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Back Sinner Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. SINNER
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. Acknowledgements
  53. Keep Reading …
  54. About the Author
  55. Also by Jacqui Rose
  56. About the Publisher

Not wanting to wait for the traffic lights, Shannon ran across the busy road, scurrying between the cars and taxis, ignoring the honks of the irate drivers’ horns as she just managed to avoid being hit by a speeding bus.

On the other side, with the wind and rain making it difficult to see, Shannon jumped the railings. Her feet were hurting, and she was tired, but she knew she had to keep going.

Stumbling along she turned into Remnant Street, glancing behind her, and was relieved that she couldn’t see any sign of Franny, but suddenly she felt somebody grab her, pulling her into the large office doorway. About to scream, Shannon turned around, ready to fight, but she stopped and grinned, a big gummy smile as she recognised the person in front of her.

‘Hello, Shannon, where’ve you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you, but I’m glad I found you. I’ve got a job for you, one that you might like. What do you say?’

With her face shining with joy, Shannon nodded, once more her heart pounding but this time with delight. ‘Yes! Yes, I’d like that.’

‘Good, but first how about I get you out of the cold and cleaned up. You look like you need a hot meal … Come on, but we have to be quick.’

And as Shannon, soaked to the skin, hurried along the street, no longer feeling afraid, a thought suddenly came to her: maybe life wasn’t so bad after all.

28

Exhausted, having searched the streets for Shannon, Franny was almost able to taste her own fear. She walked into the kitchen of the Soho house she shared with Alfie, her face drained of colour, all fight having left her.

‘Where’ve you been? I’ve been waiting for you for hours. One minute you’re telling me to get some Chinese, the next thing you’re nowhere to be seen. I was out looking for you, walking the streets like a numpty. What the fuck is going on, cos it’s making me uncomfortable. It’s like you’re winding me up. Just talk to me, Fran.’

Franny stared into Alfie’s face, handsome and strong but lined with worry. She could see he had genuine concern for her, and every part of her wanted to tell him what had just happened with Mia, with Ma, with Shannon, to share how she felt, to share how terrified she was, but no matter how much she wanted that, she knew that could never be an option. The only thing left open to her was to find Mia, but she had no clues, no leads and for all she knew it was already too late. Mia might be gone forever and she was terrified.