Chapters (67)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
‘Olivia never ever would have taken drugs, I am sure of it. Cast-iron sure. She really disapproved of them, she despised people who took them – she often said so. It wasn’t that we had to warn her, she was there first – she used to lecture us about it, if you like. She must have been on this man’s phone list for some other reason.’
Her face was flushed and she was passionately certain of what she was saying. Simon recognised this brand of unshakeable conviction, usually encountered in parents but occasionally in partners, when confronted with information they could not bear to absorb, truth they could not bring themselves to acknowledge. Olivia Tonks had let it be known loud and clear and often that she was against drugs, and perhaps in a sense she had been. The part of her which had spoken out in that way was quite separate from another, deeply hidden part, and the two were never in the same place together, each would have been in denial about the other.
‘I believe you,’ he said, ‘this isn’t unusual. Olivia would have hated what she was doing, but for whatever reason, she continued to do it. Usually, this is all about enticement, intimidation, blackmail, and once she had started, she was caught and trapped, threatened in small ways and then much bigger ones. They all are – bribed and blackmailed, with money but more often with things, nice new designer trainers, a bit of jewellery, a smart bag –’
‘No!’ Greta Tonks knocked the chair over as she stood up. ‘I would have known. Liv never got anything like that, and she only had pocket money from us. Her father might have slipped her a five-pound note sometimes after he left us, but that was out of guilt and she always told me. Always. This is not Liv, I can’t tell you how sure I am, but whatever you say makes no difference to me, because it won’t bring her back. '
‘No. I can completely understand why you’re saying this and –’
‘I doubt it, Superintendent. You’re not a hard man, but you’re a policeman and you have no idea about any other aspect of this outside the job you have to do. It hasn’t helped me – though it hasn’t made things worse either, as if anything could – because it doesn’t take me any closer to understanding and know- ing why Olivia killed herself. Not an inch. Of all the unlikely explanations, this cock-and-bull story about drugs and drug dealers . . . I’m angry, I’m upset and hurt, you’ve made a fool of me, and – you have no idea how wrong you are. Now would you please leave?’
Sixty-Five
‘Aw, no, Dad, please.’ Brookie was biting his lip, determined not to cry and failing. ‘Don’t make me go.’