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Back Broken Hearts Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. PART ONEEdinburgh November 2008
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. Chapter Ten
  16. Chapter Eleven
  17. Chapter Twelve
  18. Chapter Thirteen
  19. Chapter Fourteen
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. PART TWOLondon November 1988
  24. Chapter Eighteen
  25. Chapter Nineteen
  26. Chapter Twenty
  27. Chapter Twenty-One
  28. Chapter Twenty-Two
  29. Chapter Twenty-Three
  30. Chapter Twenty-Four
  31. Chapter Twenty-Five
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Chapter Thirty-Four
  41. Chapter Thirty-Five
  42. PART THREEEdinburgh November 2008
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Chapter Forty-Two
  50. Chapter Forty-Three
  51. Chapter Forty-Four
  52. Chapter Forty-Five
  53. Chapter Forty-Six
  54. Chapter Forty-Seven
  55. Chapter Forty-Eight
  56. Chapter Forty-Nine
  57. Chapter Fifty
  58. Chapter Fifty-One
  59. Chapter Fifty-Two
  60. Chapter Fifty-Three
  61. Chapter Fifty-Four
  62. Chapter Fifty-Five
  63. Chapter Fifty-Six
  64. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  65. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  66. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  67. Chapter Sixty
  68. Chapter Sixty-One
  69. Chapter Sixty-Two
  70. Chapter Sixty-Three
  71. Chapter Sixty-Four
  72. Chapter Sixty-Five
  73. Chapter Sixty-Six
  74. Chapter Sixty-Seven
  75. Epilogue
  76. Acknowledgements
  77. About the Author
  78. By the Same Author
  79. About the Publisher

‘Let’s get inside,’ said Joe. He didn’t suggest calling Bancho and I knew why–he would take care of this matter himself. My reunion with Joe obviously hadn’t hit the streets of Muirhouse, otherwise the Boyles wouldn’t have been so careless with their health. I ran inside and pushed my feet into some trousers. Then I started thinking straight. The Boyles knew that even if Joe wasn’t occupying my bed, he’d protect me no matter what. I took one backward glance at the burned skeleton that had been my bike. I was protected and it hadn’t been enough. There was someone I still felt some responsibility for who didn’t have Joe looking out for him. I had to see if he was all right, if he was still safe. Joe didn’t question me when I told him we needed to go. In two minutes he was out there, starting up his trike. The noise must have woken the neighbours, but not so much as a curtain twitched–no one wanted to get caught up in my business on any level.

As we drove into Muirhouse, I felt like a Valkyrie riding into hell. The flames shooting out of the windows were the first thing I saw, just before I smelled the petrol fumes.

I was too late.

The neighbours in pyjamas, nighties and tracksuits were out in force, staring in disbelief at the inferno burning down the eight-in-a-block council flat. The light from the flames highlighted the faces in the crowd. I stared at each and every one; some of them were my clients or their mothers. Excitement showed in their eyes. I knew one of the throng was a Boyle who had put a petrol bomb through the letterbox. The arsonist always stayed around to enjoy their handiwork but, try as I might, I couldn’t spot who it was. The fire-fighters were throwing everything at the inferno. Water gushed from their hoses up to the second-floor window, and I was pleased to note that the youths of the area had their arms crossed. For once, no one was throwing stones at the firemen.

I ran into the crowd shouting, ‘Kenny! Kenny Cameron!’

A boy of about eight pointed to a figure silhouetted against the flames in the darkness, his shoulders slumped. He didn’t look like a man who had been saved.

Chapter Fifty-Seven