Chapters (73)
- Rabbit Hole
- Also by Mark Billingham
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Preface
- PART ONE
- 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
- PART TWO
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- 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
- PART THREE
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Back Cover
I curl up in the corner of the music room wearing my headphones and a Do Not Disturb expression and, thankfully, there aren’t too many comings and goings. The Jigsaw Man wanders in but just mooches for a few minutes, pretending he’s not looking at me, and then wanders out again. L-Plate spots me through the window and comes bursting through the door like we haven’t seen each other in weeks. It looks, for a moment, like she might overcome her phobia and actually hug me. Nice as that would be, I tell her I’m a bit down in the dumps and ask if she’d mind sodding off and giving me a bit of space. L-Plate says no sweat, babe, no sweat, but makes me promise that we’ll see each other later, because, you know, she really needs to catch up with me.
I watch her scamper away and think she’s not the only one.
I stare at my phone for a while, then find myself firing off a text to Sophie: Wassup byatch?
She doesn’t reply straight away like she normally does, so I sit there and wonder where she is and what she’s doing on a fine Saturday afternoon. In the flat, probably, watching one of those old black and white films she loves, or doing a massive clean which she loves almost as much, or out buying overpriced tat in Camden Market. Sitting in the pub, maybe. Not looking at the other drinkers like they’re aliens or boring her mates rigid trying to describe the funny music she keeps hearing. Lying in bed with her boyfriend, and not staring out of the window at the lights she can see at the end of the garden. Not telling him she knows he’s ‘in on it’, while he pats the mattress next to him and tells her not to be so daft.
The phone pings.
Sophie Mob: hey you! how’s the madhouse?? 
Same as usual.
Sophie Mob: what you up to?
Not much. I’ve been a bit up and down.
Sophie Mob: 
want me to come and see you?? i can bring chocolate!! 
It’s fine, don’t worry. I was thinking about you that’s all.
Sophie Mob: thinking about you too. LOTS xx
There’s nothing for a minute or so. I think that’s probably it, then the phone pings again.
Sophie Mob: just so you know, camilla is WAY cleaner than you but not as much fun 
She knows all about what had happened with Andy, but I can’t decide if the bottle of wine emoji is a joke or not. Nice, either way.
I am Queen of Fun!
Sophie Mob: US when you get out!! 
I hope it’s a bigger cake than that!
Sophie Mob: seriously though. cannot wait. not the same out here without you. 