The Woman in Cabin 10(96)

The body of Lord Bullmer was found several hundred miles away by police divers searching the coastal waters near Bergen, in Norway, after the peer was reported missing from his boat, the exclusive boutique cruise liner the Aurora.





NOT SUICIDE


The English-language statement confirms the previous announcement by Norwegian police that the cause of Lady Bullmer’s death was drowning, while Lord Bullmer’s death was due to a gunshot wound to the temple. However, the document contradicts earlier reports of Lord Bullmer’s suicide, stating simply that the injury was “not self-inflicted,” according to the findings of the local pathologist.

The discovery of a gun, recovered alongside Lord Bullmer’s body and wrapped in clothing belonging to missing British journalist Laura Blacklock, led to initial allegations that his death was connected to her disappearance some days before.

Miss Blacklock was later found alive and well in Norway, but her parents have called for a police inquiry after they were left for several days believing that the body had been identified as that of their missing daughter. Scotland Yard stressed that the body had never at any stage been identified as Miss Blacklock, but admitted that the finding of Miss Blacklock’s clothes had been “poorly communicated” to the family. They blamed the failings on “cross-force communication issues” with the Norwegian police handling the case, and have said that they are in private contact with the Blacklock family over the incident.

In answer to the Standard’s inquiry, a Norwegian police spokesperson stated that although they have interviewed Miss Blacklock in connection with the case, they are not considering the Briton as a suspect in either death, and that their investigations are continuing.





BANKING LIVE CHAT


6 DECEMBER, 4:15

Hi, welcome to our online customer services live chat.

You are speaking with Ajesh from online personal banking.

How can I help you today, Miss Blacklock?

Hi, I’m e-mailing because I’ve received an odd credit to my account.

I wanted to check if you had any info on the sender. Thanks. Lo.

Hi, Miss Blacklock, sure, I can look into that.

Is it okay if I call you Laura?

Yep, that’s fine.

What is the transaction you are concerned about, Laura?

It’s the one two days ago, dated 4 Dec., for 40,000 Swiss francs.

Let me check that for you.

I have your details here—is it the transaction with the reference “Tiggers bounce”?

Yes, that’s correct.

I have checked the sort code, it’s a Swiss bank account based in Bern. I’m sorry to say I do not have any information on the identity of the bank account holder. It is a numbered account.

Does the reference convey anything?

It’s fine, thanks. No worries. I’m pretty sure it’s from a friend, I just wanted to check.

Thanks for looking into it.

You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can help you with today, Laura?

No, that’s fine. Thanks. And good-bye.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


Many thanks to all the people who have helped me along the road with The Woman in Cabin 10. Writing is an odd, solitary pursuit, but publishing is most definitely a team sport, and I am very grateful to have such dedicated, funny, and downright nice people involved with my book at Scout in the United States and Harvill in the United Kingdom.

First thanks must go to the two Alisons, Alison Hennessey and Alison Callahan, for being tactful, insightful, and fearless editors, and generally proving that three brains are most definitely better than one.

Also at Scout Press, I must thank Nina Cordes, Meagan Harris, Jen Bergstrom, Liz Psaltis, Melanie Mitzman, Carolyn Reidy, Louise Burke, Wendy Sheanin, Erica Nelson, Jennifer Robinson, and everyone else at Simon & Schuster who has helped to bring The Woman in Cabin 10 to the public—you make me very proud to be a Scout author.

My agent, Eve White, and her team always have my back, and I am always astounded by and grateful for the generosity of the brilliant community of crime writers, online and off.

My friends and family know how much I love them, so I won’t repeat it here—but I do!





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RUTH WARE grew up in Sussex, on the south coast of England. After graduating from Manchester University she moved to Paris, before returning to the UK. She has worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer. She now lives in London with her husband and two small children.