Contents (83)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- Acknowledgements
- OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK
‘I’ve got to get going.’
He walked back to the table and kissed Sarah as she rose from her own chair.
‘Good luck today,’ Sarah said. ‘Give them hell.’
‘I’ll do my best,’ Michael replied. He changed the subject. ‘Will you be back before bed tonight?’
‘Can’t say. It depends how the whole “Blunt was a cop” thing plays out.’
‘Then maybe I should have kept my trap shut,’ Michael said, ‘because there’s a whole lot of bad bastards on Blunt’s police résumé.’
‘Like who? Anyone you know?’
‘Personally? Just the one. A nasty piece of work from back when I was Derek’s pupil. But it can’t be him.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because he’s still in prison.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I am. And if I weren’t I’d be beating Levy’s door down. Honestly, of all the people I’ve met in my career, this guy was the worst by a length and then some. Bad enough that I’ve kept tabs on him over the years.’
‘How?’
‘You’re not the only person with contacts on the Parole Board. If this bastard ever sees fresh air I want to know about it. So I made arrangements.’
Sarah detected the grim note in Michael’s voice. It spoke volumes and it intrigued her. Impossible suspect or not, she wanted to know more.
‘I think you need to call Levy,’ Michael said, moving the conversation on as he headed for the door. ‘Let her know about Blunt’s cop angle, if she doesn’t already.’
‘I will,’ Sarah replied. She fully intended to ignore Elton’s order, but right now her curiosity had been piqued. ‘This guy you mentioned, though. She’ll need to eliminate him as a suspect. What was his name?’
Michael looked back from the doorway, his face ashen. Sarah could tell that the subject – the memory – was unwelcome.
‘His name was Hirst,’ Michael finally said, as if the words were an effort. ‘Karl Hirst.’
FORTY-SEVEN
‘Will you be home early again tonight, Mum?’
Levy kept her hands on the wheel as she looked towards her son, who sat belted in the passenger seat of her Volvo for the morning school run.
When did 8 p.m. become ‘early’? she thought. It said everything she needed to know about her work–life balance.
‘I hope so.’ Hope won out over expectation. It always did where Richard was concerned. ‘And if I am then we’ll go up to Highgate village for dinner. What do you think?’
‘That’ll be awesome.’ Richard’s face beamed excitement. ‘We can have pasta.’
‘We can have whatever you want.’ Levy smiled. Sometimes the simplest things can bring so much joy. ‘Except beer. You can’t have any beer.’
‘Mum!’ Richard laughed aloud. ‘I don’t drink beer!’
‘Well just as long as you don’t.’
Levy was still smiling as she pulled out of the parking space, shifted into second and accelerated along the centre of the road. Richard was pushed back into his seat by the sudden speed. The sensation made him squeal with delight.
Richard’s school was on the next road. Just around a corner. It took them another ten minutes to get there. They could have walked it in less than five, if there had been anywhere to park. Levy marvelled at how busy London’s streets had become.