Amber sighed, eyeing Bailey with a mixture of pity and reproach, then her kinder side seemed to get the better of her. She tilted her head and pondered for a few moments. Then she shook it.

‘I’m afraid not. I can’t think of a single inmate or member of staff who goes by that name. It could be someone who was in here before my time though. I only started working here quite recently.’

‘Okay. Thanks anyway.’ Bailey was disappointed, but Amber had just sparked an idea in her mind of who she might ask next.

Bailey folded up the piece of paper and tucked it back in her pocket.

‘Why are you so interested in this all of a sudden?’ said Amber.

‘It was my cellmate who got murdered.’

‘Of course,’ replied Amber. ‘I forgot Sharon was your cellmate.’ Amber nodded sympathetically. ‘Well… stay out of trouble, okay?’

Chapter 90

‘SILENCE’ read the sign above the librarian’s desk. It stated what was quite clearly apparent. The place was completely dead. The librarian was nowhere to be seen and there didn’t appear to be anyone else in here.

Bailey stood there by the entrance briefly and then ventured down one of the aisles in search of Jacqui. She trailed her fingers along the spines of the books, inhaling the musty smell, thinking to herself that it was a pity this tatty collection of texts wasn’t better funded.

She turned down another aisle. Still no sign of the librarian. It was quiet, too quiet…

She stopped, turned around to retrace her footsteps… and jumped in surprise.

Jacqui was standing just a few centimetres away from her, peering at her over the tops of her half-moon glasses. How did she do that?

‘Change your mind about wanting to borrow that poetry book?’ rasped Jacqui, a vague undercurrent of menace in her voice.

‘Er… not exactly. Although I was wondering if you could help me with something.’

‘What are you looking for?’

‘It’s not a book I’m looking for exactly.’

Bailey tried to think of the best way to phrase it without causing possible offence.

‘Last time I was here, you mentioned that you’d been in here for quite a while.’

Jacqui nodded slowly. ‘That’s right. Eleven years. Got a further seven to do. Why?’

‘So you probably have a good knowledge of who’s been locked up here in the past?’

‘Not really. I keep myself to myself. I find it works better that way. I’m barely acquainted with anyone in here. I’m like a hermit. The only people whose names I’m familiar with are those who use the library. And that’s not many people, as you can see. Why do you ask?’

Bailey felt disappointment weigh down upon her. Maybe it had been a waste of time to come here. ‘Well, it’s a bit of a long shot really, but do you know any inmate who would have had the name F. Lee?’

Jacqui pondered for a few moments, tapping her lip with a large tattooed finger.