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
Her mobile rang. No caller ID. Jude hesitated, then answered.
“It’s Leila Fox.”
“What do you want?”
“I want to speak to you.”
Jude didn’t reply at once. An email had caught her eye. It was from someone called Danny. The subject was “Liam” and she could see the first two lines: “My name is Danny Kelner. I got your email from . . .”
She clicked on it. The cat bit her ankle and she swore.
“Jude?” Leila Fox was saying. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
Jude looked at the email.
My name is Danny Kelner. I got your email from the hospital website. I was Liam’s partner and I would like to meet you as soon as possible. Please get in touch.
There was a mobile number and under that a website.
“Can I come to see you at your flat?” Leila was saying.
“I’ve moved out.”
“Ah.” She didn’t sound surprised. “Where are you now?”
“I’m in a shithole with a cat that doesn’t like me. And they’ve told me not to come into work. So I’m free to see you whenever you want!” Jude gave a cackle that sounded worrying even to her. “I’ll come to the station.”
Sixteen
Jude looked across the table at Leila Fox and Leila Fox looked back across at Jude. She waited a long time before saying anything and sat gazing at her with a friendly expression. Jude didn’t trust it. She didn’t feel like trusting anyone at the moment.
“Are you having a difficult time?” the detective said finally.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to enlarge on that?”
“I don’t think you want to hear about my problems.”
“I want to hear about everything.” Leila Fox gestured around the interview room. “This is all unofficial. Nothing’s being recorded. It’s just a chat.”
Jude gave a smile, although it felt like an effort.
“I’ve always thought of myself as someone who can control things. Ask me to take an exam and I’ll pass it. I pay my bills on time. I remember birthdays.” She frowned. “I don’t know which order to say it all. I’m currently taking a break from work because I’m considered to be unsafe. I agree with them. I think I am unsafe at the moment.”
“It’s probably good to take some time off.”
“And, as I said on the phone, it looks like the wedding’s off.”
“So he didn’t take it well?”
“I know I was wrong but he was so pompous, deciding whether he was willing to forgive me. I wanted to punch him.”
Leila Fox gave a faint smile. “And are you coping with the publicity?”
“I feel like I’ve had my skin ripped off. I’m being stalked by journalists.”
“Wanting you to tell ‘your side of the story’?”
“I suppose you’re going to tell me not to talk to the media.”