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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

It was an absolute touch that she’d seen him. The weather was shit plus she’d spent all her money, so she couldn’t even get a night bus back to town.

She shouted warmly, raising her voice above the pelting rain. ‘What you still doing here, mate? I thought you’d pissed off home?’

Vaughn stared at Shannon and sighed. He’d no hope of catching Franny up now. She was well and truly gone because of some stupid kid. Shit, as sweet as Shannon was, he’d thought that he’d seen the last of her. He certainly didn’t need to babysit some crackhead … Maybe that was a harsh thing to think. He was being unfair. It wasn’t her fault she’d had the life she did, but that didn’t make it any less of a bitter pill to swallow that for one sweet moment, he’d thought he’d got Franny right where he wanted her.

But Christ knows, he couldn’t see the kid out in the street in this weather and especially as it seemed she didn’t really have anywhere to go.

So, with a heavy heart and trying to push down his irritation, Vaughn signalled for Shannon to come around to the passenger side. He shouted back, though not as warmly as she had done. ‘Come on then! Come on if you’re coming! Jesus!’

Jumping in, wired and smiling, Shannon, soaked to the bone, giggled. ‘I thought it was you. You don’t get many gold-coloured Range Rovers round here. You going back to Soho, mate?’

Flatly, Vaughn nodded, smelling the distinct, acrid aroma of burnt crack cocaine coming off Shannon’s breath. ‘It looks like I am, doesn’t it?’

Shannon looked at him oddly, her words slurred from the drugs. ‘You all right? You seem a bit pissed off.’

‘I’m fine. I just saw someone I knew. I was hoping to catch up with them, that’s all.’

Looking out of the window, Shannon absentmindedly murmured, ‘That’s funny.’

Vaughn scowled as he turned a right, heading towards Blackwall Tunnel. ‘What is?’

‘That we both saw someone we knew … not that I’ve seen Bree for ages. One day she just …’

Vaughn slammed on his brakes, sending Shannon flying forward. He swivelled round in his seat to stare at her. ‘Who? Shannon, who did you say?’

Nonplussed, Shannon shrugged. ‘Bree. Back there. I saw her just before I saw you.’

With his mind racing, Vaughn spoke slowly. ‘Shannon, do you know this person’s second name?’

Looking at Vaughn strangely, Shannon nodded. ‘Of course I do. It’s Dwyer. Bree Dwyer.’

14

Back in Soho, it was Vaughn’s turn to hit the whiskey. He knocked it back in one, straightaway pouring himself another drink. He looked at the clock. It was just gone four in the morning but there was no way he could sleep.