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Back Stalker Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  64. MORE FROM GEMMA ROGERS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  66. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

‘Okay, I’ll discuss the possibility of this in more detail with Stuart and potentially get some figures together for you.’

I pushed my doctor’s certificate across the table to Stuart and stood to leave.

‘Is there anything else?’ I asked, keen to get out of there.

‘No, not at the moment. We’ll be in touch.’

I felt sick as I walked out of the office. I couldn’t find Debbie anywhere, and she wasn’t at the bus stop. I’d make sure to text her later and see how she was. I debated with myself all the way home. Why would I give up a perfectly good job when I was knee deep in debt? What if I couldn’t get another one? The voice in my head counselled, You’re just getting your figures, you don’t have to accept whatever package they offer. But my stomach somersaulted all the way home.

13

SUNDAY 28 JANUARY 2018

Hicks steps outside the room with Becker for a minute, my solicitor hot on their heels, while I remain, sat at the table. A custody officer guards the door, looking anywhere but at me. I stare at my hands which still have remnants of blood in the creases of my knuckles. I ache for a proper shower, so I can have a wash, with soap this time. I want to remove every trace of Ian from my skin. I need to sleep soon too. The ringing in my ears has developed into a pounding headache, like a woodpecker at my temple. What are they doing? Looking at CCTV? Surely the lab results wouldn’t be back this soon? Perhaps they are trying to corroborate what I have told them so far? It shouldn’t be hard. Maybe they are trying to unnerve me? It’s working. I must stick as close to the truth as possible. I’m not lying, it all happened, and most of it in the way I’m going to describe.

I don’t like sitting alone, the room seems to be shrinking and I drum my fingers on the desk. It could be that my name in the system has brought back a result and they are reading my file. It’s going to happen eventually for sure, unless I’m really lucky.

Five minutes go by and Becker waltzes back in.

‘We’re going to finish this for tonight and pick it up again in the morning. Jamie will take you back to your cell.’ It’s not ‘tonight’ any more, closer to three or four. My eyelids are heavy and I’m glad for the respite. She gestures towards the young officer standing beside her at the door. I catch her try to stifle a yawn. Her pristine exterior is beginning to crack.

‘What time is it?’ I ask.

Becker glances at her watch. It’s a plain, leather strap no-frills, design.

‘Half past three. Can I get you anything? Tea? Something to eat?’