The Secret Friend

by Unknown

  You wanted Walter to suffer, Malcolm Fletcher had said. When you think back to that moment inside the bathroom, you’ll wish you’d pulled the trigger.

  In her mind’s eye Darby saw herself pressing the handgun’s muzzle against Walter’s head. The cold, alien voice that spoke to her inside the bathroom was speaking to her now: Block the pipe and let him suffocate to death.

  ‘Please,’ Walter screamed. ‘Please don’t leave me here, I’m sorry.’

  Darby recalled the photograph of Emma Hale’s body lying on the bank of the Charles, buried under snow, discovered by a dog. Judith Chen’s body lay on the autopsy table, the woman’s face picked apart by fish. Walter Smith killed both women and he was going to kill Hannah Givens before turning the gun on himself.

  ‘Please get me out of here,’ Walter cried. ‘I’m so scared. I don’t want to die here alone without Mary.’

  Block the pipe and cut off his air. Let him suffer.

  Walter Smith deserved to suffer. She wanted him to suffer.

  Do it. Nobody will know.

  The wind blew through the woods, shaking the branches. Darby scrambled back across the ground and looked down the pipe.

  ‘Hang on,’ she said, reaching for her cell phone. ‘Help is on the way.’

  Acknowledgments

  This book could not have been written without the insight of criminologists Susan Flaherty and Kevin Kershark; Randy Moshos, from the Boston Medical Examiner’s Office; Meigan Dingle, a burn specialist; and Keith Woodbury, who helped guide me through the minefield of chemistry. These people patiently answered all of my technical questions. All mistakes are mine.

  One of the perks of being a writer is having the opportunity to discuss the craft with some of the best. With that in mind, I’d like to thank the following writers: John Connolly, Gregg Hurwitz, Laura ‘Mrs Mooney’ Lippman, Mike Connelly, Joe Finder, Tess Gerritsen, George Pelecanos, and Jodi Picoult.

  Thanks to Pam Bernstein and the wonderful Maggie Griffin.

  If you liked the book, you can thank my editor, Mari Evans, for all of her hard work; and my agent, Darley Anderson, and his wonderful staff – Emma White, Madeleine Buston, Camilla Bolton and Zoe King.

  What you have in your hands is a work of fiction. That means I made most of it up.