Back Rabbit Hole
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
Document

And when it’s my turn?

I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Well, I’m finally getting my chance, so why wouldn’t I?

I jump a little when a handful of grit crackles against my window and, when I stand up to look, I can see Ilias beaming up at me from the pavement. I hold up a finger to say one minute and the cheeky bugger holds up a finger that means something entirely different.

I grab my bag, phone, keys . . . check I’ve got everything.

I hope it’s not a stupidly late one, that him and Lucy aren’t set on making a big night of it or anything. We’ve already had several of them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m bang up for a few drinks and I know we’ll have a laugh, same as always, but I don’t really fancy being out that long.

These days, I like spending time on my own, too.

I double-lock the door to my flat, then breathe through my mouth as I start down the stairs. I can’t hear the woman or the baby or the dog, so a clean getaway looks like it’s on the cards.

Ilias has his face pressed against the glass in the front door.

I’m good and ready for a night out, but the truth is I’m already looking forward to getting back. To standing at my bathroom window in the dark and staring out at those milky-white lights, pulsing through the trees at me from the far end of the garden.

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

From: Timothy Banks [email protected]

To: Alice Armitage [email protected]

Subject: SORRY

Hey, Al. Sorry it’s been so long and that I haven’t been to see you in your new place. Sorry I haven’t called or returned your messages. I’m sorry if you think I haven’t been a good friend, but trust me, I really have. That’s what all this is about really and the big SORRY is for what I need to say, what I haven’t been brave enough to say until now.

God this is hard to write.

I’ve been waiting until I was sure that you were doing better and it certainly sounds like you’re getting back on track. I couldn’t be happier about that, I swear, and I want you to remember that when you get to the end of this. If you’re feeling like you never want to see or hear from me again.

The truth is I should never have come to see you in the hospital. I mean, I wanted to see you as a friend, but I shouldn’t have helped you. I shouldn’t have let myself get involved in it all. I should never have got sucked in.