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Chapters (65)
  1. Cover
  2. PENGUIN BOOKS
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. Acknowledgements
  63. Read More
  64. Prologue
  65. THE BEGINNING

Hawkins fell silent again, her mind rushing. But her concern wasn’t simply why a killer would go to such lengths in order to cover their tracks, more the nature of the attack itself. Because cardioplegia wasn’t the MO of someone with a psychopathic message to broadcast, or who revelled in death …

And certainly not of drug dealers trying to scare insubordinate mules.

Penguin Walking Logo

18

The bindings were only half tied when the kid tried to sit up, kicking his feet free. ‘I don’t want to be restrained.’

‘It’s necessary.’ He pushed him back down, gathering the loose ends of the straps.

‘I don’t like it. I want to stop.’

‘No, you don’t,’ he said calmly. ‘It’s for both our protection.’

The kid drew a deep breath and relaxed slightly, as he went back to securing his ankles. But seconds later Glenn reared again.

‘No.’ This time there was real panic. ‘I’ve changed my mind. Let me go.’

He shook his head, watching the kid pull himself upright once more. ‘You wanted this.’

‘I thought I did.’ Glenn began fumbling with bound wrists at the double knot near his feet. ‘But I don’t.’

He didn’t respond, turning instead to crouch over the holdall, producing a brown glass bottle and a rag.

The kid’s eyes locked on to him as he started unscrewing the lid. ‘What are you doing? What is that?’

‘I warned you there would be consequences.’ He upended the bottle and began dousing the material. ‘This is happening whether you like it or not.’

Penguin Walking Logo

19

‘So.’ Hawkins scanned the faces around her. ‘Who wants to start us off?’

She waited, thinking about recent events.

Following Pritchard’s discovery regarding the cause of death for all three victims at the Brixton flat, she had returned from Westminster Mortuary to Becke House, and assembled her team in the operations room, hoping inspiration would strike in light of this new information.

So far, nothing.

And still.

Amala, having been first to arrive for their unscheduled meeting, sat front and centre, looking set to burst with frustration at not being able to help. To her left, Frank sipped coffee from a paper cup, apparently unfazed by his commanding officer’s irritation. His expression clearly said he wouldn’t have bothered calling the meeting at all.

Hawkins’ two most experienced officers shared so little in common that it was a constant conundrum how well they meshed. Both wore white shirts with oversized collars, but while Amala’s looked like a meticulously chosen fashion statement, Frank’s was more likely to be the last clean option in a desperately outdated selection.