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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

‘Look, I know you’re upset with me. I know you think I’ve been disloyal or whatever, but trust me, I haven’t. The only reason I’m sticking with this is out of sheer loyalty to you.’

‘And how do you figure that one out?’

‘Because I’m doing it to prove us right and get to the bottom of things. Fuck EMSOU. I’m doing this for us.’

‘Doing what?’ She looked down at the cardboard box between Dexter’s feet.

‘Look, you might want to let me in. I think I know what’s going on with the Clifton murders.’

46

Dexter emptied the box onto the coffee table in the living room as Caroline tried to get her head around what she was seeing.

‘Dex, these are confidential documents. I’m off the case. I’m suspended. I’m not allowed to see these.’

‘They’re not the originals.’

‘What, so you photocopied them to hide the fact you were breaking the law? That’s even worse.’

‘It’s not breaking the law. It’s circumventing procedure.’

As if her brain wasn’t confused and muddled enough as it was, Caroline was struggling to work out why Dexter was helping her now. If he’d wanted to do the right thing, why hadn’t he fought her corner? He’d had his chance to display his loyalty and he’d chosen not to. And now here he was, risking his career in order to prove a point.

‘Listen, I’ve been doing more research and digging.’

‘Is this a history thing?’

‘History is everything. Trust me on this. I’ve been looking into everything that happened when Rutland Water was formed. The flooding of the villages, the compulsory purchase of the land, the petitions and protests at the time. I’ve been living and breathing this to the point where I can’t see straight. The others think I’m mad. They’re not having any of it. EMSOU don’t even want to see my notes. But I really think I’ve got something.’

‘Go on.’

‘Alright. Here’s a list of the companies that worked on the construction. There’s colour coding to show which aspects they worked on. Some of them were involved in the demolition, some in the building of the dam, various things right up until the original project was deemed completed and signed off.’

‘Right. And?’

‘Notice any familiar names?’

Caroline scanned her eyes down the list. ‘Well yeah, Arthur Clifton Construction. But what’s that got to do with anything? They’re the biggest local construction company, and they’ve been going for decades. Hardly surprising they were involved.’