine not. Can you comment on any of the discrepancies?"

"At this stage, only vaguely, I'm afraid. The timings and the IP addresses used when filling them in are considered. As is the match percent generated. Miss Buchanan also left a note on some paperwork suggesting she needed help.

Callum nodded again. "Thank you. So you don't know what's happening with Mr Campbell right now?

"I'm afraid not, no."

Both Callum and Sarah sighed. "Ok. Thank you. What was it you wanted to speak to me about?"

"I have some security questions to complete with you, and then I have to get your account of events..."

****

Callum spent time answering a set of security questions similar to Sarah's.

Satisfied with the answers, Lily continued. "I was just telling Sarah I'll send her another link for Delphi. At the moment, her record shows she's paired with... Mr Campbell. There's no medical way a pairing can change, so the system doesn't let us change partners once they are registered. We'll have to delete Sarah from the system and start from scratch to correct all the involved records. That would only be a problem if you have an existing partner. Looking at it... I can see you've got pairing requests from... four other women?" Lily's voice rose slightly in surprise as she spoke, her statement ending as a question.

"Yes," Callum responded calmly. "The other women who share the island with us all opted to pair with me."

Lily let out a low whistle. "I didn't even know that Delphi let you have multiple requests like that. We were told that the requested partner option would only work for a single pre-existing relationship." There was the sound of keyboard keys again, which was muted briefly before Lily returned. "So, Sarah will have to do the same. Re-register, fill in the survey, and list yourself as his partner, which you'll have to accept, Mr Scott."

Sarah spoke up. "I was going to say, I currently have no phone or email account, Lily. Can you send the link to Callum's phone?"

"No problem. It'll take me a while to get the admin on my end sorted, but you should have it later today. Now, Mr Scott, can you confirm that you are Sarah's partner? That you two have physically paired?"

Callum nodded. "Yes. Multiple times. And if you're going to be asking me questions about my sex life, you'd better call me Callum."

Beside him, Sarah briefly looked scandalised before punching him lightly on the leg.

Lily laughed gently in response before turning serious again. "Now, Callum, can you tell me what happened on Monday in your own words."

****

Callum gave the Welsh woman his account of what happened, which prompted further questions. Early in his recounting, he realised Lily wasn't just recording a statement. She was undertaking a calm and carefully paced interview, interrogating them subtly but thoroughly. He also noticed that the call was being recorded - and he wasn't aware whether Lily had mentioned it to Sarah.

Lily hadn't said anything to him.

He became increasingly aware that Lily would ask him questions about things he'd said earlier in the conversation as if checking that his account remained consistent. She occasionally recapped his answers but would get a specific detail wrong, presenting opportunities for him to correct her. Her questions were short and open-ended, and her manner was friendly but professional. Occasionally, she would ask the same question but rephrase it, as if testing whether the answer would be the same.

Callum strongly suspected that Lily might not be just the low-level Averna call handler she seemed keen to portray herself as. Her charm and friendliness were being used to disarm them.

Regardless, he could see no other route forward than telling the truth.

Once he'd answered everything, including talking about the photos of Sarah's injuries taken before her long imprinting sleep, Lily's next insightful question was to ask where Sarah and Callum had gotten their information on the virus.

"I picked up a leaflet at the Police Station," Sarah answered. "When I arrived, I knew nothing about what was going on. Various people made comments that didn't make any sense to me. So, when I could learn more, I took the document. I brought it here, and Callum found it after I'd passed out." She chewed her lip a little, looking anxiously at the laptop. "Callum told me afterwards that it was an official document, that I shouldn't have had access to it, but I didn't know that when I took it."

"And you still have that leaflet?" Lily quickly asked.

Callum spoke up before Sarah could answer. "Yes, we have it. It's being kept safe and secure, and we're aware it's not to be shown to anyone else - that we've not to talk to anyone else about the vaccine or DuoHalo."

