Bad Sister: ‘Tense, convincing… kept me guessing’ Caz Frear, bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies. Sam Carrington

Currently, they were random tattoos.

      ‘Guv.’ DC Clarke raised his hand from behind his desk as he replaced the receiver. ‘Got a hit on one of the names on that list of Hargreaves’ prison associates.’

      ‘Go on.’

      ‘Oscar Manning. Was released six months ago from HMP Baymead. Had links with Hargreaves on the inside. He’s the only one on the list that’s not still banged up, so could be one of the outside sources. Someone who’d be able to help orchestrate an escape attempt from the funeral.’

      ‘Good work. We got an address for him?’

      ‘No, not yet.’

      ‘He could still be on licence.’ Lindsay rubbed at her temples. ‘Get hold of the local probation, see what they can tell us. We need to get him in for questioning, pronto.’

      Lindsay swept past the rows of desks, working her way back to the whiteboard. The amount of time she’d spent staring at the photos of the tattoos meant she’d probably never get them out of her head. It would be far worse if she couldn’t figure out their relevance – they’d forever taunt her. Hopefully, Mack would get something to go on, something that might link the tattoos – either to each other, or to the victim, or Connie herself.

       CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

       Connie

      At some point during Connie’s walk from the train station to her office, drizzle had laid a fine film of damp on her. Once she emerged from her thoughts and realised, she welcomed the coolness and lifted her face to meet the droplets. The forecast hadn’t given rain. The last few weeks had been unremitting heat and a humidity she wasn’t used to in the West Country. Connie paused halfway up the hill, readjusting her shoulder bag and stretching her back. It was aching more frequently these days, she really should get it seen to. She’d add it to the list of things she was unlikely to ever get around to.