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Back The Ringmaster Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Cover
  2. The Ringmaster
  3. Contents
  4. Prologue
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. Epilogue
  72. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  73. Copyright

‘Narrows the field down a bit, for our theory of her having an affair with someone at the university. And the older age group again increases the possibility of an extra-marital affair for the perpetrator,’ Smithy said.

‘That idea’s gaining traction?’

‘Yeah, we’ve been talking with some of her colleagues this morning.’

‘Sounds like you’d better enlighten me further,’ Reihana said.

‘Yes, but in a minute. Has he done a compusketch?’

‘As we speak.’

Yay, something positive, even if it was tenuous. How many other people were out there, harbouring pieces of information they didn’t think important? I remembered the other half of Reihana’s tidings.

‘So what was the bad news?’

‘I’ve been talking to the tech guys.’

‘And?’

‘Two bits really. Firstly, our victim had a Facebook page, Instagram and was on Snapchat. But it was just full of the usual – her friends were all students and kids of her age, or so they claimed. She avoided all that sweary, American gangsta crap-talk the kids seem to like, and the pics she posted were all rather tame and chaste. Nothing in her undies. She loved God and her mum and dad, boyfriend, cat, that kind of thing. There are a few more local names for us to follow up, but nothing spectacular. Friends have also set up a couple of tribute pages for her, which are very moving.’

‘And?’

It had to be bad, judging by the expression on his face.

‘Sorry, Sam. You’re a star on YouTube.’

57

It was a sheer delight to slouch back into one of the low black sofas at the café and jump off the treadmill of life. My brain was on overload and my nerves wound tight, like a too-sharp guitar string. I bumphed up a bit as Maggie landed next to me.

‘Jolly decent of you to admit defeat and settle your score so promptly,’ she said.

‘He called again today, to see if I wanted to go for lunch, but I said I was meeting you instead.’

‘You dope, you know I’d have been happy to be bumped to another day. You should have gone out with Paul.’

‘Actually, you were a convenient excuse.’

‘Lovely, I’m just an excuse. An excuse for what? I thought you liked Paul.’

‘I do, but—’

‘But what Sam? Stop being so stupid. He’s a really nice guy, and he’s clearly absolutely mad about you. Most girls would be delirious to have that kind of attention.’

‘I know, and well, that’s just a bit too much to deal with right now.’

‘Being adored?’

‘Yes. I don’t want anything that intense.’

‘And has he been too intense? Is he stalking you?’ I cringed at her choice of words, but didn’t elaborate on my other little problem.