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Back The Midnight Man Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Contents
  3. Copyright
  4. Praise for Caroline Mitchell
  5. Also by Caroline Mitchell
  6. Dedication
  7. Epigraph
  8. Prologue
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. About Caroline Mitchell
  70. About Embla Books

Elsie cleared her throat. ‘Seeing you out in the world … after everything life has thrown at you … Maybe there’s hope for me after all.’

‘I’m glad I’ve inspired you,’ Sarah said, upon receiving the backhanded compliment. ‘Is there anything I can do for you before I go?’

Elsie shook her head, one hand on the box of éclairs. ‘I only reported it because Christian told me to. They’re hot on the Neighbourhood Watch around here. Good thing we don’t get any real trouble in these parts.’

‘To be fair, we don’t have much trouble in the Bronx, I mean, Lower Slayton, either,’ Sarah winked.

Elsie chortled at her response. ‘Sorry for being a bit of a snooty pants before. Truth is, I wouldn’t be living here if my baby daddy hadn’t provided for me so well.’

‘You weren’t,’ Sarah said, amused by her turn of phrase. ‘I’ve enjoyed the catch-up. And if there’s anything you need in future, you know where I am.’ She handed Elsie her card. ‘My mobile number is on the back.’ She was about to say more when her phone rang. The sight of her sergeant’s number ignited a frisson of trepidation.

‘How’s it going?’ her sergeant barked, as soon as Sarah picked up the call. Usually, any instructions would come through her police airwaves, delegated by control. Was she checking up on her?

‘I’ve just finished my second job,’ she said, checking her watch. ‘About to head to my third.’

‘Scrap that, go straight to Simon Irving’s address.’

‘Irving?’ Sarah said. ‘What’s happened?’

‘He’s not there, but his wife needs speaking to. She’s reported her daughter missing, it’s not the first time she’s done a bunk. Fill in the MISPER forms, give reassurance, then do the usual follow-ups … Noble, are you there?’

And to think she’d been worried about not having enough to do. ‘Yes, Sarge,’ she breathed into the phone. She would have to reschedule her other appointments, do a bit of juggling. Sergeant Bassett was still talking. ‘I can’t spare anyone else right now, and she’s insisting on a detective, so pull out all the stops. The kid’s name is Angelica. I’m sending through a photo. She went out last night and never came home.’

Sarah powered up her laptop as she sat in the car. The morning’s visits to Maggie and Elsie had sucked the energy out of her. She opened her emails, clicked on the attachment and Angelica’s image filled the screen. She appeared to be in fancy dress, complete with tinsel halo and wings. With her white-blonde hair and clear blue eyes, she looked like … ‘An angel,’ Sarah whispered. A trail of shivers danced down her spine as Elliott’s words came to play … the Midnight Man is coming … the angel is dead.

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