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Back Goodnight Lady Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Praise
  4. Dedication
  5. BOOK ONE
  6. Prologue 1989
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. BOOK TWO - 1925
  17. Chapter Ten - 1925
  18. Chapter Eleven
  19. Chapter Twelve
  20. Chapter Thirteen
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-one
  29. Chapter Twenty-two
  30. Chapter Twenty-three
  31. Chapter Twenty-four
  32. Chapter Twenty-five
  33. Chapter Twenty-six
  34. Chapter Twenty-seven
  35. Chapter Twenty-eight
  36. Chapter Twenty-nine
  37. Chapter Thirty
  38. Chapter Thirty-one
  39. Chapter Thirty-two
  40. BOOK THREE - 1947
  41. Chapter Thirty-three
  42. Chapter Thirty-four
  43. Chapter Thirty-five
  44. Chapter Thirty-six
  45. Chapter Thirty-seven
  46. Chapter Thirty-eight
  47. Chapter Thirty-nine
  48. Chapter Forty
  49. BOOK FOUR - 1968
  50. Chapter Forty-one - 1968
  51. Chapter Forty-two
  52. Chapter Forty-three
  53. Chapter Forty-four
  54. Chapter Forty-five
  55. Chapter Forty-six
  56. Chapter Forty-seven
  57. Chapter Forty-eight
  58. Chapter Forty-nine
  59. Chapter Fifty - 1970
  60. EPILOGUE

‘But I want to get something clear here today. If you cause any more trouble to this family, Briony won’t be in it, mate. I’ll break your bleeding neck, snap it with me bare hands, I take oath on that. Because you’re a slut, a mouthy, dirty little slut! And I’m ashamed to admit I bore you.’

Delia stared at the floor, unable to meet her mother’s eyes. ‘You’d better take in what I’m telling you, girl, this is your last chance with me, I mean it. You get rid of that bloke. I don’t care if you destroy yourself, that’s up to you, but this family’s got enough on its plate without you causing more hag.’

With that, Bernadette made to leave. Delia’s voice stayed her.

‘I’m sorry, Mum. Truly, I’m sorry about everything, about Jimmy, about Faithey ...’

Bernadette turned at the door and looked back at her. They stared into one another’s eyes for long moments before Bernadette answered.

‘Save your sorry for when you really mean it. Sorry’s an easy word to say, but that don’t automatically get you forgiveness. That’s like respect. You have to earn it. And judging by the way you live, it’ll take you bloody years!’

With that she left the little flat and shut the door behind her. As she walked down the stinking staircase, strewn with used condoms and old chippy papers, dirty syringes and circulars, she held her breath. Then she walked out into the weak sunshine and breathed in deep gulps of fresh air to cleanse her herself.

Chapter Forty-seven

Chapter Forty-seven

Briony looked around the room with keen eyes. Since the shock of Boysie’s death had worn off, her survival instinct had come to the fore. She wasn’t interested in Daniel any more, felt he had had all the help she could give him. She was more interested in protecting the rest of the family. Her mother for a start.

Molly sat hunched in a seat by the fire, a large hot rum in her hand. Every so often she wiped away a tear with a crumpled tissue, shaking her head as if in wonderment. Every so often she would read the newspaper accounts of her grandsons’ lives. Even with one of them dead and the other locked away awaiting trial for murder, she still enjoyed reading about them.

Bernadette was white-faced and quiet. Her two nephews had been a big part of her life. She would miss them genuinely and acutely. Briony loved Bernie for this fact.

Delia was not there, conspicuous by her absence, as was Suzy, Boysie’s wife, who was too busy selling her story to anyone who would pay for it: MY LIFE WITH GANGLAND MURDERER.