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
‘Is he likely to blow the whistle on your relationship?’
‘Absolutely not. He’s got as much to lose as me.’
‘Well, I’ve learned something about Norma Maguire, Daniel, since I spoke to Lydia. She’s an out and out liar. If she makes allegations about you to anyone, I’ll be the first one to climb on the roof and shout out about her lies. She’s got no credibility and if she tries to denounce you, she’s got me to contend with. I’m going to put it to you directly, Daniel. You didn’t have an affair with anyone, did you?’
‘Sorry?’
‘Say it. I didn’t have an affair with anyone.’
‘I – I didn’t have an affair with anyone.’
‘Norma Maguire is a sad, lonely woman who makes malicious allegations.’
‘Norma Maguire…’ Clay heard key notes of conviction creeping into his voice. ‘…is a sad, lonely woman who makes malicious allegations.’
‘She can’t beat both of us, Daniel, and she can’t prove anything at all against you. All you need to do is stick to your story. Nothing happened between me and any man.’
Clay looked at the clock on the wall, saw the seconds ticking away, chipping into Edgar McKee’s time in custody.
‘Norma Maguire has lied through her teeth to your wife already,’ encouraged Clay. ‘Lydia came to that conclusion herself and I can back that up one hundred per cent.’
Daniel Ball spoke two words and the skin on Clay’s spine puckered as her whole body turned cold. She wondered if fatigue was making her hear things.
‘Repeat that name, please.’
‘Michael Towers. He left for another firm. We were close, Michael and me.’
‘Go on.’
‘Richard Ezra. Thomas Saddler. James Griffiths. Geoff Campbell. Francesca Christie. That’s it.’
‘Repeat those names for me, slowly.’
As he spoke, Clay had the sense that a massive corner was being turned.
‘Thank you. Daniel, where are you?’
He hung up immediately.
Clay spoke to Stone. ‘Round up the troops. I want you to come with me to West Road in the Grassendale Park grid, to Norma Maguire’s house. We’re going to pull her in. Every person who’s walked out on her with the exception of Francesca Christie became a pseudonym for The Ghoul’s alter egos, hunting down lonely hearts. She’s on my shit list.’
107
6.23 am
Waking up from a sleep full of lost dreams, Norma Maguire heard the iPhone at her bedside ring out.
She pulled the eye mask from her face and looked at the ringing telephone, knowing that whoever was calling at that hour wasn’t going to hang up until she replied.
Norma saw the name DCI CLAY on display, connected the call and turned on speakerphone.
‘DCI Clay?’
‘I’m sorry to wake you so early, Norma.’
The words hung in the air like circling vultures.
Norma Maguire listened hard, heard that Clay was in a moving vehicle.