To tell Richard now that Dan might be another man’s child, would break his heart, and it is only a might, by no means a certainty. The kidnapping experience taught me just how much my husband loves Dan. Can I take that away from him, casting another cloud over our family when we’ve come through so much? I don’t think so – our lives have been rocked to the core enough.

We certainly didn’t agree on how to handle the kidnapping at times and our relationship during those days was in the balance. But we’ve moved on and I can see a promising future for the three of us, so I shall not tell Richard.

This will be my penance, to carry the knowledge of my wrongdoing for the rest of my days. Does this make me as bad as my husband, or worse? And who decides which is the greater sin? Who is qualified to make such a judgement? At the very least I would say we were equal. Richard would probably never have told me about his affair if his mistress was not part of the plan to kidnap Dan. He didn’t have a choice. I, on the other hand, do – whether to tell my husband or keep my secret. But having already decided, I must live with my decision, and whereas Richard has been forgiven, I will carry the guilt and shame of my past for as long as I live.

THE END

AFTERWORD

Thank you for reading Snatched, I hope you enjoyed the journey.

A missing child is surely one of the most terrifying experiences a parent can suffer. To know that your child is in the hands of a person callous enough to take them for financial gain must be frightening in the extreme – if someone can do that, how much lower are they likely to stoop?

In writing Snatched, I wanted to explore Danny’s parents’ emotions and whether their relationship could withstand the scrutiny of a full-blown police investigation.

Being under the microscope inevitably presents the possibility of hidden secrets coming to the fore, which is how I decided to develop the story. I also wanted to consider the unlikely relationship between Danny and Lewis. Was Lewis really one of the captors or was he simply an innocent, drawn in by circumstance and ignorance? During the writing of this book I became emotionally attached to Danny and Lewis. It may be fiction but I still wonder what might have happened if Lewis had lived.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks as always to husband, Derek, and my family for their love and support during the hours I spend writing. And to the team at Bloodhound Books for their amazing help in getting this book out into the world. I truly appreciate their dedication, professionalism and guidance throughout the process and can’t thank them enough.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER