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Back Gone Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  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. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. Reading Group Questions
  76. Read More
  77. I

She nodded. ‘It’s like none of these people sat in court and heard a word that was said. Not only does Jamie Bolton have the mental age of a ten-year-old, his brain damage means he has little-to-no sex drive – facts which came from the neurologist.’ Bloom pointed at Jameson’s screen. ‘And it was that man’s precious little girl who suggested they play strip poker because she had seen her mum and dad playing it “all the time”.’ Bloom used finger quotes for the last phrase; it was a direct quote from the alleged victim.

‘Hey, you don’t have to justify your testimony to me,’ said Jameson. ‘I’m on your side.’

His phone rang and he rushed to answer it.

‘Alright, sis?’ he said. He listened for a moment. ‘Shit.’ With the phone still in his hand he opened the BBC News website. On the screen was a picture of Harry Graham and the headline read:

BRISTOL OPTICIAN STABBED TO DEATH IN HIS HOME

18

Chief Superintendent Steve Barker took Bloom’s hand in both of his: a solid, firm handshake designed to instil trust and simultaneously remind you of his rank.

‘Now then, Dr Bloom, how the devil are you? I always hoped we’d get you out to our neck of the woods someday.’ Barker had been a delegate on one of Bloom’s College of Policing courses two years previously. She ran a module on The Psychology of Crime for up-and-coming leaders.

‘I’m very well, Steve, and I hear congratulations are in order.’ He’d just been promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief Constable for Avon & Somerset Police.

Barker leaned closer and lowered his voice. ‘Thank you. No one was more surprised than me.’ His attempt to play it down was undermined by the excitement in his eyes. ‘I won’t start for another few months. ACC Wilks doesn’t retire until the end of May.’

Barker led Bloom behind the police station’s reception desk, swiped open the door and gestured for Bloom to follow.

Bloom lowered her voice to match his. ‘I’m not surprised at all, Steve. You were always going places, from what I could see.’

‘You’re too kind. Now let’s get you set up with Carly. Awful business, this. Just awful.’