‘Except he’s not here now, is he?’ asked Blake, turning to kiss her.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank Detective Inspector Julie Willats of the Metropolitan Police Service and Tracy Alexander, Director of Forensic Services for the City of London Police. Each gave me generous and patient help, and this book could not have been written without either of them. I am filled with admiration and respect for the work they do. All errors of fact or interpretation are entirely my own.
I also acknowledge the assistance of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.
For background on past police corruption I drew on an impeccably researched book by Michael Gillard and Laurie Flynn, Untouchables: Dirty cops, bent justice and racism in Scotland Yard, reprinted by Bloomsbury in 2012.
I also owe thanks to my daughter for keeping me up to speed on podcasting; to Brian Smith for his local knowledge of Southend-on-Sea; and to Carolyn Bromfield, who offered me not only hospitality but also her name.
As ever, grateful thanks to my wonderful editor, Jane Wood, and all the great team at Quercus, especially to Therese Keating and Hannah Robinson for all their hard work. And, last but not least, thanks to my lovely agent Sheila Crowley and her brilliant assistant Abbie Greaves at Curtis Brown, for encouragement and support.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also by Isabelle Grey
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Acknowledgements