Now You See: A gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked

by Max Manning

  Leah furrowed her brow in mock confusion. ‘Right. I think that’s a compliment.’ She looked at the flowers she was holding and a shadow fell across her face. ‘Give me a minute,’ she said.

  Blake watched as she walked on and slipped into a gap in the undergrowth. A few minutes later she emerged, no longer carrying the flowers. She strode back to where Blake was waiting, her eyes wet but defiant. ‘We did it,’ she said. ‘We got the bastard.’

  Blake nodded. ‘Let’s hope he never gets out. He’s confessed to the lot. Proud of his work by all accounts. But he’s slippery. He’s got a good lawyer and they’re talking about pleading insanity. He still gets locked up, but in a hospital rather than a prison.’

  Leah shrugged. ‘Well, if Partington is diagnosed as insane then maybe a hospital is the best place for him.’

  ‘Partington, or Friel, whatever his name is, isn’t insane. He knew exactly what he was doing.’

  Leah closed her eyes and shook her head. ‘The hardest thing is getting my mind straight. Trying to make sense of everything that’s happened. I can’t understand how someone like Partington can exist. How such a sick mind is formed.’

  Blake reached out and took hold of her hands. Her fingers were soft and slender. ‘He’s not sick. He’s evil. He was born evil. He’ll die evil. There are plenty of people like him in this world. Too many people.’

  Leah moved closer. ‘Then it’s lucky there are people like you in the world as well,’ she said.

  Blake let go of her hands. ‘Have you been in touch with Fenton?’ he asked.

  ‘He came to see me in hospital and we’ve spoken a few times since. The police are pretty unhappy at all the credit you’ve been getting in the press. That’s probably why they’re taking it out on Dan. He’s fighting it, but it looks like he’ll be kicked out of the force. They say he broke the rules, so he’s got to pay.’

  Blake said nothing. The silence stretched. Leah was the first to speak. ‘He told me what happened. He did the right thing. He had to put his daughter first. Surely you understand that?’

  Blake kept her waiting, before nodding slowly. ‘I get it,’ he said. ‘He had to put his child before anything else.’

  ‘That’s right. He had no choice. He’s a good man. A decent man.’

  ‘And I’m not?’

  ‘I didn’t say that.’

  Blake took a deep breath to steady himself. He’d had enough of avoiding the issue. ‘What are we going to do about us?’ he said.

  ‘I don’t know. I need time to think. That’s why I’m going to Italy for a few weeks. To sort things out. Flying out tomorrow.’

  Blake resisted the temptation to ask if she was going alone. ‘Why leave now? That won’t solve anything. Surely, it’s better to stay in London so we can talk this through. We’ve agonised over this for too long. I was damaged. Things are different now. I’m different now.’

  Leah didn’t reply. She stepped closer, kissed him softly on the lips, and walked away. Blake wanted to call out to her, ask her not to go. Instead he watched her until she disappeared through the gate. When she’d gone he headed back to the line of leafless trees.

  76

  Things aren’t so bad here in prison. Naturally, I don’t have the use of a laptop, but the wing is awash with smuggled mobile phones. I’ve been using mine for research, educating myself about the defence of insanity. I’m wondering if a hospital for the criminally insane might be a better option than your run-of-the-mill jail.

  You might think that I’m looking for a way to avoid responsibility for what I’ve done. That isn’t the case. The fact is, when you sit in a cell most of the day you get a lot of time to think, and when I set my mind to thinking, I can cover a lot of ground.

  The long and short of it is, I’m reconsidering my approach to life. I’m prepared to accept the possibility that I might be afflicted with a personality disorder that could respond to treatment. I’m willing to try, at least. That’s one thing the staff here like about me. I’m a trier. I’m trying to be a model prisoner, and they appreciate it. It’s good to have a couple of wardens onside when you’re inside.

  One of my many powers is the ability to get people to believe. You see, it’s easy to think that if you believe something then it must be true. The real truth is, that’s rarely the case.

  If I can convince the right people that I’m desperate for psychiatric help, that I want to change my ways, how can they refuse me? That would be inhumane. It wasn’t my fault. Honest. My brain made me do it.

  The police, with the help of the press, are still gloating about my capture. It’s been going on for weeks. They’ve put me away. Stopped the notorious I, Killer in his tracks. If only they knew the truth. I may be locked up, but these bars cannot constrain an intellect as powerful as mine. The idea is laughable.

  You see, my internet posts are still clocking up record viewing figures. With that kind of acclaim comes responsibility. I owe it to my public to keep doing what I do best. I can’t let them down. My followers are loyal and I appreciate that. But among them are a few special individuals who want to do more than look. They have embraced the darkness and are eager to learn from the master.

  Those determined to put a negative spin on this development would probably describe it as the birth of a cult. I like to think of them as my acolytes. They are lying low of course. They would be foolish not to. But they know, and I know, they will be my willing instruments. When the time is right I will make my selection and they will carry on my work.

  Acknowledgements

  I am truly grateful to everyone who has helped Now You See find its way to publication.

  Many thanks to my amazing agent Madeleine Milburn, who saw potential in the raw manuscript, and all the members of her talented team, including the dynamic Hayley Steed.

  Also, to Kate Stephenson, my editor, for her intelligent notes and insight, the ‘part human/part firework’ Ella Gordon, and everyone else at Wildfire, including the designers, marketing and sales.

  I can’t do this without thanking my late parents, who encouraged and nurtured my love of reading and writing.

  Throughout the roller-coaster process of writing this crime novel, I feel so lucky to have had the complete backing of my wonderful family, my wife Valerie, and grown-up children Becky, John and Sarah.

  Lastly, I want to give special thanks to my wife for her incredible support as an invaluable, dedicated and honest reader. I couldn’t have done it without you.

  About the Author

  Max Manning worked as a crime reporter for several years, before moving on to Fleet Street, where he worked on several international newspapers – including the Daily Telegraph, where he was a news sub-editor for sixteen years.

  Max is now a full-time writer living in Essex. He is married and has three grown-up children.