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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

DI Johns stormed up to the front, then, with great drama, unfurled his copy of the newspaper with a whip-like crack and held it up for all to see. ‘Now what the bloody hell is this?’

Even I was shocked to hear him use that kind of language in front of the whole staff. He looked as though he could blow a vein.

‘How the hell did the press find out about this?’

Silence.

‘Someone has been talking and I want to know who.’

I had a flashback to school assembly and Principal McLeary holding up a cigarette butt, demanding: ‘Someone has been smoking around the bike sheds and I want to know who.’ Would we be made to sit here for an hour in silence until someone owned up?

‘I know news of the circus investigation was bound to get out eventually, but the media have stated that we are looking into other unsolved murders in relation to this case.’ He jabbed his finger into the page for effect. ‘That is sensitive information and was strictly to be held within these walls. For God’s sake, they’ve even used the words “serial killer”.’

A murmur went around the room from those who hadn’t caught the news themselves this morning.

‘Do you realise how much more difficult this makes our job? Now we’re going to have public panic and the national spotlight on us. There is going to be a media scrum out there. Not to mention government pressure to get this solved. If there are leaks coming from this building, by God, I will find out who it is and their job will be gone. They’ll be booted out faster than any of you can draw breath.’ He stopped then, and glared out into the room as if waiting for a confession. He eyeballed individuals in the room, including what felt like a particularly long stare at me. Several heads turned to see who the focus of attention was. I longed for the normal low lighting in the room as I felt the heat rise up my face, even though I knew I had no cause to feel guilty. The intensity of his anger had made many in the room suddenly fascinated by their shoelaces. Mine looked like they could do with replacement soon. The silence had become excruciating. Just when the tension was almost asphyxiating he spoke, with a quiet voice of steel.