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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

Steph looks at her. ‘What does your training tell you to do?’ she asks.

Freya pauses. But instead of that, she thinks about Butler. What would he say? They haven’t worked together long, but she can imagine. ‘Start from the beginning,’ she says. ‘Do the interviews again, look at the crime scene. Make my own mind up about what happened.’

‘So do that.’

Freya nods, and picks up one of the witness statements from that day. She feels Steph’s eyes on her.

‘Freya, how well do you know Robin?’ Steph asks.

Freya looks at her. Steph seems unsure; she’s blushing slightly, her usual confidence evaporated.

‘He’s been my sergeant for just over a week.’

‘I don’t mean like that. I mean…’

‘No, there’s been nothing like that.’ Freya dismisses it quickly. ‘And I’ve never heard any rumours from around CID either.’

‘Never? I mean, I wouldn’t blame him if he had. He’s single, attractive, all those late nights working,’ Steph says, the words flying out of her mouth.

‘No, never,’ Freya repeats.

She knows what Steph is referring to. Even though it’s not strictly speaking allowed, there’s a lot that goes on between the police. The hours are unsociable, and nobody outside the force understands the pressures that detectives experience. It’s only natural that people hook up. And Freya knows about the sheer number of marriages that crumble as a result.

But Butler? No. No one’s ever talked about him in that way.

She looks back to Steph. ‘You like him, don’t you?’ Freya says.

Steph laughs, slightly sharp. ‘Stupid, aren’t I?’ She gathers her files back up, shoving them hastily into her bag.

‘Not at all. I’ve seen you two together. He feels the same.’

‘Yeah, but men like Robin Butler?’ Steph shakes her head, sadly. ‘By the time they realise, it’s too late.’

35

Robin holds his finger tight to the doorbell of the mid-terrace house and waits. He can hear the bell inside, ringing over and over, then a voice shouts, ‘All right, I’m coming, I’m coming.’

The door opens and Liv stands in front of him. She’s got changed after the memorial and is now in jogging bottoms and a loose, light pink T-shirt, feet bare and arms crossed. She looks sleepy, as if he’s woken her.

He forcefully pushes past her into the house, her face shocked at the sight of him in her hallway.

‘You fucking drugged me,’ he shouts. ‘You roofied me.’

She glares at him, hands now on hips. ‘Get out of my house.’

‘I should arrest you.’

But she laughs. ‘I’d like to see you try. Explain that one to your police buddies – how a prostitute managed to drug you while you were at home with her, late on a Tuesday night.’

He knows she’s right. Shit. ‘Give me my notebook back.’