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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

‘But we need your help,’ the detective continues. ‘You’re uniquely positioned as his girlfriend to paint a picture of what Finn was like in the days leading up to the storm. You could make the difference between Finn getting life and him being out within ten years.’

Sophie looks the detective right in the eyes. She will have no part in Finn going to jail. Not for five years, not for ten. Not at all.

‘I wish to leave now, DI Craig,’ she says clearly. ‘Finn did not kill Simon, and I will have no part in your desperate attempt to prove that he did.’

Craig sighs and holds her hands up in defence. ‘There’s no desperation here, Sophie,’ she replies. ‘We have more than enough to show he murdered Simon Sharp in cold blood. The threshold test is more than surpassed.’

Sophie stands up. ‘I’m leaving.’

‘So go, please,’ Craig finishes. She gestures to Grey, who stands up to escort Sophie out of the interview room. As he opens the door, Sophie glances back to where Craig is still sitting at the desk. The detective looks relaxed, almost smug.

Sophie knows the police have all they need for Finn to go to prison for murder. But she’s not beaten yet.

34

The Premier Inn is large and purple and simple to find. Freya is silent, looking up at the huge building, and with a horrible stomach drop Robin realises his mistake.

‘Oh, Freya. Shit. I’m sorry… I didn’t think.’

She shrugs. ‘It’s not like Jonathan died in this one. It’s fine. I can’t avoid every single Premier Inn just because it’s where my boyfriend’s body was found.’

‘But—’ He stops himself, then leans forward to start the engine again. ‘We’ll find somewhere else.’

‘No, we won’t. Don’t be silly. Besides, I’m knackered.’

‘If you’re sure.’

‘I’m sure.’

They head inside. Check-in is swift, two electronic cards handed their way. Third floor, rooms adjacent.

They head up in the lift and walk along the corridor, following the signs.

‘Dinner with Sandra is at half seven. I’ll come and get you at quarter past,’ Robin says and Freya nods. Then, with a beep and a flash of green light, they’re both inside.

Robin goes in and dumps his bag on the bed. He knows Freya hadn’t seen the crime scene photos when Jonathan Miller was found, strung up behind the door, but he had, and the room looked just like this one. And probably the room next door. And the one next to that.

He curses himself again for not thinking about it when he booked the hotel. He stands for a moment and listens, but all he can hear is Freya’s TV being turned on.