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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

Connor could tell that even Mark Black was shocked. The colour drained out of his face. Hushed, they looked at the dead man, curled up at the bottom of that chest freezer. Still and silent.

‘What the fuck are we going to do?’ Lee stuttered. Connor could see he was on the edge of tears.

Mark turned. ‘Nothing,’ he shouted. ‘We do nothing.’ He glanced around. They were alone, in the middle of the deserted track. ‘We go back to mine, play Xbox, make sure my mum and dad clock us.’ He turned to Connor. ‘You go home. But you say nothing, you hear me?’

The three boys crowded round him. Mark prodded a hard finger into the centre of Connor’s chest.

‘You keep quiet, Vardy. Because if you don’t… if you don’t…’ His features were hard. Resolute. ‘If you don’t, we’ll go to your grandad’s grave and we’ll dig him up. We’ll dig him up and lay out his rotten, stinking corpse for all the world to see.’

Connor felt vomit rise in his stomach.

‘You hear me?’ Mark repeated. ‘You were as much a part of this as we were. Agree, you bastard.’

Connor nodded, mute.

‘Right. Now let’s go.’

Connor watched them walk back down the track, then turn left towards where he knew Mark lived. He stared down at the freezer. What could he do? Call the police and he’d be fucked.

He did nothing.

Until now. Now he talks until his mouth is dry, the story is told and the detectives in front of him are pale and unblinking.

54

Freya and Josh emerge stunned from the interview room. After Connor had finished talking, Josh did the only thing he could be expected to do.

‘I’m sorry, Connor,’ Josh said. And Connor looked down at the table, resigned for what was to come. ‘But I am arresting you for the false imprisonment of Duncan Thorpe…’

Freya listened as he finished the caution. A caution he’d already received at the beginning of the voluntary interview, but one which had to be repeated.

Josh and Freya stand in the corridor. The solicitor joins them, looking back to where Connor has been escorted away to be booked into custody. Face cast down, silent.

‘Are you going to arrest him for murder?’ Reynolds asks.

Josh frowns. ‘Maybe, Alex. And let the CPS decide the charge later.’

The solicitor puts his notes into his rucksack and heaves it onto his shoulder. ‘Well, keep me informed.’ He tilts his head at the detectives. ‘Wasn’t expecting that one when I got the call this morning,’ he comments ruefully. ‘Some days are just full of surprises.’