BooksBarbecue
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

‘Which is why you’re exactly the right person to lead this investigation.’ His endorsement was like a dopamine hit – it instantly made Sasha feel better. He swung open the door and she was about to leave with a spring in her step when he pointed at her feet. ‘And Sasha, I’ve told you before, wear shoes the next time you come into my office.’

15

They sat on the bench beneath trees at the edge of the park, Craig with his arm stretched stiffly behind Lolly’s shoulder, heads close together, as if they were a canoodling couple.

A few wispy clouds drifted slowly across the sky thanks to a stuttering breeze that was a welcome relief on another day of unrelenting heat. Near the entrance, someone was using a portable barbecue, which was against park regulations. Wasps and flies buzzed around the mouth of a smelly waste bin beside the bench.

‘Get closer.’ Lolly was enjoying Craig’s obvious discomfort, and she swung her leg over the top of his. ‘You’ve got to make it look real.’

‘Just for the record,’ Sasha’s voice crackled in Craig’s earpiece, ‘you make a lovely couple.’

Sasha was watching them from an observation point in a bedroom of one of the terraced houses on the far side of the green. Craig couldn’t tell which one; all he could see was a row of dark, blank windows reflecting the sun.

There were other officers nearby, too. The park keeper who repeatedly swept the same portion of pavement on the other side of the green was a surveillance officer, and so was the pizza delivery guy enjoying a fag break on the railings. There was even a drone if they needed it, Sasha told them, although she was reluctant to use it in case it spooked the target.

Craig wondered how long he was going to have to sit there, with Lolly Chambers practically draped all over him. He shifted uneasily, feeling the weight of her leg on his.

‘You’re meant to be in love, Craig,’ said Sasha, ‘smile a bit more!’

Lolly resting her head on his chest was the last straw. ‘Do you really have to do that?’

‘What’s your girlfriend like?’ she asked.

‘She’s a model,’ he said. ‘And actress.’

Lolly lifted her head, impressed. ‘Is she famous?’

‘It’s only a matter of time, she’s picking up a lot of heat in the industry.’

‘I bet she’s beautiful. When do you see her?’

‘She’s based in London, that’s where all the work is, and we’re both busy people.’

‘You must miss each other a lot. It must be hard for you both.’

‘It’s hard for me,’ he said, ‘being stuck in this dump.’

‘Oh.’ Lolly sat up straight. ‘Don’t you like it here?’

He snorted, as if the answer was obvious.