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
‘Has there been some news on Francesca Christie?’ asked Norma.
‘We’re still looking for her, Norma.’
‘Excuse me, I’m still here, I’m just unfolding my wheelchair.’
She pulled the arms apart and tasted last night’s Talisker at the back of her tongue.
‘Is everything all right, DCI Clay?’
‘No.’
‘Why are you calling me?’ She checked her alarm clock. ‘At just after twenty past six?’
‘I’m on my way to see you, Norma. You need to be up and dressed within the next few minutes.’
‘Why?’
‘Have a look outside your window, Norma.’
She made her way into her chair and wheeled herself to the bay window overlooking West Road. Pulling back a curtain, Norma saw a vehicle blocking her drive.
‘Why is there a police car outside my house?’
‘That was exactly the same question I was about to ask you,’ said Clay.
‘You’re talking in riddles, DCI Clay. Where are you going with this?’
‘At the moment, I’m going left off Aigburth Road on to Grassendale Road in the direction of your house.’
‘Why?’
‘Stay on the line, Norma. Do you hear me?’
‘Yes.’
Norma watched two constables get out of the car and walk towards her front door.
‘I don’t feel well. What’s that? In his hand?’
‘It’s a ram, Norma, to knock your front door open.’
‘I don’t feel well. I’m having a dizzy turn.’
‘We’ll let the duty medic give you the once-over in Trinity Road.’
Norma saw Clay, iPhone in her hand, getting out of her parked car. Clay pointed at her.
‘Get dressed. Get down the stairs and get outside as fast as you can!’
‘What’s that noise?’
‘Your front door’s just been rammed. We haven’t got time on our side.’
108
6.27 am
Clay stood in Norma Maguire’s hall, watching her as she descended on the stair lift, the top half of her face concealed by a large pair of sunglasses. Norma Maguire opened the wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs as Stone entered the house, follow by uniformed officers. He showed Clay his iPhone.
‘The search warrant from the duty magistrate.’
Riley followed Hendricks into the hall.
Norma looked at Hendricks. ‘You! Tell them you looked in my garage for a white van and you found absolutely nothing.’
Stone showed Norma the search warrant.
‘What on earth’s going on here?’ As she transferred herself from the stair lift into her wheelchair, Norma sobbed, ‘What are you looking for?’
‘Do you have a loft, Norma?’ asked Clay.
‘Yes.’
‘How do we access your loft?’
‘There’s a metal arm by the entrance hatch. The hatch is near the bathroom.’
Winters came into the hall and Clay pointed up.
‘The loft please, DC Winters.’
‘Got it, DCI Clay.’
‘Do you have a basement?’
‘Yes.’
‘How do we access the basement?’
‘Through the kitchen. The hatch is beneath the mat by the back door.’