by Peter James
Emerging from Dixons, she made straight for the WH Smith news and bookstore.
‘Just want to get some papers, in case they don’t have them on the plane.’ Then in German she asked her son if he would like something to read on the flight to Munich. ‘Mochste Du etwas zum lesen?’
He shrugged indifferently, engrossed in the instructions on the game upgrade.
Straight away, she grabbed a copy of the Argus from the rack, and flicked it open, scanning the pages eagerly.
127
On the Wednesday morning, Roy Grace drove Cleo and Noah home. Cleo sat in the back of his unmarked Ford Focus, with Noah strapped in the baby seat he had fitted temporarily into the vehicle.
There were few moments when he could remember feeling the sense of the richness of human life that he was experiencing at this moment. He had a lump in his throat, tears welling in his eyes as he drove around past the Pavilion; with all the film trucks gone, it seemed strangely quiet. Cleo’s tantrum over Gaia seemed long ago now, and she had totally accepted that nothing had happened beyond his having had a drink with the icon.
He looked in the rear-view mirror and saw her smiling at him. She blew him a kiss. He mouthed one back.
The obituary in the Argus remained a mystery for the moment. Apparently it had been delivered by a taxi driver who had not yet been traced, the instructions inside an envelope, printed on a local funeral director’s headed paper, which turned out to have been forged.
Of course he had his prime suspect. Although it beggared belief that, if it was him, Smallbone could be so stupid – or perhaps so brazen.
Noah made a gurgling sound, as if he, too, was excited at going home, for the first time in his life. The sound made Grace think of the enormity of the task that lay ahead of them. Bringing up their child and protecting him in a world that was as dark and dangerous as it always had been, and probably always would be.
He remembered something he had been told, long ago, by the then Chief Constable who had invited him in for a talk during those first terrible weeks after Sandy had gone missing. The Chief had been a surprisingly spiritual man. He said something Roy had never forgotten, and the words he often returned to strengthened him at tough moments.
The light can only shine in darkness.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As ever I owe thanks to very many people who so kindly and patiently put up with my endless questions, and generously gave me so much of their time. Most of all is the debt I owe to Sussex Police. My first thank you is to the Chief Constable, Martin Richards, QPM, for his continued help and in particular his very considerable input and wisdom on this book.
Retired Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor of Sussex CID, the inspiration behind Roy Grace, gives me continuous insight into the mind of a Senior Investigating Officer, helping to ensure Roy Grace thinks the way a sharp detective would, and to shape my books in so many other ways, too.
Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, Commander of Brighton and Hove Police, has also been immensely helpful on this book. Chief Inspector Jason Tingley has been a total star, helping me both creatively and procedurally on many aspects of this story. As also have DCI Nick Sloan, DCI Trevor Bowles and Inspector Andy Kille.
A huge debt also to Detective Superintendent Andy Griffith; Senior Support Officer Tony Case; PC Martin Light of the Metropolitan Police Territorial Support Group; DI William Warner; Sgt Phil Taylor and Ray Packham of the High Tech Crime Unit; Inspector James Biggs; PC Tony Omotoso; DS Simon Bates; Sgt Lorna Dennison-Wilkins and the entire Specialist Search Unit; DI Emma Brice, Professional Standards Department, Sussex Police; Sgt Malcolm Buckingham and John Sheridan, TFU Training; Chris Heaver; Martin Bloomfield; Sue Heard, Press and PR Officer; Neil (Nobby) Hall; John Vickerstaff.
Thanks also to Fire Inspection Officer Tim Eady, Kathy Burke, of West Sussex Fire and Rescue, and to Dave Phillips and Vicky Seal of the South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Very special thanks to the New York Police Department; to Detective Investigator Patrick Lanigan, Special Investigations Unit, Office of the District Attorney; Assistant Chief Michel Moore of the Los Angeles Police Department, and Detective Jeff Dunn of the Threat Management Unit of the LAPD. Thanks also to Robert Darwell and Philip Philibosian of Sheppard Mullin.
