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Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. About the author
  60. Copyright

Skirting around the back of the house, Chandler walked through his never-locked back door and aimed for the bookcase in the corner between the kitchen and living room. The red cover should have stood out amongst the second-hand bestsellers that he’d bought and never read but it didn’t seem to be there.

Next he tried Sarah’s room. He spotted it on the bedside table surrounded by a litany of mobile phone paraphernalia: covers, screen protectors, and spaghetti-string headphone cables. Red cover. Hardback. For some the ultimate read.

Not knowing where to start he flicked to page 55. The number had come up in both Gabriel and Heath’s statements. The page spoke of the parting of the Red Sea. The followers hungry in the desert. Bread falling from heaven.

Did that mean anything? Being able to make the sea part on command? Did that suggest wanting ultimate control? Killing that many people could create that kind of delusion. What about bread falling from heaven? Going hungry in the desert? Had Gabriel been leading followers up there? Trying to convert them to a religion or a cult that he had invented? Did he kill them when they resisted? Or had going hungry up there made him mad? There had been no sign of cannibalism on the victims, even the latest one where the flesh was more intact, but it was a possibility. Still it was nothing but more speculation – nothing to bring him closer to the truth.

Noting the paragraph numbers set in superscript at the side of the page he searched page to page for paragraph 55s.

He found only two. The first was a psalm. A lament about being surrounded by betrayers and enemies. The enemies weren’t named specifically, but it could be proof of a rampant paranoia. But Gabriel hadn’t come across as paranoid at any stage. He seemed much too calculating for that.

The other was Isaiah 55: an invitation to the thirsty. It talked of the grace and power of God and ended with the transformation of life. There was one basic transformation that Chandler could think of: the transformation from life to death. Was this what Gabriel meant? Transforming these people from their hell on earth to God’s side? It was possible but it was a big jump and still vague. The paragraph ended with a powerful collection of words: an everlasting sign that will endure for ever. Was it a statement? That Gabriel would endure for ever. The notoriety of a serial killer? Destined to be discussed and studied for years to come? The chance to live for ever.