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Back Rabbit Hole Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Rabbit Hole
  2. Also by Mark Billingham
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. Preface
  8. PART ONE
  9. ONE
  10. TWO
  11. THREE
  12. FOUR
  13. FIVE
  14. SIX
  15. SEVEN
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. ELEVEN
  20. TWELVE
  21. THIRTEEN
  22. FOURTEEN
  23. FIFTEEN
  24. SIXTEEN
  25. SEVENTEEN
  26. EIGHTEEN
  27. NINETEEN
  28. TWENTY
  29. TWENTY-ONE
  30. TWENTY-TWO
  31. TWENTY-THREE
  32. TWENTY-FOUR
  33. TWENTY-FIVE
  34. TWENTY-SIX
  35. TWENTY-SEVEN
  36. TWENTY-EIGHT
  37. TWENTY-NINE
  38. THIRTY
  39. THIRTY-ONE
  40. THIRTY-TWO
  41. THIRTY-THREE
  42. PART TWO
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. THIRTY-FIVE
  45. THIRTY-SIX
  46. THIRTY-SEVEN
  47. THIRTY-EIGHT
  48. THIRTY-NINE
  49. FORTY
  50. FORTY-ONE
  51. FORTY-TWO
  52. FORTY-THREE
  53. FORTY-FOUR
  54. FORTY-FIVE
  55. FORTY-SIX
  56. FORTY-SEVEN
  57. FORTY-EIGHT
  58. FORTY-NINE
  59. FIFTY
  60. FIFTY-ONE
  61. FIFTY-TWO
  62. FIFTY-THREE
  63. FIFTY-FOUR
  64. FIFTY-FIVE
  65. FIFTY-SIX
  66. FIFTY-SEVEN
  67. FIFTY-EIGHT
  68. PART THREE
  69. FIFTY-NINE
  70. SIXTY
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  73. Back Cover

While Mia was still on her way across, I felt my mobile buzz in my pocket. I took it out and checked the message.

I think I’ve got everything you need. Call me for details. Howard.

Now I seriously couldn’t care less about the sobbing behind me as I marched quickly past Mia and away towards my bedroom. Funny, isn’t it, how the stars align at moments like that – or you think they do – because who do you reckon was the last nurse I saw before I turned on to the ­women’s corridor?

Debbie looked up from the window of the nurses’ station as I passed.

‘Someone’s happy.’

I didn’t stop walking. ‘Delirious,’ I said.

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-ONE

The man from Pindown Investigations sounded every bit as upbeat about things as I was.

‘Like I thought, it was pretty run-of-the-mill stuff. Nothing a bit of know-how and the right computer program couldn’t handle. Didn’t take me very long if I’m honest, and I’m telling you, Alice, so you know I’m not one of those people who string an investigation out for no good reason except to charge a client more for the job.’

‘I appreciate that, Howard.’

‘So you’ll know where to come if you ever need this kind of service again, right?’

I was running out of patience. About-ready-to-punch-a-hole-in-the-wall running out of it. I needed to know. ‘What have you got for me then, Howard?’

‘So . . . ’ I could hear pages being shuffled. ‘The subject lives alone in a two-bedroom flat in Edgware. She runs a small car and, as far as holidays go, last year she managed two weeks in the Scottish Highlands. Went with her sister, I think—’

‘What about the money?’

‘Well, I’m just giving you the what-do-you-call-it . . . context. But if you want details . . .’ More pages being turned. ‘She’s currently running a small overdraft of £112.75 on an HSBC current account. It’s within her agreed limit, but an overdraft none the less. She’s missed two mortgage payments on her flat in the last six months . . . there are a couple of outstanding credit card debts, but nothing massive and she’s got a credit rating of 375 which is about the national average . . . well, a little below if we’re being picky.’

‘Right.’

‘So, whoever she is, your subject isn’t exactly minted. I’d say she’s just about getting by.’

‘What about deposit accounts, savings, whatever?’

‘Well, there’s a small sum in a deposit account that’s tied into her current account, but it’s just where any interest gets put. We’re talking about a couple of quid, that’s all.’