There was the clicking of keys again. "Tidy. Right, I think that's me for now. Based on what you've told me, there's a lot to unpack, so there is no doubt someone will be in touch. Sarah, I'll get your Delphi account deleted and a new one sent out."

Callum could see the same anxious look on Sarah's face and her fingers twisting together nervously. "Lily, can we ask what's going on? You mentioned earlier that some things were being looked at. Something about discrepancies?"

Lily sighed lightly before answering. "Yes. I'm limited in what I can say, but some concerns about Sarah's vaccination were raised late on Monday evening. The staff member recording the signed disclosures came across the 'help me' message. Unfortunately, it was missed when Sarah handed it in. Enquiries were made, and another nurse reported a conversation with Sarah, where she offered advice on dealing with domestic violence. Others retrospectively recognised some of the signs - the attempt to cover the bruising specifically, though they spoke about being reassured by the presence of a young policewoman. This information then triggered attempts to contact Sarah and her partner, which failed. Then, we reviewed Sarah's Delphi survey and discovered some inconsistencies, prompting a suspicion that Sarah hadn't completed it - something supported by Sarah's statement today. Then we matched up the email from Mr Lawley with Sarah's details."

"So what comes next?" Sarah asked quietly.

Lily paused briefly. "In all honesty, I'm not sure." Callum could tell from Lily's voice that she was being honest, even though what she had to say made her uncomfortable. "I know that won't give you much comfort. It's all new, you see. We're starting new processes and procedures all the time. I expect Mr Campbell to be removed from the matching system until this is sorted out. I'll notify Police Scotland of your allegations and our findings. That should prompt a criminal investigation. They'll no doubt want to talk to you. But... The police have been hit hard by these viruses. That's why there was such a rush to get them partnered."

"So they might let him keep working?" Callum asked incredulously.

"Oh, I'd expect that they'll suspend him. Behaviour like his is corrupt practice. He'll likely get pulled before professional standards even if he avoids a conviction. But how long any investigation might take would be my concern."

****

"What do you think?" Sarah asked, as Callum shut down his laptop.

Callum paused as he disconnected the mouse and keyboard. "Hmmm... I'll tell you what Lily's questions reminded me of. Did you ever watch '24 Hours in Police Custody'?"

Sarah sighed. "Was that one of those Police programmes on Channel 4? I probably caught it at some point. He used to like that sort of thing, if only to complain about them. Why?"

Callum turned to give her a sympathetic look. "Sorry, I should have thought,"

Sarah responded with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Irked at his thoughtlessness, Callum continued. "Anyway, I got quite into them. Especially after my own experiences with being interviewed by the police... And how Lily interviewed us reminded me of that show and watching experienced officers interrogate people. It reminded me a bit of being in that poky little interview room with my lawyer, to be honest."

"You still need to tell me that story," Sarah said as she rose from the sofa, stepping towards him and resting a hand on his chest.

"I know. We'll get to it soon, I promise." He enveloped her in a gentle hug, kissing her lightly near her ear.

Sarah shivered in response.

Callum continued while they remained together. "I got the impression that Lily wasn't just some call handler. She was very charming but good at steering the conversation. I don't know if you noticed how she would call back to things we'd said later in the conversation."

She returned from the hug, stealing a brief kiss on his lips but keeping her hand on his chest. "I did wonder why she kept getting things wrong."

He nodded. "I think that was her checking we'd give the same account later when we were distracted by talking about other things."

"Oh. Do you think I did ok?" Sarah's voice quivered. She looked at him with concern on her face, doubting her contribution. Or doubting herself.

Or was he catching a glimpse of some of the trauma Sarah carried from her past? Was she worried about whether she had let him down - or what he might do if she had?

Callum consciously smiled brightly, trying to convey his pride in her. "You did great, 'Rah," he said before pulling her into another hug.

