Page 1 of No Safe Place
Prologue
The knife slipped easily into his stomach, just below the ribs.
David stumbled, already reeling backwards into the shadow of the birch tree next to them.
The knife swung again, meeting sinew, bone.
He clutched at his neck as he fell to the ground.
‘Why?’ he managed to gasp, tipping his head back, blood bubbling from between his fingers. ‘Why are you—’
He whimpered, eyes alive with fear.
Seventeen years ago, he had made promises, assurances. Pretended to care about the people everyone else was leaving behind. He’d scooped up the most vulnerable to become their protector.
Such a good actor, this man.
The perfect doctor act had everyone fooled.
David Moore thought he’d got away with it. Thought his secret had died with her.
He didn’t deserve to die quietly.
None of them did.
Chapter 1
Wednesday | Early hours
Field
In seconds, the night went from dull routine to life and death.
They’d just got back in the car after a call to assist during kicking-out time at a pub, when the radio crackled into life.
‘Circulation of an I-Grade. Ambulance Service requesting assistance for a male found with multiple stab wounds on Ancona Road, Plumstead. Is anyone available to respond?’
The easy atmosphere, their chat about swapping back to day shifts after a run of nights – it was forgotten.
Field put her coffee into the cupholder and pulled the radio from the dash. ‘Control – Hotel Charlie Six-Four, we’re round the corner. Show us en route.’
She punched the street name into the car’s satnav, but Riley was already pulling away – his superior sense of direction the reason he was often behind the wheel.
Blue lights. Siren.
The radio crackled again. ‘Hotel Charlie Six-Four received.Update from LAS: subject is unresponsive. Sending further LAS and locals.’
Adrenaline was already pumping, making the tips of her fingers tingle and her heart beat harder in her chest.
Riley took a corner at speed and Field threw out a hand to stop herself smacking into the passenger window. The radio went off constantly with patrol cars responding.
‘Show Two-One.’
‘Eight-Zero-One.’
Riley glanced at the satnav. ‘I’ll have us there in two minutes, boss.’
‘Six-Four, any update, Control? Are suspects on scene?’ Field said into the radio.
