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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

‘That was my pal. He’s heard some rumours. Apparently, even though it’s still early doors, the word is the fire brigade reckons the fire at the club wasn’t an accident. It was deliberate and by all accounts the fire was so hot it’ll take a long time before they can determine the cause. They’re still trying to put it out now.’

Keeping her gaze straight, Franny nodded again, showing no emotion. No pangs of guilt.

‘And I know exactly who it was … There’s no doubt about it. Charlie Eton started that fire. Question is, what are you going to do about it? But whatever you do, Alf, I think you should make it permanent.’

20

After cleaning herself up, Franny, unable to stand being cooped up in the house with Alfie asking more questions about Vaughn and her head swimming with thoughts of Mia, stood in the street, leaning on the railings as the rain continued to pour.

She couldn’t really feel the chill of the air, nor the fact her clothes were soaked through to her skin – all she could do was stare, trance-like, at the passing cars and people, unaware of the noise of Soho, unaware of anything but the thought of Mia … Bree … and of course, Vaughn.

The pain in her chest was real. The panic she was fighting clamped down on her, threatening to overwhelm her. Crushing her.

‘What have you done?’ She spoke out loud to herself as she walked towards St Patrick’s Church on the other side of Soho Square. It was a place that held so many memories for her, a place that, although she wasn’t religious, she was drawn to.

In the foyer of the church, Franny did as she always did and lit a candle for her mother, the mother she had never known but had heard so much about. She lit another one for Mia, her hands shaking, then smiled as she lit one more, this time for her father, whom she missed so much.

She watched the flickering flames, mesmerised, wondering what advice her father would give her if he were still around. Undoubtedly, he’d tell her what happened was all their fault. Bree and Vaughn’s. And she shouldn’t feel guilty about what had happened, because they’d brought it all on themselves. He’d also tell her whatever she did, she shouldn’t panic. Keep calm, keep very calm. Don’t let anything slip. And have no regrets. Absolutely none – what’s done cannot be undone. But mainly, he would tell her she shouldn’t feel anything towards them: no sadness, no guilt, no nothing; and whatever she did, she had to keep one step ahead.