****

Mid afternoon, Wednesday, 30th September 2020

Eilean Arthriagh, Inner Hebrides, Scotland

Having been distracted for the last few days, Callum had restarted his regular upkeep visits to the various properties on the island. Sarah hadn't seen some of them since before they were renovated - some buildings had been literal ruins the last time she'd visited. And, given that he no longer had any employees, Callum had brought her along to help. He also aimed to help her get used to driving on the island's tracks and show her what her parents had achieved.

Sarah called for the dogs as Callum turned off the hall light and closed the front door of the two-storey cottage. Once the servants' quarters for the Lodge staff, the two-story building sat on the coast to the northeast of that building. Today's visit was to check that there were no issues inside and determine what - if any - work the garden area might need over winter.

He climbed into the front passenger seat just as Piper leapt into the back seats, followed by Skye and Karl. All three dogs were soaking wet from their time in the loch, where they had been playing in the small private bay associated with this building.

Sarah was already in the driver's seat, which she had moved back to its maximum setting to allow her more comfortable access to the pedals. She leaned forward, looking around Callum at the front of the tasteful Georgian building.

"I still can't believe how neat and fresh it looks with all that ivy removed." She remarked before turning to admire the view out over the loch. "My mum always loved this building. For the longest time, we thought this would be the family home. Close to the lodge, the pontoon and the boathouse. And the views..." She turned away from the cottage, looking out over the loch.

Callum's gaze lingered on Sarah before lifting to the stunning view over the sea loch. The calm water glittered in the late afternoon autumnal sunlight. The quietness and the lack of recreational boats still struck Callum as surreal. Directly south across the water, the ruins of an ancient castle were visible on the shore - only half a mile away and standing on its tidal island. Further along, to the castle's west, the southern jetty could be seen; they used it as a pick-up and drop-off point with the Rib.

Beyond, the highlands rose in shades of greys, oranges, browns and greens. Its serene majesty was unblemished by engine noise, smoke, and signs of habitation.

The pair sat silently, admiring the view. The only sounds were the movement of the wind through the trees, the loch against the shore, and the calls of birds. Neither seemed ready to break the spell this place, and their memories had cast upon them.

At least, until Karl shook himself on the back seat, sending a spray of cold sea water over them. The jangle of his nametag on his collar was the only slight warning.

Callum and Sarah both cursed and laughed in unison. Karl's shake caused the other two dogs to do the same, leading Callum and Sarah to abandon the buggy hastily.

They both tumbled from their seats, writhing as icy water found skin.

Coming together at a safe distance in front of the buggy, wiping at the various soaked portions of their bodies and clothing, they continued to laugh.

Callum pointed at the Alsatian still sitting in the buggy as the laughter calmed to occasional chuckles. "Look at him grinning. I'm pretty sure he did that deliberately."

Sarah, clutching her side where a stitch was developing, waved a hand in the direction of the dogs while breathlessly forcing herself to speak. "The other two look just as pleased with themselves."

All three dogs watched the two humans, ears cocked, mouths part-open in grins. While out of view, their slight movement indicated that their tails were wagging.

Callum shook his head in disbelief, waving his fist in mock anger before calling back, "We'll see how happy you buggers are when I ask Alison to give you a bath."

Sarah laughed again as all three dogs suddenly ducked down behind the seats in response.

Silence returned, and Sarah slipped her hand into Callum's as they calmed. The two stood, almost leaning together, looking back at the cottage.

Callum sighed. "I remember the discussions. They both agreed that this was a prime spot. Your mum was adamant that she wanted that view for herself. Your dad kept insisting it was too much of a potential money-maker. It's still one of the most significant dwellings on the island, apart from the Lodge. Great views. Suitable for large groups." He smiled wistfully. "Your mum only gave up 'cos your dad had his mind set on having a yard for his equipment. She made him promise they would move to this building when they retired."

Sarah made no response, staring at the building before squeezing his hand. "What will we do with it now?" She asked quietly.

