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 hope so. Pebbles On The Beach is for people who want commitment. It’s for men and women who want marriage, children and a future. That’s why some people sneer at it. Because it’s seen as old-fashioned. Well, I am old-fashioned and I’m not afraid to admit that.’
‘Be careful, Fran. There are devils out there masquerading as nice, wholesome men.’
She glanced up at the way Fran’s naturally blonde hair hung down on either side of her face and saw great sadness in her eyes.
‘What can you see, Fran?’ Norma pointed out of the window and down at the pavement.
‘People.’
‘Men?’
‘Yes.’
‘If you met a man, say, on the street, you mightn’t think it but from the moment you clapped eyes on him, you’d be reading his body language and receiving chemical information about him that would make you either want to get involved with him or run a mile. You don’t get that incredibly personal and powerful information from the internet. Promise me you’ll stop going on to these dating sites.’
‘I promise you.’
‘There are other ways to meet men. Nice men. Men who won’t hurt or harm you.’
‘How though? Nowadays…’
Norma looked out of the window and saw the police helicopter circling the space around Penny Lane.
‘Well, would you look at that now? That’s it.’ Norma clapped her hands together. ‘You could always steal a car and get arrested by a strapping police helicopter pilot. Now, wouldn’t that make for a zany rom com?’
Norma looked at Francesca, whose eyes were fixed on a point in the distance, and said, ‘That’s better. You’re smiling. I’m joking with you. Now go wash your face and sell some houses for me.’
At the door of Norma’s office, Francesca stopped and turned on hearing, ‘Fran? Make Mine The Moon. Brad Howard and Elaine Tomeski. It’s on at the Odeon in Liverpool One. I think I might treat myself. Are you interested?’
‘I’ve seen it.’ Not a beat of hesitation. ‘They were better in The Fourth Wish.’
‘Fair enough.’
‘Norma, I really am sorry about using your laptop for non-work-related purposes.’
‘Don’t apologise. Just don’t do it again, Fran.’
There was no sign of blood in Francesca Christie’s knuckles as she grasped the handle of Norma Maguire’s door to open it.
‘Keep safe, Fran. Promise me. Keep safe.’
7
9.46 am
‘I called the pathologist in Warrington about the autopsy on Sandra O’Day in the River Irwell,’ said Doctor Lamb.
As Clay walked from the gowning room into Autopsy Suite 1, she felt the flickering of a faulty overhead fluorescent light, which induced a tightness beneath the top of her skull.