Capital Offence

Chapter 37

Monday 24th June

2 days left

The approach to Sumburgh Airport was terrifying. Vaila was sitting on the right hand side of the plane, and had a clear view of the lighthouse on Sumburgh Head as they approached. Beneath the wing, the waters of the Roost crashed and swirled as the Atlantic Ocean ripped round the southern tip of the islands to do battle with the North Sea. On the left side of the plane, Donald was fascinated by by the ruins of Jarlshof. Excavation of this Viking settlement had revealed an extensive farmstead, while erosion by the sea along one edge had revealed a Pictish broch complex - the base of a great circular tower, surrounded by huddled vaulted stone rooms for families and animals. From the air, the pattern of nestling circles, the shape of each subtly changed by contact with its neighbour, reminded him of Vaila’s jewellery.

Vaila had other things on her mind. Ahead, the lighthouse loomed larger on its rocky headland, seeming to block the plane’s flightpath. At the last moment, the wing tip lifted over the top of the light as the plane banked steeply to port. Within seconds it was touching down on the runway.

Jamie had his seatbelt off before the plane had taxied to a halt. He made his way to the front exit, where the stewardess smiled at him and wished him a safe onward journey. Donald and Vaila leapt up to follow, pursued by the rest of the small Prime Ministerial retinue. Fraser Howe was in charge of management of the visit, while Cammy Russell was handling the PR side. They’d brought along an official photographer, knowing that the visit would present some photogenic picture opportunities.

The wind hit them as they stepped down on to the tarmac. The sun shone brightly, but the air was brisk. Great heaps of billowing clouds rolled in from the west like tumbleweed in a spaghetti western, blowing past one after another.

The day’s official agenda involved birds, sand eels and fishermen. The fishermen and the conservationists had both been looking for a chance to state their (opposed) cases to the PM for some time, and this visit had been presented as a brief chance to see him face to face.

The party made their way into the surprisingly spacious terminal building. The customers in the coffee shop at the far side were all clad in orange survival suits. Vaila explained to Donald that this was the air-sea rescue helicopter crew, condemned to sit in rubber gear for hour after hour waiting for the call to action.

There was a quick consultation with the welcoming party. The fishermen’s representative was a charming, stylishly dressed Shetlander, Magnus Flett, who seemed to know Vaila well from years gone by. She stepped forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek as the others were being introduced. The naturalist who had been assigned to help them was a tall bearded man with a Somerset accent. He was introduced as Andy Martin.

Jamie had asked for the discussions to take place on a boat, which allowed the party to tour some of the main sites under discussion.

It also allowed him to dispense with the rest of the entourage, and gave access to some of the more remote areas around the coast towards St Ninian’s Isle where a delivery of drugs might take place. Jamie’s office had alerted the Shetland police the night before to watch out for any unexplained visits by sea, or boat to boat transfers. He had spoken directly to the Chief Constable, trying to emphasise the seriousness of this particular tip-off, and the fact that there was a tie-in with another case. The man had assured him that they would do everything within their power. However, he’d pointed out that there was a limited number of personnel at his disposal, and that you couldn’t just bus in a few hundred extra officers as you might on the mainland.

The party made their way out of the airport and were taken by car down to Grutness Voe near one end of the runway, at the foot of Sumburgh Head. There they boarded a launch tied alongside a jetty. The boat was around thirty feet long - a sea-going fibreglass craft with a deckhouse towards the bow. It had been lent by a small salmon farming business.