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Back The Daughter Save as PDF
Contents ( 71)
  1. THE
  2. DAUGHTER
  3. MICHELLE FRANCES
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO
  67. SIXTY-THREE
  68. SIXTY-FOUR
  69. EPILOGUE
  70. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  71. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kate shook her head, expelling the thoughts. She had to focus on getting to Jill. She remembered from when she’d scoured Jill’s website that she was based in Westminster – Horseferry Road. It was a short journey up the Northern line and then a couple of stations on the Jubilee. If all went well, she should be there – she checked her watch – in half an hour.

The train stopped at the next station; a few people got out, many more got in. It set off again, the same procedure at the next station, except this time many more exited – it was an intersection with another Tube line. As the doors closed again, Kate noticed the crowds had thinned a little, then she suddenly saw a man sitting three seats down, head bent over a newspaper. He had a moustache. Sweat started to form at the back of her neck. She shrank back, while still trying to get a better look. Then he glanced up and, for a moment, it was as if her heart stopped beating. But it wasn’t him.

She looked at the map displayed above her head. Five more stations to go, then she’d change onto the Jubilee line. She stared at the map, mentally urging her journey on. The train stopped. A few passengers off. More on. Was he amongst them? It was hard to see, the jostling of the crowd meant she couldn’t catch each of their faces as they got on the train. The doors closed, and Kate suddenly felt trapped. She couldn’t stand it on there a minute longer.

As the train pulled into the next station, Kate headed for the doors. The crowd engulfed her, and she had a sudden panic she wouldn’t be able to get off. As the door-beeps sounded, she pushed herself through, just exiting the train as the doors shut behind her.

Desperate to get out of the station, she followed the throng, made her way through the gates and was suddenly in the open air. She got out her phone and opened up the maps app, realizing with much relief that she wasn’t that far from Jill’s office. She could walk.

Kate set off in the direction of the river. Again, she glanced behind her; the mill of commuters was ever-present.

Unnerved, she hurried on, through Cleaver Square with its white-painted, tall Georgian houses. It was quieter here and the central open communal space was lined with trees that could hide someone, so she quickened her step and then crossed Kennington Lane into busy Kennington Road. She sensed a man stride up behind her, making her heart thump as he gained on her. She raced on, not daring to risk a look behind, and then miraculously he passed her, intent on his journey, and her anxiety momentarily subsided.

Kate stopped and watched as he went up the road, telling herself she had to get a grip or she was going to be a nervous wreck by the time she got to Jill’s office. She failed to see the car pull up alongside her and the passenger door open.