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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

Chris closed her car door. Jan started the engine and slowly pulled away. As she bumped over the uneven road surface, she glanced in the rear-view mirror. Chris was standing in the middle of the lane watching her, a lone figure silhouetted against the night sky. But as she looked, she saw two small figures emerge from the woods and stand either side of him. He held their hands. Guilt enveloped Jan. She’d let Chris and Camile believe their secret was safe with her, but it wasn’t. Far from it. Last night she’d given the registration number of Anne’s van to the police. How long would it be before they traced her and found out what she was doing? She’d never forgive herself if she was the one who led to them being discovered.

Once out of sight of Ivy Cottage, Jan pulled over. Sick with fear that it was probably already too late, she took her phone from her handbag and called Coleshaw Police Station.

SIXTY-TWO

‘It’s Jan Hamlin. I used to be the tenant in Ivy Cottage,’ she said. ‘I phoned last night and reported a prowler in Coleshaw Woods behind the cottage.’

‘Yes, I remember,’ the officer said. ‘I took your call. I was on duty last night. How can I help you?’

‘I made a mistake. I gave you the registration number of a van I thought I’d seen leaving the woods, but I was wrong.’

‘No, I think it checked out.’

‘Surely not? It was a mistake.’ Her stomach churned.

‘I’m certain the matter’s been dealt with, but if you’d like to hold the line I’ll find out.’

‘Yes, please.’

Tears stung her eyes and panic gripped her. Please let him be wrong, she thought. What was she going to do if the matter had been ‘dealt with’? Say nothing and continue home or return and alert Chris and Camile? Was there still time for Anne to escape with the children? She doubted it.

Sitting there with the full moon shimmering through the trees, she could picture those strange children being captured like animals as Anne tried to protect them. Then what? A media circus, a secure hospital to be tested, analysed and experimented on. And it was all her fault.

‘Hello,’ the duty officer said, coming back on the line. ‘You were right. The lady who owned the van was traced and she has been spoken to.’

‘Spoken to? Why?’ Jan gasped. ‘I was wrong.’

‘No, you weren’t. She owns dangerous dogs and hasn’t been keeping them under proper control. That’s what’s been getting onto your property.’

‘Oh, I see, she keeps dogs?’ Jan repeated, hardly daring to believe.