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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

And then a noise fills the inside of the van. It is loud and terrifying, and after a moment he realises it’s coming from his own mouth. It echoes off the walls, making his throat raw, draining the air from his lungs.

He is screaming. And he knows there is nothing he can do to make himself stop.

Part 1

1

Wednesday

At first: a buzz. A fractious whine, intermittent, next to him. He wakes with a jerk, his hand groping on his bedside table. He picks up his phone and holds it to his ear.

‘Butler,’ he grunts.

He opens his eyes and glances across to the clock, bright digits shining in the hazy glow of morning: 5.42 a.m.

‘DS Robin Butler? This is DC Grey from Thames Valley Police. I’m sorry to wake you.’

The voice sounds nervous and young.

Robin clears his throat, leaning back against the pillow. ‘How can I help, DC Grey?’ he mutters, scratching his chest absent-mindedly.

‘I’m sorry,’ the voice apologises again. ‘I was told to call you. I’m sorry it’s so early.’ He is stuttering to get the words out, and Robin grits his teeth.

‘Get to the point, Detective Constable.’

‘Yes, sorry. It’s about your friend. Dr Finn Mason?’

Robin frowns, struggling to digest the information. ‘What about Finn?’ he asks.

‘He’s involved in an incident,’ Grey continues. ‘And he’s asking for you. Normally, we wouldn’t call, but because you’re a detective—’

Robin sits up in bed. ‘What sort of incident?’ he snaps. ‘Is he okay?’

Grey hesitates. ‘Yes, yes, he’s fine,’ he says at last. ‘Well, not exactly fine. We’re not sure yet. We’re struggling to work out what’s going on. Perhaps you could come up here.’

‘Is he injured?’

‘We don’t think so, no. But…’ He pauses again. ‘He’s locked in a van and he’s refusing to come out.’

Robin switches on the light next to him. His brain is only half awake, and Grey’s confusing waffle isn’t helping. He didn’t sleep well last night, thanks to the massive storm raging outside the house until the early hours of the morning. ‘Why is he locked in a van?’

‘He… um… Just come up here and my DI can explain.’

‘Text me the location. I’ll be with you as soon as I can.’

Robin hangs up, then stares at his phone as the information comes through. The Oracle multistorey car park, in the middle of Reading. Top floor.

Light is starting to trickle in through the curtains. Robin lies back on his pillow for a moment, stretching out in the middle of the bed, enjoying the last luxury of warmth. He can’t understand what’s going on. What is Finn doing in a van on top of a multistorey car park? And why is it a matter for a detective inspector?