Find Them Dead

71 Friday 17 May

Roy Grace finally left his office at Sussex Police HQ at 7.30 p.m. He’d spent the past hour on the phone with Detective Superintendent Ross Shepherd at the Met, who was coordinating the lockdown of the hospital, in case Edward Crisp was hiding in there, as well as a manhunt across London. They both well knew, with Crisp’s past form, their chance of a result was slim. He could be anywhere, including out of the country, by now.

Grace had suggested — and not in jest — they focus on sewers. The seemingly mild-mannered family GP had used sewers as an escape route previously. Did he have a particular reason for wounding himself in the eye — was it to end up at Moorfields Hospital, either because of its location in the east of London, or because of its relatively low security?

As he drove his Alfa out of the car park, he was reflecting on his difficult day, especially with Pewe, as well as the knowledge that he would be spending much of the weekend ahead back at his office. But with Cleo pregnant again, there was at least something to be really positive about.

Turning into the residential street outside the HQ, he drove home in a slightly better mood, but his mind still churning with all that had happened today. And, mostly, his fury at Cassian Pewe. He tried to calm his anger by thinking of a Buddhist saying Cleo loved: Everyone you meet is fighting a battle of their own you know nothing about. Be kind to everyone.

Even to Pewe?