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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

‘Good.’ The beers arrived and they clinked their bottles together. Jameson lifted the bottle to his lips and then paused. A woman was approaching, sidling up behind Steph and placing a hand on her shoulder.

‘I’m heading off now, Steph,’ she said. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’

Jameson wanted to look at the woman, but he didn’t want to be seen to be looking.

Steph swivelled on her bar stool. ‘Are you sure? We’re only just getting started. We were going to grab some food later.’ Steph looked over at Jameson. ‘You up for that, Marcus?’

Before Jameson could respond the woman said, ‘That’s very kind. Maybe next time though.’ He couldn’t stop staring at her blue eyes. The smallest of smiles touched her lips. ‘Nice to meet you,’ she said. Four words clearly meant for him.

Jameson watched the blonde woman walk away as Steph began talking about some actor she’d seen on the train.

‘Who was that?’ he said, interrupting Steph’s story.

‘One of the doctors seconded to the BMA. Sarah something. I can’t remember now. She’s nice. A bit boring, but pleasant enough.’

Jameson continued to drink his beer and catch up with Steph, but he no longer hoped for an invite. That sexy smile and the ‘Nice to meet you’ had distracted him. And he thought it might be nice to run into Dr Sarah Something again. Very nice indeed.

20

Chief Superintendent Steve Barker called at 7.30am, just as Bloom was finishing her morning run. She’d emailed him the night before – a summary of what they’d learned so far – so she’d been expecting to hear from him.

‘I’m setting up a task force following the death of Harry Graham,’ he said. ‘I’ve taken a look at what you sent me on this game and I can provide some additional resource to help track down the other players. I don’t want any more deaths on our hands.’

Bloom stood at her sink, filled a glass with water and took a large sip. ‘Thank you, Steve,’ she said. ‘Will that be based out of your HQ?’

‘To begin with. I’ve spoken to my counterpart in the Met and if we can show this is of national interest they may be willing to gold-command it, but for now you’re stuck with me.’

‘No problem at all. Marcus and I can head over later today if you like. For a briefing. Then take it from there.’

‘You said in your email you had a working hypothesis?’ Bloom had mentioned a theory, but hadn’t explicitly mentioned psychopaths.

‘We do, but I’d rather go through it face-to-face. It’s somewhat sensitive and more than a little controversial.’

‘Right. I shall expect nothing less then, Dr Bloom. Shall I organize a briefing for this morning?’