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Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘No problem,’ he said, peering towards the sea, which thrashed against the shingle on the beach. Approaching seven in the evening, it was still bloody hot, another scorcher. Southend-on-Sea, along with everywhere else in the south-east, had been basking in a relentless spring heatwave.

‘You out on the town tonight, too?’ she asked.

He took out a packet of cigarettes. ‘We’ve had a report of an abduction in Alexandra Road. I thought I’d check it out.’

‘That’s out of your way.’ She watched the red tip of his fag fizz when he dragged on it. ‘Give me the address.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘No, I’m not. I really want to soak in the bath and grab a glimpse of my kids – I’m reliably informed I’ve two of them – so just say yes, Sasha, and walk away before I change my mind.’

Craig nodded. ‘Thanks, boss.’

‘You’re welcome.’

He saw the way her eyes followed the coiling plume of smoke dancing on the breeze and offered his cigarette between thumb and forefinger.

‘I shouldn’t, I really shouldn’t.’ She shook her head, she had given up months ago, but was still buzzing from the arrest, and one tiny little puff wasn’t going to do any harm. ‘Oh, go on then, just don’t tell my kids!’

With a furtive look round – an old habit from when she used to have a secret smoke up the end of the garden – she inhaled deeply. The smoke filled her head. She exhaled into the clear blue sky and handed the cigarette back as the nicotine rushed along her bloodstream, making her feel slightly giddy.

She smiled. ‘So, Craig, I’m a right cracker, is that right?’

Loosening the knot of his tie, DC Power peered over the top of his fag.

‘I was merely getting into character, ma’am, playing a role for the benefit of the operation. I would never have the insolence to call a senior-ranking officer a cracker.’ He began to walk away, but turned, and there was a devastating glint in his eye. ‘Even if, hypothetically, she was.’

‘Goodnight, Craig,’ she said cheerfully.

When he walked off, Sasha took her wedding ring from her pocket, and slipped it back on her finger – where it belonged.

4

Sasha Dawson waited patiently for Lydia to pull together her chaotic thoughts. ‘It must have been a terrible shock for you.’

‘Yeah, I was in bits.’ Despite Karin’s attempts to get her to take it off, Lydia looked hot and uncomfortable in her massive parka. Shadows fell across her gaunt face in the lamplight. Her eyes, puffy from her earlier crying, darted regularly to Karin for support – don’t worry, Karin smiled, I’m here for you – and back to the policewoman. ‘Shouldn’t you be writing this down?’