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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

Robin knows what words are written on the sign there. Georgia Riley. James and Alex Riley. Died Sept 2015. Five years ago today.

Liam stands up and dusts the mud from his hands. He looks across at Robin.

‘You okay?’ he asks.

‘I’m alright,’ Robin replies, although he knows what Liam is thinking. He looks like shit. And has for a while.

In contrast, his brother-in-law seems well. His narrow face is lined, but he has colour, a tan left behind from the summer. Robin remembers something about cycling, a hobby picked up after Georgia’s death. A holiday to Majorca, photos on Facebook of Liam standing in Lycra at the top of a big hill.

‘Work okay?’ Liam asks.

‘Hmm,’ Robin replies, non-committally.

It’s the most the two have spoken in a friendly tone for nearly two years.

‘You look good,’ Robin throws back. ‘Single life treating you well.’

‘Rob…’ Liam starts. ‘Not now. Not here.’

Robin shakes his head, his jaw clenched. It was a ridiculous comment, one he regretted the moment it left his mouth, designed to keep the wedge between them. He turns before he can say anything else and starts to walk away.

‘Robin!’ he hears Liam call to his back. ‘Please.’

But he doesn’t stop. Liam’s right. Georgia’s grave is not the place to start a new argument. And what would it solve? Robin doesn’t begrudge Liam any sort of happiness; he knows how much Liam loved his sister and the boys, of that he’s in no doubt. But the other… that’s the bit Robin can’t understand.

As Robin gets into his car his phone rings, and he answers it.

‘Butler? It’s Greg from the lab. The results from those beer bottles are back. West told me to call you.’

‘Beer bottle?’ For a moment, Robin can’t make sense of what Greg’s saying. Then he realises. The ones from his house, after his supposed hangover.

‘Yeah. One of them was completely clear, but the second had traces of a benzodiazepine in the bottom, specifically flunitrazepam.’

Robin knows what that means. ‘How much?’

‘A small amount, but enough to render someone unconscious. Full report’s in your inbox,’ Greg finishes.

Robin ends the call. He sits for a moment, rain spitting on his windscreen, and he feels the fury growing inside, adding to the ball of anger already there from his exchange with Liam.

He places a call to Control.

‘Yeah, home address for Olivia Cross,’ he says, hand already on the ignition key. ‘Age late thirties.’

He listens to the reply. ‘That’s the one,’ he agrees. ‘Brown hair, brown eyes.’

He makes a mental note of the address, and guns his car out of the car park.

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