The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday

Author:Susi Holliday [Holliday, Susi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2017-11-16T05:00:00+00:00

35

BECKY

Back in the office, Becky feels torn. She knows that Eddie should be telling Nick about what happened in Ealing. But they don’t know yet that it’s Colin. Not for sure. If it was Colin, what was he doing? Did he kill Judy Dorringer? Did he kill the others? Was he playing a game with Eddie? Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing – he saw Eddie there, knew he was on the case. A little game. Still high on adrenaline.

But is this all linked to Eddie now? Is he trying to get his attention?

She has a sudden flash, an image. A man at one of the stalls in the market. She’d only been in there for a few minutes, had barely looked around, but she remembers now. She’d felt someone’s eyes on her. Looked across, but the man had looked away. She’d dismissed it as nothing. But now … now she isn’t so sure.

Is this what ‘Caleb’ is doing? Touring around Christmas markets, selling photographs … killing people on the way.

It sounds crazy, but then the whole thing is crazy. The advent calendar. The seemingly random choice of victims.

But how does it link to Chrissie? Was that an accident? Was Colin involved? Could he have lied about being in Scotland?

She needs to find out exactly where he was.

She’s going to call Rob Thacker again. Try to squeeze some more information out of him. It’s still a bit of a leap – accidentally killing his sister – if it was accidental – then carrying on to kill twenty more? Why? She’s heard of people doing stupid things to cover up one mistake, but this would be extreme in anyone’s book.

‘Having a break, are we?’ She blinks. Comes back into the room. It’s Joe. She’d been gazing out of the window, her mind whirring with thoughts. Her concentration now broken, she’s aware that there is Christmas music playing quietly in the background. There’s a hint of cinnamon and ginger in the air. She remembers seeing the tin full of gingerbread men on the desk. Had meant to pick one up. Got distracted. She glances back at the window, sees the sparkly decals of Santa and his reindeer. How had she not noticed them before? Miriam has really gone to town.

‘I can’t actually imagine ever having a break again,’ she says. She swivels her chair around and finds herself face to face with Joe’s Christmas jumper. It’s bright red, with a snowman that seems to be made from pompoms, giving it a startling 3D effect. And is that glittery wool for the snowman’s scarf? She blinks hard, trying to dislodge the image from her retinas. ‘Jesus Christ, where did you get that monstrosity? I hope you aren’t interviewing anyone today.’

Joe grins. Delighted with her reaction. ‘Primarni, hun. There’s loads. Was going to get you one but I didn’t know if you’d be more of a fairy or an elf. You can go after work. Better get one for Carmine too, so the pair of you don’t feel left out.

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