BooksBarbecue
Back Lie Beside Me Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. PENGUIN BOOKS
  4. Dedication
  5. Prologue
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  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. Acknowledgements
  47. Read More
  48. Prologue
  49. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

There was another pause, and then Dina said, in a much less light tone, ‘I’m very sorry, but we didn’t end up meeting. Niall asked to see me, and then he stood me up.’

Penguin walking logo

24

Louise

I want to tell you about the one other memory I have, one I’m not even sure is real. But I need to tell you because it scares me every time I think of it.

In my memory, or my dream, because I’m no longer clear on which it was, I remember crying. Lying on my side on what feels like cold ground with my hands in my hair. I’m sobbing and sobbing, and somebody is shushing me.

It’s the thing that makes me panic more than anything else, remembering that gentle hushing noise. It sends blades of fear running through me, and I don’t understand why.

Penguin walking logo

25

Jonah found it hard not to laugh as O’Malley summed up his conversation with Dina Weyman. It was partly a laugh borne out of victory, and partly a reflection of the absurdity of it all.

‘Did it sound like she was expecting us to ask about Niall Reakes?’ Jonah asked, once O’Malley was done with his brief summary.

‘No,’ O’Malley said, ‘but then I got the impression she’d be good on the stage. Very much in control of how she comes across, you know?’

‘So there might have been some kind of an agreement,’ Jonah said, thoughtfully. ‘One she then went back on. OK. Well, we have a new prime suspect. Any news on Niall’s solicitor?’

‘Nothing yet.’

‘I’d like to have more to throw at him before going in there, anyway,’ Jonah went on, thinking as he spoke. ‘The guy up the road talked about being subjected to boy racers gunning their engines late on Friday. Niall Reakes drives an F-TYPE. That’s a good audible, racy-sounding engine.’

‘But we didn’t find him on any of the ANPRs,’ O’Malley pointed out.

‘Can we check further afield?’ Jonah asked. ‘He might have gone home by an unexpected route.’

‘I’m pretty sure I’ve got all the routes to Saints Close covered,’ O’Malley said, doubtfully, ‘but I’ll check. We’ve got to check up on those knives, too,’ he added. ‘Which may take a while …’

‘Let’s get Ben on that as soon as he’s back,’ Jonah suggested.

‘Ah, he’ll like that,’ O’Malley agreed, with a grin. ‘A good bit of careful checking.’

Jonah glanced at his watch. It was gone half past five. They needed to make some real progress before heading home for the day. They couldn’t hold Niall Reakes overnight without arresting him, and Jonah wasn’t going to arrest a second suspect without strong evidence.