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
“I’m sorry,” said Leila. “Forgive me if I’m being stupid, but can we look at it from the other point of view. I mean your point of view. This man from your past asks you to do him a favor and you say yes, even though you don’t know what it is.”
“That’s right.” Jude tilted her chin defiantly.
“Weren’t you worried that it might be something illegal?”
“I asked him and he said that he wouldn’t ask me to do anything that was wrong.”
“And you believed him?”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t tell your fiancé what you were doing. Why was that?”
“I thought it might seem strange to him.”
“Is he the jealous type?”
“I don’t think so. Not particularly. It just seemed hard to explain.”
“It’s definitely hard to explain,” said Leila with another slight smile, “because I don’t understand it at all. Someone you’ve completely lost touch with pops up and asks you to do a favor, even though he won’t say what it is. Why would he do that?” She paused but Jude didn’t say anything. “I feel that most people would say no, sorry, that sounds worrying or too weird or whatever, but instead you not only say yes but you don’t tell your fiancé about it. Why would you do such a big thing for someone you don’t know anymore?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“I know,” said Leila. “But we’re the police and you really do need to explain things like this. Even if it’s hard.”
Jude took a deep breath.
“I knew Liam when we were both teenagers. He was nice. I liked him.” She paused and looked toward the window and the darkness beyond. Nice. Liked. She saw Liam’s beautiful face, his dark eyes. “But he was a bit reckless, a bit, I don’t know, adrift or something. When I went to university, it always felt like a fork in the road. We went in different directions. I did everything I always planned. I went to medical school and had a wonderful time. I became a doctor and got a great job. I had relationships. Now I’ve met Nat and we’re going to get married and buy a place together.” Jude could feel tears running down her face. She took a tissue from her pocket and wiped them and blew her nose. “During all that time, I never saw Liam, but he was somewhere in the back of my mind.”
“The love that got away?” said Leila Fox.