Chapters (156)
- A DATE WITH DEATH
- Also by Mark Roberts
- A Date With Death
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- The Past
- 1977
- Day OneWednesday, 1st December 2021CatoptrophobiaFear of mirrors
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- The Past
- 1979
- Day TwoThursday, 2nd December 2021OneirophobiaFear of dreams
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- The Past
- 1980
- Day ThreeFriday, 3rd December 2021MonophobiaFear of being alone
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- The Past
- 1982
- Day FourSaturday, 4th December 2021ThanatophobiaFear of Death
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- About the Author
- An Invitation from the Publisher
‘I am what I said I am in my profile. I’m a stand-up guy. I don’t tell lies and I don’t say things I don’t mean. Look, I’m going to put my cards on the table. I don’t know if I am the right man for you. Or even if you’re the right woman for me. There’s only one way to find out. We need to meet up. Sooner rather than later, Sally, because I don’t want some other man to snatch you out of my hands.’
‘I’m not communicating with any other man. I picked you because of the things you said in your profile. I know we haven’t met but I feel like I know you already. I feel like you could be the perfect man for me.’
‘Then if you’re comfortable to do so, please meet up with me, Sally. Tonight. At eight o’clock.’
‘That would be great. Where, Geoff?’ Riley looked across the table at Hendricks. ‘What’s up, Bill?’
‘You micro-paused before accepting. Soon as he asks you out, bang, accept immediately. Otherwise, very good. Back to Sally and Geoff. Sally, do you know where the padlocked railings are by the Albert Dock?’
‘That’s soooo romantic.’
‘We’ll meet there. Is that OK?’
‘Brilliant.’
‘If I could just say, Sally, if it doesn’t work out between us, I sincerely hope and wish you well in your search for Mr Right. I confess, if that happens, I’m a little bit jealous of this stranger but if he gives you the happiness you deserve, if he worships the ground you walk on, I take my hat off to him.’
Hendricks leaned forward.
‘Eight o’clock. The padlocked railings.’
‘I’m so excited to meet you, Geoff. Bye for now.’
‘OK, Gina. I’d put money on it that he’s going to go down that route or a very similar road when you speak on the phone. Diffident and desperate to The Ghoul. Right between his eyes.’
65
9.26 am
Around the corner and out of sight of Maguire Holdings, Clay sat at the driver’s wheel of her car with Stone at her side.
‘How did you get on with the troops, Karl?’
‘They seemed over-cautious when I asked them about Francesca Christie. Nobody knows anything at all about Francesca going on dating websites or going on a date…’
‘That’s interesting. Francesca got pulled for using her office laptop to go on the sites. Daniel Ball, he was in the dark too?’
‘No. He took me to one side when I was on my way out and told me that Norma wanted to keep the information about Francesca going on the dating sites between themselves. She especially didn’t want anyone to know that Francesca had been using Maguire Holdings IT equipment during office hours to look for men.’
‘Any reason Norma wanted it like that?’ asked Clay.