Archer, Jeffrey - Hidden in Plain Sight

‘You can tell Tim I’ve been giving the idea some serious thought recently,’ said William quietly.

A puzzled look appeared on Beth’s face. ‘Why recently?’

‘We’ve got a bent copper on our team, and one of us will have to go.’

‘But why should it be you? You haven’t done anything wrong.’

‘Because I’m not willing to turn a blind eye, and that’s what I’d have to do if I decided to remain on the force.’

‘How sad,’ said Beth, almost to herself.

‘I thought you’d be delighted to learn that I’m thinking about packing it in.’

‘I am. But I wouldn’t want to wake up every morning with a disgruntled caveman beside me, especially now the press are saying you’re in line to become the youngest detective inspector in the Met’s history!’

‘But at what price?’

‘Perhaps you should talk it over with your father before you come to a decision you’ll later regret.’

‘Almost his exact words. But I can’t think of anything that would make me change my mind.’

Artemisia began to cry, quickly followed by Peter Paul.

‘They’re clearly going to work in tandem to attract our attention,’ said Beth.

She and William handed the twins to the midwife, who quickly calmed them down before placing them gently in their cots. ‘Perhaps it’s time for your wife to rest,’ she suggested before leaving the room.

‘But not before we’ve checked to see if you’re already yesterday’s news,’ said Beth, flicking on the television to see a red double-decker bus disappearing off one side of the screen.

‘Well, I guess that’s the last we’re going to see of you,’ she sighed. She was about to switch off the television when the newsreader said, ‘Some breaking news has just come in. A prisoner has escaped from Pentonville jail.’

Miles Faulkner’s face filled the screen.

ALSO BY JEFFREY ARCHER

THE WILLIAM WARWICK NOVELS

Nothing Ventured

THE CLIFTON CHRONICLES

Only Time Will Tell  The Sins of the Father

Best Kept Secret  Be Careful What You Wish For

Mightier than the Sword  Cometh the Hour  This Was a Man

NOVELS

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less

Shall We Tell the President?  Kane and Abel

The Prodigal Daughter  First Among Equals

A Matter of Honour  As the Crow Flies  Honour Among Thieves

The Fourth Estate  The Eleventh Commandment

Sons of Fortune  False Impression

The Gospel According to Judas

( with the assistance of Professor Francis J. Moloney )

A Prisoner of Birth  Paths of Glory  Heads You Win

SHORT STORIES

A Quiver Full of Arrows  A Twist in the Tale

Twelve Red Herrings  The Collected Short Stories

To Cut a Long Story Short  Cat O’ Nine Tales

And Thereby Hangs a Tale  Tell Tale

The Short, the Long and the Tall

PLAYS

Beyond Reasonable Doubt Exclusive The Accused

Confession Who Killed the Mayor?

PRISON DIARIES

Volume One – Belmarsh: Hell

Volume Two – Wayland: Purgatory

Volume Three – North Sea Camp: Heaven

SCREENPLAYS

Mallory: Walking Off the Map False Impression

First published 2020 by Macmillan

This electronic edition published 2020 by Macmillan

an imprint of Pan Macmillan

The Smithson, 6 Briset Street, London EC1M 5NR

Associated companies throughout the world

www.panmacmillan.com

ISBN 978-1-5098-5135-5

Copyright © Jeffrey Archer 2020

Cover images: background: © Michael Lidgley; male figure: © Arcangel Images;

female figure: © Mark Owen/Trevillion Images.

The right of Jeffrey Archer to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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