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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

Freya is almost shouting down the phone. Mina places a cup of coffee in front of her and looks on with interest.

‘Don’t have a chest freezer, sorry, love.’

‘But you bought one in 2010? Do you remember that?’

‘Don’t have a chest freezer any more. Are you trying to sell me one?’

‘No, I’m phoning from Hampshire Police.’ Freya rolls her eyes at Mina, who laughs quietly.

‘I don’t want another freezer, sorry,’ the old woman says and hangs up.

Freya puts the phone down and gives an exasperated sigh.

‘Looks like you’re going to have to go down there,’ Josh says, appearing behind them.

‘I’m not sure she’ll be any better face to face.’

‘Well, it will have to wait,’ Josh says. ‘Connor Vardy has arrived at Riverside. And he’s waiting to talk to you two.’

10

Freya and Mina arrive at the railway station and stand on the platform; in the distance a small narrow-gauge train chugs its way round the track.

‘We’ve brought the kids here a few times,’ Mina says, watching the plume of grey smoke. ‘I’m not going to see it as such an innocent place again.’

Freya shakes her head. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to be able to look at my freezer in the same way,’ she agrees. ‘I have that exact same one, you know.’

‘Why do you own a chest freezer?’

‘Mum thought it would be useful for storing leftovers,’ Freya says. ‘As a lonely single girl, and all that.’

‘Yeah, for all that cooking you do,’ Mina replies with a snort.

Freya laughs, then puts an arm round her friend. ‘I’m glad you’re back,’ she says, and Mina returns her grin. ‘It wasn’t the same without you.’

‘I missed you, too, honey.’

Freya hesitates, an apology on the tip of her tongue for not visiting Mina more over this past year. But how could she explain? I had a boyfriend. But he was married. And then he died. Freya can predict the questions, but she doesn’t feel ready to offer the truth; and Mina would see right through a lie.

The small train wheezes its way to the platform, distracting Freya from her dilemma. They both step forward as Barry Headley approaches with Connor, guiding him with a stern hand on his back. Connor Vardy is skinny and tall, and looks years younger than eighteen, with short, cropped hair and a perpetual stoop. He’s less than keen, hanging back as the four of them walk towards the café again.

‘Connor?’ Mina begins. ‘I’m Detective Constable Desai, and this is DC West…’

‘I don’t know anything about that freezer,’ Connor says quickly. He has a black smudge on his cheek that looks like a bruise; Freya wonders where it came from.