Chapters (64)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Prologue
- Five Years Later
- 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
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgements
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
‘Hello?’ Tara’s voice through the intercom meant their gamble had paid off. Giving Ade the thumbs up, Rachel told Tara they had a few more questions for her and asked to be let into the apartment.
‘Oh my God,’ Tara whispered. ‘Is it Nick? Do you know how he died?’
‘Just let us in and we can chat then,’ Rachel said.
‘Of course. I’m on the top floor. You’ll need to take the lift.’
A beeping sound preceded the click of the front door unlocking. Rachel pushed it open and stepped inside. The entrance lobby was huge, its size exaggerated even further by the mirrored walls which reflected multiple images of Rachel and Ade as they crossed over to the row of lifts.
‘That is well spooky,’ Ade said. ‘Imagine a world with that many Rachels in it. Doesn’t bear thinking about.’
‘You think seeing multiple versions of your face is any better?’
Ade grinned.
‘You got to admit, Rach. My face is a hell of a lot more pleasing to the eye than yours.’
Rachel had no answer to that, mainly because she agreed, although hell would freeze over before she’d ever give Ade any ammunition to boost her already very robust ego.
The building had six floors. Rachel pressed the button for the top floor and the lift started its smooth ascent up through the building. When they walked out of the lift a few seconds later, Tara was waiting for them in the doorway of her apartment at the far end of the corridor. She looked like she’d barely slept. Dark patches, like bruises, under her eyes; her hair, so glossy yesterday, lacked any sort of lustre and looked as if she’d forgotten to brush it.
As the two detectives drew closer, she put a hand over her mouth and started shaking her head.
‘No,’ she moaned. ‘No, no, no.’
‘Let’s get inside, Tara.’ Rachel put a hand on Tara’s arm and managed to steer her into the apartment.
After propping Tara up on the sofa, Rachel moved into the open plan kitchen to make cups of tea for the three of them. She left Ade with Tara, knowing she’d do a better job at consoling her than Rachel ever could.
‘He was killed,’ Tara said. ‘That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?’
‘We’re here because we need to ask you a few questions,’ Ade said gently. ‘Do you think you’re up to that, Tara?’