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
With the door closed for business and alone on the pavement outside the office of Doherty Estates and Properties, Sally said, ‘I’ve got a duty of care towards you, Francesca. If someone upsets you, colleague, vendor or buyer, you tell me. I’ll do what I can to help you. Have a great evening.’
‘Yes, you too. Thank you.’
Francesca walked towards the pelican crossing and, as she pressed the WAIT button, she had a strange feeling that she was being watched. She looked around and there were people there but no one was looking at her.
When the green man came up, she crossed Allerton Road quickly, with the wind whipping at her ankles and the dust of the day playing havoc at her feet.
In the pocket of her coat, her iPhone rang out and, as she reached the other side of the road, she connected.
‘Francesca?’
‘James…’ Her good mood became instantly better.
‘Can you talk?’
‘Of course.’
‘Look, I know this is short notice, Francesca, but I was wondering if we could meet tonight?’
She counted to three, to stop herself appearing over-eager, and said, ‘Yes, we could meet tonight. Where?’
‘The railings with the padlocked hearts near the Albert Dock. Do you know it?’
She knew it well. Her own name and that of her ex, Patrick, were written on one of the padlocks, a detail known only to her and as many people as he had chosen to brag to about breaking her heart.
‘Yes, I know it, James.’
‘Shall we say eight o’clock, Francesca.’
‘That should be fine.’
‘Pick any restaurant you’d like to go to and don’t be a cheap date. I’ve got plenty to celebrate at the moment, plenty. Winning the case yesterday. Seeing you tonight.’
Crossing Church Road, Francesca was again possessed by the unsettling feeling that she was being watched or followed.
‘Are you there, Francesca?’
‘Yes…’
‘You went very quiet.’
‘Just crossing a busy road, on my way home.’
‘Well, I guess I better leave you to it.’
‘Thank you, James. For asking me out.’
‘Thank you for agreeing. Eight o’clock. The padlocked railings.’
As he disconnected the call, Francesca looked back at a bus stop full of school children and elderly men and women in the glare of a fish and chip shop’s bright light.
Bath. Hair. Make-up. Nails. Black cocktail dress. Heels.
She planned it out in her head as she turned left to the car park outside ASDA.
I’ll tell my mother, she thought, that I’m going to Bryony’s. I’ll slip out of the house, so that she doesn’t see me dressed for a date. It’ll just be a thousand and one questions… She glanced at her watch as she sat in her car… and I don’t have the time.
From the driver’s seat, she called Bryony.
‘Hi, Francesca. How are things?’