He glanced at her, eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"Well... We've got the Lodge for what? Eighteen? Assuming some people bunk up. And this sleeps eight. Catherine's in the boathouse, which sleeps four. Then, there are six small crofts with two people each, and the schoolhouse also has four people. So, most of the properties are small. Too small. What do we do?"

Callum's frown remained. "You mean, what do we do after lockdown?"

She nodded. "Yeah. If all the survivors will be in these 'teams', then a building that sleeps two is no use. Which, really, just leaves the Lodge and this one." She gestured at the building before them. "Maybe the boathouse and schoolhouse, depending on team sizes. But we don't know how many members will be in a team, and you'll be starting at six."

Callum blinked. He'd previously had passing thoughts about what the world might be like post-Covid - but hadn't set his mind to what the world might be like post-DuoHalo. Or the impact the pairing situation might have. "Oh." He faltered, momentarily taken back. "Well... We could advertise for the main buildings, the same as before. A luxury secluded retreat in the Highlands. We would host a couple of teams at once, maybe. Then use the crofts as... well... breakout locations?"

"What, like on a video call?" Sarah joked.

Callum chuckled. "Yes, like that. We could theme the smaller buildings and make them available for... I don't know. Date nights? So... the guests could have some alone time in small groups."

He'd expected Sarah to laugh, but instead, she turned her eyes back to the building with a thoughtful look. "We should talk to the ladies. There might be something in your idea Cal. Teams coming for a week could have a communal space together and some private spaces to use - like you said, for date nights or whatever. We'd need to look at the prices. And see what Emma thinks she could manage. We can discuss it with them over dinner."

Callum nodded in agreement. "Speaking of which." He gestured back to the buggy. They had another, less formal, dinner to attend.

****

This time, they arrived at the lodge's back door. Callum did not feel the need for further formality, and the dogs charged off on their usual course anyway. As usual, Emma was busy preparing the food, with Alison acting as an assistant. Mira was setting out the kitchen table, placing cutlery and glasses.

All three ladies stopped what they were doing to welcome their guests. Alison hastily herded the excited dogs away from the busy kitchen area.

As Sarah moved to help Alison, Callum turned and caught Emma staring at him. Not at his face but at his groin area. She looked away hurriedly, a deep blush creeping onto her face.

"Hey, Emma. I heard you had an issue with your tea this morning," he asked innocently. "Is everything okay?"

He grinned as Emma did a double take at him, looking at his face this time, her ears turning the same colour as her cheeks.

"Hey, Cal," came Mira's welcome before Emma could respond. She had crossed the kitchen, easily stepping into a full-body hug different from those she had previously given him. Sliding one hand around his waist, she reached up to his chin, standing on her tiptoes. She brought her mouth to his and gently guided his mouth down to meet hers.

The welcome kiss was more than friendly. Her lips pressed gently against his, moving in an unmistakably deliberate, romantic manner. Holding the kiss for seconds longer than any friendly kiss should have lasted emphasised her point. Even Callum couldn't mistake the message she was sending.

They locked eyes as the kiss broke. Callum's surprise was visible to her and everyone else in the room. Mira winked, a pleased grin on her face. She patted his arm before stepping back. "I just need to finish..." She indicated back towards the table, turning away from him.

His attention briefly settled on Mira's rear as she walked away, with more sway in her hips than usual. However, his attention quickly turned to Sarah as guilt and concern over what had just happened rose within him.

Sarah, however... also grinned and winked at him. She had known it was coming, he surmised.

The other two, by their reactions, had not. Alison stood with her eyes wide open in shock, swaying gently as if trying to decide whether to approach him. Emma regained some of her normal colouration; her jaw was clenched, and a look of determination was visible.

Emma was the first to move, her typical confidence returning. She 'sashayed' - a walk so deliberate it deserved the term - the few steps to him, pushing herself against him in what might generously have been described as a hug. While one hand repeated Mira's gesture of moving his mouth to hers, her other... Cupped his genitals very deliberately over his trousers. Her kiss went beyond that of Mira's - full of very overt sexuality and promise, backed with a few gentle squeezes of his nethers.

