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Back Under a Dark Cloud Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. Part 1
  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. Part 2
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. Part 3
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. Acknowledgements
  74. Next in Series
  75. Canelo Crime
  76. About the Author
  77. Also by Louisa Scarr

Robin frowns, sitting at his kitchen table. This isn’t helping. But what was he expecting? To remember some key evidence from that time? And of what? That Finn was involved with the murder of some random kid? That Josie covered it up?

It’s ridiculous. He’s looking for a problem when there isn’t one.

He sighs and closes the lid on his laptop. Then he hears the doorbell ring. He gets up and answers it, pleased to see Freya on his doorstep.

But the moment she sees him, she bursts into tears.

28

On the drive there, Freya had rehearsed what she was going to say to Robin, over and over in her head. She was going to stay calm. Explain rationally how she was feeling and why. Then ask for his help.

But the moment she sees his face – his careworn, familiar, hangdog face – she bursts into tears.

He ushers her into the house in dismay, and seats her at his kitchen table.

‘What’s wrong? What’s happened? Is it Smith? What’s he done?’

Despite her tears, Freya laughs. ‘Why does everyone assume it’s Josh? No, it’s me. Just me.’

She accepts the offer of a drink and waits while Robin fusses with the kettle and a cup. Eventually, he puts the tea down and sits in front of her.

‘Is it something I’ve done?’ he asks.

‘No, not at all. How’s Finn?’ she says, feeling awful for not remembering to ask sooner.

‘No change. But don’t worry about that. What’s going on?’

‘It’s about…’ She pauses. How to explain how she’s feeling, when she’s not even sure herself? ‘It’s about Jonathan and Amy and… and what happened.’

He leans back in his seat. ‘None of that. None of that,’ he stresses again, ‘was our fault.’

‘I know, I know. It’s just…’ She starts crying again. ‘It was though, wasn’t it? If I hadn’t drugged Amy, then she wouldn’t have died.’

‘You don’t know that.’

‘I do! She wouldn’t have fallen and banged her head. I… I feel so fucking awful about it. All the time.

‘But it’s not just that,’ she says quickly, seeing Robin about to speak. ‘It’s the whole thing. I didn’t realise how miserable Jonathan was. I should have noticed… got him out. Helped him. Instead, all I could worry about was me, and the fact that he was still married, and how wronged I was.’ She laughs harshly. ‘The poor little mistress.’

Robin’s forehead furrows. He leans forward towards her. ‘That wasn’t your fault either, Frey.’

‘Oh, but it was, Robin. It was.’ She wipes her eyes. ‘And now all I can think about is her. I can’t sleep. And Amy Miller is the last person I want on my mind.’