Chapters (78)
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Prologue
- 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
- 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
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Remarkable Praise for Nicci French
- Also by Nicci French
- About the Publisher
“Have you heard an animal scream?” said Erika, as if Jude hadn’t spoken. “It was like that. It didn’t sound like her. It didn’t sound human. And it seemed to go on and on. I know I should have left Alfie there and gone down to help. I didn’t. I was frozen. I felt like a child pulling the covers over their head because they’re frightened of the dark. I dialed 999 but then I didn’t do anything else. I sat there with Alfie and I tried to sing to him and stop him hearing what was happening downstairs.”
“There was nothing you could do. You saved Alfie. You looked after him. That’s all you could have done.”
“I let him into the house. Me. There was this loud knocking at the door, banging, like someone was trying to break it down. I didn’t think properly. We should have gone and hidden somewhere, locked ourselves in. But I went to the door and opened it. Dermot was on the doorstep. He was shouting: ‘Where is she? Where is she?’ If Vin had been there, he’d have been able to stop him.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
Once again, Erika continued as if Jude wasn’t there. It was like she was talking to herself.
“He always looked up to Vin. He was like a puppy. He’d do anything for Vin and for Liam. I could have said that Danny wasn’t there or that she was upstairs but I just froze. I couldn’t think of anything to say and he burst past me. It was like he was going to explode. He was punching the wall as he walked along. I followed him and I saw the knife and I picked up Alfie and I ran. I left her. I left her to it. To him. You always wonder what you’ll do in an emergency. Now I know. That’s what I did.”
She started to shiver violently. Her teeth were chattering.
“We need to get you warm,” said Jude. She touched Erika’s forehead. It felt clammy. She took her by the arm and led her toward the barrier. She explained that she was a doctor and that Erika needed to be warmed up and given some fluids. They looked dubious but Jude persisted. They told her not to go near the house but they let the two of them through.
When they arrived at the nearest ambulance, all doors left open, they met a paramedic. She was a young woman, red-headed, freckled, sitting in the rear entrance of the ambulance. She brought Erika a blanket and a bottle of water. As she handed them across, Jude looked at her. She looked exhausted. And she looked very young. She made Jude feel almost middle-aged.
“How’s it going?” Jude asked.
“They’re still in there. I’m just taking a moment.”
“Grim, is it?”