BooksBarbecue
Back The Chalet Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for The Chalet
  3. Dedication
  4. PART ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. PART TWO
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. PART THREE
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Epilogue
  71. Acknowledgements
  72. Keep Reading …
  73. Prologue
  74. About the Author
  75. About the Publisher

Is this what it’s all been leading up to? For so many years I’ve managed to live a normal life, thinking I’d escaped what happened in the past. Though every day I’ve been scared of someone knocking on my door, telling me that the truth has come out, that I’m going to be arrested, that there’s going to be a proper court case, that I’m going to go to prison.

I make my call and Cameron agrees to meet me in the bar. I order a hot chocolate which I don’t want to try to make the double whisky I’m ordering to drink alone at my table seem less tragic at this time of day. I wait, my foot tapping under the table, unable to keep still.

46

January 2020, La Madière, France

Adam

‘Can I take your name?’ asks the cheery girl with a clipboard as I descend from the coach. The weather hasn’t improved much. The wind cuts into my face and my feet are soaked as soon as my trainers hit the snow; I don’t own snow boots. I should have bought some at the airport.

‘Adam Cassiobury,’ I tell her. Her expression changes to become more sombre.

‘Ah, Mr Cassiobury,’ she says. ‘We’re all so sorry for your loss. Matt is here to meet you personally – he’ll be taking you to your accommodation and should be able to answer any questions you have. I’ll call him over for you. Matt. Matt!’ she yells towards a figure standing a few metres away in yet another logoed jacket, but there’s no way he’s going to hear her above the noise of the wind.

‘It’s OK – I see who you mean. You’re obviously very busy – I’ll go and introduce myself.’

I drag myself through the snow and tap him on the shoulder. This weather is horrible. I feel sorry for all these poor saps who have paid thousands for their holidays and come out to this. ‘Uh, Matt? I’m Adam. Adam Cassiobury. The – uh – girl – lady over there said you’d come to find me.’

‘Mr Cassiobury!’ Matt sticks out a gloved hand, covered in snow. ‘Welcome to La Madière. I’m only sorry it’s in such sad circumstances.’

I nod. ‘Thank you. And call me Adam, please.’

‘Adam. Let’s go and get your stuff and then I’ll take you to your accommodation. I’m afraid the chalet we’d planned to offer you has been water-damaged, so we’ve found you an en-suite room in another one. It’s equally as luxurious, but there are some other occupants too. I hope that’s OK for you? They’re happy to help, given the – uh – circumstances. There’s plenty of room.’

I nod. I don’t care – I’m freezing cold and just want to get inside.