She broke off only after a loud cough came from Alison, who was now standing behind her.

Emma reluctantly pulled back, patting his chin and balls as she did so, and sashayed her way back to the stove.

This left Alison standing, blushing slightly and nervously chewing her bottom lip. Callum took the initiative, stepping forward and enveloping her in a hug. He pulled back only slightly to lean in and kiss her, intending to deliver a similar kiss to the one Mira had given him.

Rather than accept that, however, Alison pushed back urgently against his mouth, grazing his lip with her teeth. The movement of her lips was full of passion but lacked the deliberateness of Emma's. She broke the kiss off, only to immediately and loudly 'Mwah' him on the nose. Then she turned and giggled her way back towards Sarah, who, despite her surprised expression, offered and received a high five from the younger woman.

After the brief show, the ladies returned to their various tasks. Alison and Sarah set about drying the three dogs a little more, with Alison grabbing the dogs' towels from the mud room. Emma returned to tending the various pots and pans, while Mira continued setting the table.

Deciding to make himself useful, Callum helped Mira with the last few preparations, taking the opportunity to check in with her.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked her quietly, aware there was no good way of asking or answering such a question in these circumstances.

Mira paused for a moment before looking up and flashing him a sad smile. "I'm surviving. I keep having to convince myself that it's not all just a bad dream, especially when some things seem... so normal. Like the world doesn't even care."

Callum nodded slowly, having felt that himself in the past while grieving. "I'm here if you need to talk. And if there's anything I can do..."

Mira reached over and briefly patted his lower arm, acknowledging the sentiment he was conveying. "Thanks, Cal. Right now, I just want to get whatever comes next done with. Pairing wise, I mean. It feels like I can't let myself grieve properly when there's so much still up in the air."

"Have you heard anything?" He asked.

"Nothing specific. We all got a general notification that the vaccination infrastructure in our area was being established and that we would receive further instructions soon. But no idea of timescale."

Callum smirked slightly at that news. "Ah. Well, it's not like we're not used to things taking longer to get to us. It might mean they are setting something up closer to home, though. Else, I'd have thought they'd just send you to Fort William."

Mira shrugged slightly.

"Is Catherine joining us tonight?" He asked as he noted the six place settings.

"She's been here all day on her phone and computer. Getting things organised for Sarah, I think. She popped home about an hour ago but said she'd be back."

****

Early evening, Wednesday, 30th September 2020

Eilean Arthriagh, Inner Hebrides, Scotland

Callum recounted his and Sarah's earlier conversation with Lily between the forkfuls of Emma's delicious homemade spaghetti bolognese. Catherine, in particular, was paying close attention with a slight frown.

Sarah was engrossed mainly in her meal, peppering Emma with compliments and questions about the food while adding comments to his account. He didn't mind her split focus, recognising how little good-quality food she'd had before her arrival and appreciating Emma's effort to make one of Sarah's family favourites--despite Emma's complaints about the UK version of the dish being 'inauthentic'.

Everyone around the table, with the exception of Sarah, knew Emma cooked because she wanted to please others. Sure, she enjoyed the technical and creative sides of the profession, but she beamed when she saw someone genuinely enjoying something she had made. While still appreciative, those on the island had become used to her talents over the months. But to Sarah, it was all new. This experience was heightened by her long period of not eating quality food from a restaurant.

The level of flirtation also seemed to be slowly ramping up between them, likely driven by the picture he and Sarah had sent Emma earlier that day.

"So this conversation was recorded and will be shown to... who?" Catherine asked him as he came to the end of the tale.

"I'm not sure. We weren't put under caution or anything like that, so I'm not too worried from that perspective. I'd think they'd show it to the Police and use it internally."

