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Back The Housemate Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  4. DEDICATION
  5. SATURDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2005, EARLY
  6. MYSTERY SURROUNDS HOUSEMATE HOMICIDE
  7. CHAPTER ONE: TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2015
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. SATURDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2005, LATE AFTERNOON
  10. CHAPTER THREE: TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2015
  11. CHAPTER FOUR
  12. CHAPTER FIVE
  13. MARCH 2006
  14. CHAPTER SIX: TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2015
  15. CHAPTER SEVEN
  16. CHAPTER EIGHT
  17. CHAPTER NINE
  18. CHAPTER TEN
  19. FEBRUARY 2006
  20. CHAPTER ELEVEN: WEDNESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2015
  21. CHAPTER TWELVE
  22. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  23. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  24. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  25. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  26. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  27. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  28. CHAPTER NINETEEN: THURSDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2015
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY
  30. DAY THREE OF THE TRIAL, 2006
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: FRIDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2015
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  36. JULY 2005
  37. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  38. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: SATURDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2015
  39. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: SUNDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2015
  40. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: MONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2015
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  46. AUGUST 2004
  47. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  48. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  49. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  50. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
  51. AUGUST 2004
  52. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
  53. SEPTEMBER 2005
  54. CHAPTER FORTY: TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  57. HOUSEMATE HOMICIDE ARREST
  58. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: THURSDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2015
  59. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: FRIDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 2015
  60. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: FIVE WEEKS LATER
  61. MONDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2015
  62. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The paramedic slides a pillow under Oli’s head. ‘You’ll need to go to the hospital. That’s a nasty knock.’

Oli ignores her. ‘Rusty, the girl is Louise Carter. I know she is. You have to tell her parents, you have to call them. And we have to find the twins. Dean said they’re with his mother—we need to call her.’ She knows she’s babbling, but the thoughts won’t stop. Her head feels like it’s about to explode.

‘Oli, don’t worry, it’s all under control. You just need to relax, okay?’

‘Where is Dean? How is he?’

Rusty looks over his shoulder. His Adam’s apple jerks. ‘He’s going to be fine, Oli.’

She nods, wondering if Rusty’s lying. If Dean is going to die. She thinks about Cooper in the hospital bed and closes her eyes. ‘Is TJ still here?’

‘Yeah, out front. Your neighbour has taken quite a shine to him.’

Despite everything, Oli pictures Toni in her expensive designer coat flirting with TJ.

‘God,’ Oli says as she starts shaking uncontrollably.

‘I can’t believe it about Bowman,’ Rusty says quietly. ‘I liked him, Ol. I really did. How could he do this? How did he hide in plain sight like this, and no one figured it out?’

‘I don’t know,’ she says, her teeth chattering.

‘Oli!’ Lily is at the front door, her wet hair hanging in strands, eyes bloodshot.

‘I called her.’ Rusty smiles tentatively. ‘I hope that’s okay.’

Oli’s face collapses. Lily edges around the room, behind the circle of cops, and makes her way over. She exchanges a look with the paramedic, who nods reluctantly.

Lily drops dramatically to her knees. ‘Oh, Oli.’

Oli lets her sister hold her, debris from the vase prickling the backs of her thighs. Over Lily’s shoulder she sees Dean lifted onto a stretcher. His clothes have been cut off and pieces of material hang from his body.

‘It’s okay, Ol.’ Lily smooths her hair, kisses her forehead. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

Oli buries her face in Lily’s chest. Breathes in her familiar scent.

Something that has been bothering Oli finally clicks. I met her, the girl.

Through the archway, Isabelle watches from the mantelpiece, gazing down at the blood and broken glass.

Hiding in plain sight.

Oli lifts her head. ‘I think I know where Nicole Horrowitz is.’

HOUSEMATE HOMICIDE ARREST

HOUSEMATE HOMICIDE ARREST

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

By Cooper Ng and Oli Groves