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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

Sarah thought about David’s mother, and how she had a spare room. But there was no way she could darken her door. ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘I’ve got Sherlock … my cat to keep me company.’ Her smile faded as she remembered the words even your cat hates you. For someone to have such knowledge of her life … it was deeply unsettling. Gabby carefully placed the letter into a clear evidence bag. Sarah had penned details of the seizure on the outside, and a half-page MG11 statement would need to be written to cover it evidentially. The anonymous letter would be scanned and uploaded. It made her squirm to think that anyone with access to the investigation would be able to read the words online.

‘I don’t think your cat is going to defend you, Sherlock or not,’ Gabby said. ‘I’ve got a sofa, if you need somewhere to crash until you get your fence fixed.’

‘No, honestly, I’m fine. I can stay with a friend if I need to.’ But she was touched by the unexpected gesture. Gabby wasn’t the ice queen she made herself out to be.

‘I’ll request a tag on your address then,’ Gabby continued. ‘Keep your phone on and charged. You know the drill.’

Sarah had safeguarded enough victims of stalking in the past to understand. Should she call 999, dispatch would be alerted to the flag on her address and allocate officers to attend. ‘I do. Thanks.’ Sarah picked up her bag, which was lying next to her feet. A small sense of relief washed over her. She had done the right thing. Hadn’t she?

Gabby must have read the worry on her face. ‘Don’t stress over this, Sarah. If I had a pound for every weird call or letter I’ve received when a case picks up attention, I could retire on the proceeds.’ Gabby’s desk phone began to ring. She picked it up, keeping her caller waiting as she issued Sarah with one final instruction. ‘But for God’s sake, get yourself some security cameras, and arrange to have your bloody fence fixed.’

‘I will,’ Sarah said, picking up a maternal tone. It made her heart wrench for her own mother, who was taken away so brutally. Not my little girl. The last words she heard her utter. She straightened her posture as she turned to leave. This time she was ready to meet her colleagues’ eyes. She had faced far worse than this and survived.

17

‘Plug in my fan, will you, son?’ Elsie wafted a hand in front of her face. ‘I’m hotter than a goat in a pepper patch.’