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Let me sign off once again by thanking you, the reader. Thanks again for the messages, for heading along to festivals to say hi—it’s always inspiring to see people passionate about books. Like always, you guys are who I write for. You guys are the reason I like to make bad things happen . . .

Paul Cleave

April 2015

Christchurch, New Zealand

Loved this thriller? Go back and read the rest of Paul Cleave . . .

Five Minutes Alone

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Joe Victim

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The Laughterhouse

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Collecting Cooper

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The Laughterhouse

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Cemetery Lake

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The Killing Hour

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PAUL CLEAVE is the internationally bestselling author of eight award-winning, critically acclaimed crime thrillers, including Five Minutes Alone and Joe Victim, which was a finalist for the 2014 Edgar and Barry Awards. He lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. Visit his website at PaulCleave.com.

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ALSO BY PAUL CLEAVE

Five Minutes Alone

Joe Victim

The Laughterhouse

Collecting Cooper

Blood Men

Cemetery Lake

The Killing Hour

The Cleaner

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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 by Paul Cleave

Jacket Design by Darren Haggar

Jacket Photographs © Rene Keith/Getty Images (Blood Splat);

© Jan Stromme/Getty Images (Broken Pen)

Author Photograph by Martin Hunter

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-4767-7917-1

ISBN 978-1-4767-7918-8 (ebook)

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Day One

Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Day Four

Chapter 4

Chapter 5: Day Five

Chapter 6

Chapter 7: Day Ten

Chapter 8

Chapter 9: Day Fifteen

Chapter 10

Chapter 11: Day Twenty

Chapter 12

Chapter 13: Day Thirty

Chapter 14

Chapter 15: Day Thirty-One

Chapter 16

Chapter 17: Day Forty

Chapter 18

Chapter 19: Day Fifty

Chapter 20

Chapter 21: Day Fifty-One

Chapter 22

Chapter 23: Day Fifty-Three

Chapter 24

Chapter 25: Day Fifty-Four

Chapter 26

Chapter 27: Day Sixty

Chapter 28: Day who gives a Fuck?

Chapter 29

Chapter 30: W Minus Seven

Chapter 31

Chapter 32: W Minus Five

Chapter 33

Chapter 34: W Minus Three

Chapter 35

Chapter 36: W Minus Two

Chapter 37

Chapter 38: WMD

Chapter 39

Chapter 40: WMD

Chapter 41: WMD Plus One Hour

Chapter 42

Chapter 43: WMD Plus Two Hours

Chapter 44

Chapter 45: WMD Plus One Day

Chapter 46

Chapter 47: Jerry is Dead

Chapter 48

Chapter 49: The Final Day

Chapter 50

Chapter 51: The Reprieve

Chapter 52

Chapter 53: I Don’t know I. Don’t know

Chapter 54

Chapter 55: Day Something

Chapter 56

Chapter 57: Day two without Sandra

Chapter 58

Chapter 59: Day who knows

Chapter 60

Chapter 61: Day Another Something

Chapter 62

Chapter 63: Day One Million

Chapter 64

Chapter 65: Day Thirty-Eight

Chapter 66

Chapter 67: Don’t Trust Hans A short story by Henry Cutter

Chapter 68

Chapter 69: My Confession By Jerry Grey

Chapter 70

Chapter 71: Dear Diary

Acknowledgments

About Paul Cleave