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
‘Thank you, Carolyn. That could be incredibly helpful.’
He placed the receiver down and attached a map of Crosby Beach and the surrounding area to the email he composed to the whole team.
Norma Maguire’s favourite place. Where are we looking for Francesca Christie?
127
1.37 pm
‘I’ve got to hand it to you, Ms Maguire. You certainly know how to manipulate lonely women. Your tag team strategy was little short of masterly. Danny Guest dumps Annie Boyd and she goes running into the arms of Richard Ezra. It’s all on your laptop. Why did you delete all these messages?’
Norma Maguire said nothing.
Clay turned Norma Maguire’s laptop around and showed her the brief and hurried dialogue between Sally Haydn and Geoff Campbell.
‘You went from being cool and patient to being in an awfully big hurry. You just couldn’t wait to get talking on the phone with Sally Haydn. Only when DS Riley did speak with you, it wasn’t you. DS Riley spoke with Edgar McKee. Posing as Sally Haydn, she told him something like I love roaring log fires, drinking wine and making pictures in the coals.’
‘I don’t know what the policewoman said. I didn’t take the call. Edgar…’
‘Go on. Edgar?’
‘If Edgar took the call, whoever Edgar is, how do I know what was said?’
‘I don’t think there was any if in your mind just then, Ms Maguire. You were going to say, Edgar took the call. Edgar who I know. Edgar who murders lonely women with me. Edgar who abducted the women.’
‘His Sandra O’Day alibi has just crashed and burned,’ said Hendricks. ‘You paid for him to come back into the country on the day before Sandra was reported missing and to go back to Europe on the day after she was killed.’
‘That’s right, isn’t it?’ pressed Clay.
‘Tell the truth, Ms Maguire,’ urged her solicitor. ‘The evidence against you is compelling, and I’m pretty sure there’s more evidence rolling in on the next wave.’
‘I admit I talked to the women on the internet but that was because I was lonely and bored.’
‘You admit to all the evidence on your laptop?’ said Clay.
‘Yes.’
‘If it was company you were after, genuine company, why didn’t you go on Pebbles On The Beach as yourself?’ asked Hendricks.
‘Because I’m hideous! I’m hideous! Hideous! Hideous!’ She exploded, tears cascading down her face, which was one shade down from purple.
Norma Maguire leaned over the left-hand arm of her wheelchair and retched, but all that came up was a ball of wind and a string of phlegm.
Clay took out her iPhone and dialled.
‘Sergeant Harris, can you come to Interview Suite 1, please.’
‘Sit up, Ms Maguire,’ said Hendricks.
‘Do you mean, the evidence makes you hideous?’ asked Clay.
‘No, that’s not what I meant at all.’