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Chapters (60)
  1. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR LEIGH RUSSELL
  2. Glossary of acronyms
  3. Prologue
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. Acknowledgements

‘But that’s not the whole story,’ Jonah continued. ‘The actual cause of death was not as innocent as him choking on his own vomit, unpleasant though that would undoubtedly have been. Someone wanted to make sure.’ He pointed at discolouration around the dead man’s mouth and nose. ‘Something was pressed down hard over his face to prevent him breathing. He was suffocated, although he would most likely have died anyway without medical assistance.’ He shrugged. ‘Whoever killed him might as well have left him alone. The chances of his wife coming out and finding him in time to save him were slim.’

‘Perhaps she did come out and find him,’ Geraldine said quietly.

‘Can you identify the pills he was given?’ Ian asked.

Jonah nodded. ‘It’s a common drug, cetirizine. It can be bought as an over the counter medication usually taken for allergy relief, and one of the side effects is drowsiness. He evidently ingested more than the advised dose, resulting in confusion, drowsiness, and possibly difficulty breathing.’

Geraldine thanked him and Jonah smiled at her. ‘Any time. It’s always a pleasure to see you.’

Geraldine thanked him again as she said goodbye, but Ian merely grunted as he turned to leave.

‘The inspector’s in a good mood,’ Jonah hissed in a stage whisper.

Geraldine nodded but she didn’t answer. Taking the hint, Jonah didn’t pursue the topic.

‘See you again,’ he said, ‘but not here too soon, I hope. Ian, I keep telling her it would be nice to meet under other circumstances.’ He turned back to Geraldine. ‘We really have to stop meeting like this.’

‘Come on, Ian.’ Geraldine smiled at Jonah. ‘We’ve got to go. Places to visit, people to question and all that.’

19

19

Struggling to get the buggy down the steps outside her house, Ella cursed as the back wheels caught on the edge of a step, nearly tipping the whole damn thing over. A woman who was passing stopped and called out to her.

‘You’ve got your hands full. Do you need any help?’

Ella ignored her. She had deliberately chosen to go out just after sunset when she thought there wouldn’t be many people about and she was less likely to be observed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the woman glare at her before turning to walk up the steps of the house next door.

‘You can mind your own fucking business,’ Ella muttered.

Reaching to open her door, the woman paused and turned. ‘What’s that? Did you say something?’

‘If I did, I wasn’t talking to you,’ Ella replied without looking round.