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Back Stalker Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  64. MORE FROM GEMMA ROGERS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  66. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

‘No. I don’t want to have to keep reliving it over and over.’

They remain quiet while I blow my nose, waiting for me to continue. I have their full attention now.

30

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER 2017

I was so focused on Ian, I’d forgotten Christmas was fast approaching. Without the obligatory office party to remind me – Debbie had said they were having a low-key do in Kingston and not even partners were invited – it had passed me by. It was Mum that reminded me, she mentioned it on the phone. She’d rung to tell me she would be posting my Christmas present as a neighbour had invited her for dinner, unless I wanted to join them? I couldn’t think of anything worse.

I didn’t care much for the festive season and what I wanted I wasn’t going to find wrapped underneath a tree. At least I wouldn’t have to sit across the table from Mum, eating roast dinner out of a box, as she reminisced about ‘happier times’ like last year. I politely declined her invitation and said I would see what Jane was doing. Jane, it turned out, was celebrating the festivities with Doctor Lush’s parents, whom she was meeting for the first time, at their home in Cobham. She’d used the ‘L’ word when referring to Graham on more than one occasion and I thought she might blow off travelling because she couldn’t leave him behind. It looked like it would be Christmas for one here at the flat, not that I was really bothered. It was only one day after all.

With Christmas now on my radar, I made the effort to go into town and buy Mum a gift I could send her. I found a mint green cashmere mix jumper from M&S which would keep her warm. Whilst perusing, I discovered a dark brown leather satchel for Ben to replace his scruffy rucksack, which I hoped he’d like. More fitting for a man wanting to run his own security firm. I chanced upon some fluffy slippers in the shape of westies for Debbie but I couldn’t find anything for Jane. When I got home, I had a look on my laptop and ordered a beautiful silver personalised fob watch with her name engraved that could be fastened to her nurse’s uniform. I knew she’d love it.