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Chapters (70)
  1. Cover
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  3. Map of Rutland
  4. Map of Oakham
  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. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. On Borrowed Time
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. Adam Croft

‘I don’t know. But we can find out. I’ll make a call now and get vehicle licensing to check his name locally. There’ll be something somewhere.’

‘Good. Go,’ she said, hanging up the call.

Caroline paced the room, all the little details falling into place in her mind. How had she been so stupid? She’d naively believed Howard Smallwood to be a harmless — if a little eccentric — history buff. There was no way she’d ever have had him down as a double murderer, but all the signs were there, right from the start. He’d seemed keen, but she’d presumed that was just one of his eccentricities, his social awkwardness. He’d even made a point of telling them to get in touch with him if ever they needed—

Yes! The business card! Caroline took the stairs two at a time and headed into her bedroom, going straight over to the pile of receipts, parking stickers and cards that covered the top of her dressing table, ready for their quarterly sort-and-file. Her hands shook with adrenaline as she quickly rummaged through them until she saw the one she wanted. Howard Smallwood’s business card.

She looked at the address and did a quick bit of mental maths. Smallwood lived in Oakham, but the opposite side of town. Mark still had the car, and Dexter would be a good half an hour, even if he left immediately and put his foot down. She ran back downstairs, put on her comfiest shoes and sprinted as fast as she could.

55

Her legs felt like lead and the air burned in her lungs, but she had to keep pushing forwards. She’d never been the most gifted athlete, but it was amazing what a decent burst of adrenaline could do.

As she sprinted down Station Road, past the train station and Station Approach leading to the Grainstore Brewery, she saw the barriers coming down across the main road, signalling that a train was coming. There had to be another way across. There must be. All she knew from sitting in traffic trying to cross the tracks on countless occasions was that the trains took absolutely ages to pass through.

She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, and wondered how long it had been ringing for. She took it out and saw Dexter’s name on the screen.

‘Dex,’ she said, panting.

‘I’ve got the address.’

‘I know. Me too. On his business card.’

‘Are you okay? You sound really out of breath.’

‘I’m on my way.’

‘Don’t. It’s too dangerous. I’ve put in a call and there are officers on the way. No idea how long they’ll be, though. I’m in the car too, going as fast as I can. Whatever you do, don’t go in there.’

‘I have to. We can’t wait. We’re going to lose him.’