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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

‘So, as a kid, he was on the watch list with children’s services, never in school for longer than a few days at a time. His mother was a mess – warnings for shoplifting, drunk and disorderly, the lot.’

‘When did she die?’ Josh asks.

‘2015, and, as you know, Connor went to live with his grandad. And at that point his life turns around. He starts getting good grades. College says he’s a good kid, could go far.’

Josh squints at the screen. ‘So, what’s your point?’

Freya sits back in her seat, clutching her coffee. ‘He knows these boys. And I think he has more information than he’s letting on about that night. Let’s get him in, in a proper interview room.’

‘We can’t arrest him, we have no grounds,’ Josh replies.

‘Fine. Voluntarily then. But let’s make sure it’s recorded, lay it all on thick. Make him sweat.’

‘He’ll say the same as he did before.’

Freya smiles. ‘Let me try? Please?’ she begs. ‘I have an idea.’

49

Up close, the previously handsome face of Dr Simon Sharp couldn’t look worse; six days in cold storage hasn’t done him any favours. His skin is grey and peeling, sunken into his cheekbones. His eyes stare glassily at the ceiling.

Steph’s influence has worked wonders. The coroner agreed to the second opinion and the body was transferred down that morning. The forensic pathologist herself has just finished undoing the good work of the previous doctor, unpicking the thick stitches holding Sharp’s abdomen together.

‘It’s going to take me a few hours yet,’ Steph repeats. ‘You should go.’

‘I’ll wait,’ Robin insists.

Her shoulders slump. He knows Steph’s not enjoying his company. The last time they were in the same room together was over nine months ago, and she was unceremoniously telling him to get out of her house. Not her fault, he knows.

He takes a seat on the far side of the mortuary and watches her at work. Even fully dressed in her PPE, she cuts an impressive figure – her body full of energy, fit from the triathlons she races at the weekend. They would never have worked as a couple, Robin tells himself. Even with his new-found love of running, she is too good for him.

He hears Steph sigh loudly behind her mask.

‘Have you found something?’ he asks.

‘It’s not that.’ She pauses again, scalpel in hand, then selects a pair of tweezers from the tray, looking closely at Sharp’s neck. ‘I hate this awkwardness between us, Rob.’

He looks up quickly.