Catherine sighed. "I do wish you had contacted me. I could have dialled in at least."

"Sorry," Callum said with an apologetic smile and a half-shrug. "I was so focused on making sure it wasn't anyone associated with... well, you know." He glanced at Sarah, who was being distracted by Emma's description of how she selected the mushrooms.

"As it turned out, I also spent much of the day on the telephone," Catherine spoke as she picked at the edges of her meal. Callum had long ago noticed that she preferred her main meal to be lukewarm. He suspected it had to do with her spending most of her time working - and getting so distracted her meals were usually cold.

"I started the ball rolling with some of Sarah's paperwork and then attempted to contact the Buchanan's solicitor. Eventually, I spoke to his receptionist on her home telephone number. The numbers for his office were going unanswered, so I had to ask around."

Catherine laid her fork down, reaching for her wine glass instead. "From her, I learned that Mr Sommerville was last heard from in late July. Too old-fashioned to work from home, he and his receptionist came down with a cough. She, of course, thinks it was Covid and told me that she took to her bed having tried a few home remedies for the cold. Which, by her telling, all appear to have included the liberal consumption of whisky. A few days later, she was 'right as rain'. The last news she heard regarding Mr Sommerville was that his wife had called him an ambulance. She has not heard from Mr Sommerville or his wife since."

Everyone around the table had stopped eating. Mira's chin had dropped almost to her chest, her eyes tightly closed. Alison's attention remained on Catherine, her look serious. Emma sighed, focussing on her fork as she idly mixed food on her plate.

Sarah's shoulders had slumped, and she looked between Callum and Catherine before speaking. "He was a nice man. I met him quite a few times over the years. He and his wife came to the island on holiday before I went to Uni."

Catherine acknowledged the comment with a slight tilt of her head. "I wasn't familiar with him, but in trying to gather information, I found that those I could reach had very positive things to say about his character."

"What are our next steps?" Callum asked, his hand settling on Sarah's knee under the table, giving it a brief squeeze.

"Mr Sommerville practised independently, so no partners or others can take over his work. His and his firm's involvement in the Buchanan's affairs ended on his death. A new Solicitor will need to be appointed. Thankfully, you, Sarah, were named the executor of the estate. As such, you can appoint a new solicitor in Mr Sommerville's stead. There is some paperwork, of course. And... We must travel to his office in Glasgow to retrieve the Buchanan's file. Ms Wiilows, the receptionist, will provide the key."

Catherine's need to travel to Glasgow had a different effect on those around the table. Sarah flinched slightly while Emma looked up with an eyebrow raised. Alison frowned, quickly turning to Callum for his response.

Mira sighed, her chin still on her chest.

Callum cleared his throat, giving Sarah's knee another squeeze. "It'll have to wait until after we're all vaccinated, Catherine. I'm not willing to risk you getting sick or anything being brought back. And I'll be going with you. You three can look after Sarah for the day, right?"

Catherine opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Mira. "I'd like to come too, please." Her voice was quiet but firm. Mira looked up at Callum, addressing him directly. "I know we wouldn't have much time, but I'd like to try and... Just... See..." Tears and emotion welled up, which she fought back and a gasp of breath. "I'd like to check on some people."

Not wanting to refuse her request out of hand and understanding her desire to see if any of her family still lived, Callum paused before answering. "We can chat, Mira, and see if there's anything specific we could do while there. Maybe you could come up with two or three addresses we could check? Where family would likely be?"

Mira seemed to shrink slightly, her relief that her request hadn't been rejected out of hand obvious.

Catherine cleared her throat. "I was going to say, Callum, that you would have to come. I can't drive. I am happy to wait, as you suggested. Hopefully, we will hear something soon about vaccinations."

The discussion around the table turned to travel plans, conjecture about the situation in Glasgow, and the concerns of the ladies who wouldn't be travelling.

Under the table, Sarah's hand gripped Callum's.

****