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Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. Acknowledgements ♦ Diolchiadau
  50. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘No,’ Hamza replied, the voice coming from deep inside. Nefyn’s absence was pressing on him. He wanted Joseph to know that he was wrong, but the fact that she still hadn’t returned was weighing on his tongue, making it heavy. ‘She’s not ill,’ he said at last.

Joseph let out a bitter laugh.

‘You have no idea what you’re dealing with,’ he said.

‘Maybe not, but I know cruelty when I see it.’

Joseph’s smile straightened.

‘You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ll see.’

‘I’ll see what?’

‘Where is she, then?’ Joseph asked again, recognizing a certain wavering in Hamza’s voice. The uncertainty in his face. ‘Come on,’ he pressed, moving closer so that he was inches from him, his breath on his face. He bore down on him in intimidation. ‘Come on, tell me where she is.’

Hamza shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

Joseph found himself smirking. ‘Of course you don’t,’ he spat. Then, satisfied, he moved away and disappeared into the cottage.

Outside, Hamza waited. Listened as Joseph moved around inside the cottage, his very presence strangely violating. He saw him emerge, a bag on his back. He didn’t even look in Hamza’s direction.

‘Tell her I’m staying in the village,’ he said. Hamza watched him go, the mobile phone he had stolen from Joseph’s pocket now in his.

20

Needle ♦ Nodwydd ♦ ’iibra

EFA WAS ON HER way to the post office when she saw his figure from afar. She recognized it instantly – the reddish hair, the strong shoulders. There were a few places offering beds for the evening that stayed open at this time of year. For walkers. Tradesmen. People like that. Efa watched as Joseph entered the narrow house by the harbour and her thoughts immediately turned to Nefyn. She had thought that she would be satisfied after seeing her, but instead her curiosity had grown. Efa’s eyes would settle on a particular colour and she would be reminded of Nefyn’s hair. The coolness of the morning light would bring her eyes to mind. She had thought of going straight home after paying her bills but she decided to go to the shop, so she would have an excuse, at least, to call by the cottage whilst Mary was sitting with Emrys. She wouldn’t be long, after all.