And as always I owe massive thanks to Sean Didcott at Brighton and Hove Mortuary. Also to Brighton and Hove Pathologist Dr Mark Howard; Dr Nigel Kirkham, consultant pathologist, Newcastle; Dave Charlton, Senior Fingerprint Officer, and Scenes of Crime Officer James Gartrell; Tracey Stocker; Forensic Podiatrist Haydn Kelly; Forensic Archaeologist Lucy Sibun and Forensic Pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift; Coroner’s Officer Tony Beldam; Alan Setterington, Deputy Governor of HMP Lewes.
Thanks also to Michael Beard, Editor, the Argus, Brighton; my terrific psychology researchers Tara Lester and Nicky Mitchell; Consultant Obstetrician Des Holden; Rob Kempson; Peter Wingate-Saul; Rosalind Bridges, Anna Mumby and Ceri Glen for their insights into the world of celebrity obsession; Claire Horne of Travel Counsellors; Hilary Wiltshire; pyrotechnics expert Mike Sansom; Valerie Pearce, Head of City Services, Brighton and Hove City Council; Andrew Mosley of The Grand Hotel; Keith Winter of Stonery Farm; Andrew Kay.
I’m very grateful to Dr Lorraine Bell for allowing me to quote from her profoundly informative book Managing Intense Emotions and Overcoming Self-destructive Habits, published in 2003 by Brunner-Routledge, Hove, East Sussex.
The team at the Royal Pavilion could not have been more helpful or supportive. I’m extremely grateful to David Beevers, Keeper of the Royal Pavilion, Louise Brown, Facilities Manager, Alexandra Loske, Royal Pavilion Guide, and Robert Yates, Head of Fundraising, for the terrific help and access they gave me to this magical building.
I would like to point out that during the writing of this novel, I have taken some artistic licence with regards to a few of the exterior and interior descriptions, fittings, security and the general condition of the building, as well as certain historical elements. Also I have taken a degree of artistic licence with Stonery Farm.
If, like me, you are passionate about the Royal Pavilion and could help support it, please visit: www.pavilionfoundation.org
My gratitude as ever to Chris Webb of MacService, who has never let me down in keeping my trusted Mac running, even when at times it has turned flaky on me in some far-flung corner of the globe . . .
Very big and special thanks to Anna-Lisa Lindeblad, who has again been my tireless and wonderful ‘unofficial’ editor and commentator throughout the Roy Grace series; Sue Ansell, who has read and helped me with every single book I have written; Martin and Jane Diplock; Joey Dela Cruz.
In Carole Blake I’m blessed with a truly wonderful agent and great friend; and I have a dream publicity team in Tony Mulliken, Sophie Ransom and Claire Richman of Midas PR. There is simply not enough space to say a proper thank you to everyone on Team James at Macmillan, but I must thank my wonderful publishing director, Wayne Brookes, the incredibly patient Susan Opie, and my copy-editor, John English, as well as my great US editor, Marc Resnick.
Massive, massive thanks also to my totally brilliant PA, Linda Buckley.
Helen has, as ever, been hugely supportive and patient, wise with her criticism and constantly encouraging. My three hounds, Phoebe, Oscar and Coco, lie permanently in wait, always ready to hijack me for a walk the moment I step away from my desk . . .
I have to reserve the biggest thank you of all to you, my readers. You’ve given me an amazing amount of support and it is a joy to write for you. Do keep those emails, tweets, Facebook and blog posts coming!
Peter James
Sussex, England
[email protected]
www.peterjames.com
www.facebook.com/peterjames.roygrace
www.twitter.com/peterjamesuk
Also by Peter James
DEAD LETTER DROP
ATOM BOMB ANGEL
BILLIONAIRE
POSSESSION
DREAMER
SWEET HEART
TWILIGHT
PROPHECY
ALCHEMIST
HOST
THE TRUTH
DENIAL
FAITH
PERFECT PEOPLE
Children’s Novel
GETTING WIRED!
The Roy Grace Series
DEAD SIMPLE
LOOKING GOOD DEAD
NOT DEAD ENOUGH
DEAD MAN’S FOOTSTEPS
DEAD TOMORROW
DEAD LIKE YOU
DEAD MAN’S GRIP
First published 2012 by Macmillan
This electronic edition published 2012 by Macmillan
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ISBN 978-0-230-76489-7 EPUB
Copyright © Really Scary Books / Peter James 2012
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