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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

She smiles. ‘It’s fine. It didn’t feel like work. I feel better.’ He looks at her doubtfully. ‘I do, I promise! Not, you know, one hundred per cent, but it was a break. Time away from the station, from everything that reminds me of Jon. I will go and see the doctor,’ she adds, quieter now. ‘But being away with you, having dinner with Sandra and…’ She pauses for a moment. ‘It felt good. That’s all. I’m just sorry it didn’t end as you wanted it to.’

‘I’m not sure how I wanted it to end,’ Robin says. ‘I wanted to help Finn. And look how that turned out.’

His phone interrupts them, ringing loudly over the speaker. Robin answers it and DCI Neal Baker’s voice booms around the car.

‘Butler, where are you? Are you headed back?’

Using his surname can only mean it’s police business. Robin answers accordingly. ‘Yes, guv. We’re on our way now.’

‘We? You and West? Good. Come straight to the station. West can continue the freezer investigation with Smith. You come to my office.’

‘What’s it concerning, boss?’ Robin asks, feeling the drag of bad news.

‘Just come here straight away, you hear me?’

‘Message received, guv. ETA about an hour and a half.’

Baker hangs up and Robin glances to Freya. ‘That can’t be good,’ he says.

And for the first time, he wishes for roadworks on the A31. Anything to hold off the feeling of impending doom.

43

Despite the fact that Robin’s been in the car for three hours straight, he does exactly as he’s told and heads directly to Baker’s office.

DCI Neal Baker is sat at his desk, a grim expression on his face. He points to the chair in front of him and Robin sits down.

‘So,’ he begins. ‘DI Craig’s been in touch.’

‘And?’ Robin almost holds his breath. But what news is he hoping for? Finn’s either been assessed fit to interview and has been charged with Sharp’s murder or he’s still desperately sick in hospital. Turns out it’s neither.

‘She wants you to leave her alone.’

Robin sits back in the chair with a frustrated sigh. ‘I’ve been away all weekend. What more does she want?’

‘She wants to get on with her job, Robin. And she’s fed up with you questioning her every move.’

‘I haven’t been—’

‘You have. And you know it.’ Baker’s tone is softer this time. ‘Listen, to appease me she sent across the file and I had a good read last night. Everything tallies. The PM results, the blood spatter from the scene, the testimony from the camera crew and the lab. If it were me investigating, I’d have come to the same conclusion.’

‘Is the camera footage still missing?’ Robin asks.