BooksBarbecue
Back Last Place You Look Save as PDF
Chapters (85)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. Part 1
  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. Part 2
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. Part 3
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. Epilogue
  82. Acknowledgements
  83. Canelo Crime
  84. About the Author
  85. Also by Louisa Scarr

‘Social butterfly,’ Kal agrees. ‘Bar’s free, help yourself to whatever you like. Probably a few bottles of champagne still making the rounds if you’re quick.’ He leans in closer, and she can feel his stubble on her cheek. ‘Listen, Amy. About the other week…’ His voice trails off, and he looks at her.

‘It’s forgotten.’

‘It’s just…’ His eyes dart around the bar; she knows he’s looking for Jonathan. ‘Jonny and I. We go back a long way.’

She shakes her head. ‘We both have a lot to lose, Kal. Forget about it. Seriously.’

Kal takes a step back. Then the grin returns. ‘You see my latest photos?’ he asks. He takes his phone out of his pocket, scrolls with a thumb, then thrusts it in her face. She looks at the bright picture – a small, chunky toddler, caramel skin and dark eyes, smiling on some sort of trike.

‘He’s gorgeous, Kal,’ she replies. She feels the familiar ripple of jealousy, a burn in the pit of her stomach. How come Kal has everything? His kid was an accident, result of a one-night stand, and yet he’s a father while she remains childless. She feels the urge for a drink resurface.

‘Champagne, did you say?’ she adds, and Kal points towards the barman on the other side of the room, circulating, a large bottle in his hand.

‘Go grab him quick, Amy. Have fun.’

And just like that, she’s dismissed. She feels the tension return to her neck and shoulders. The car keys weigh heavy in her hand, but she needs a drink. Something to take the edge off.

Something to help her forget.

4

Tuesday

The car park is already swarming with blue and yellow by the time Robin arrives. He flashes his ID through his open car window and is let past the cordon, then parks up behind the huge purple-signed building.

The uniform in reception recognises him and directs him towards the lift.

‘303,’ he says.

Robin nods a thank you, and heads up.

He doesn’t need the signs when he gets to the right floor. He can hear the buzz of the crime scene as soon as the lift doors open, and walks down the beige corridor towards the noise. Carpet worn in the centre, scuff marks on the wall. The hotel’s old, in desperate need of a refresh. People crowd the corridor – nosy onlookers, PCs starting to make enquiries, the paramedic packing up his things, having already pronounced life extinct.

Robin pushes past them all. A uniform greets him at the hotel room doorway with a grimace.

‘You were first on the scene?’ Robin asks as he puts on gloves and shoe covers. The PC nods. ‘Everything left as you saw it?’

‘Except we cut the guy down.’

‘You moved the body?’ Robin replies, exasperated. ‘Is it all on BWV?’