Contents (57)
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sharon Gosling
‘Well – there’s Toby Hollingwood,’ Rachel suggested. ‘You met him earlier.’
‘The journalist?’
‘He used to be, yes. He’s trying to write his memoirs at the moment, but I don’t think they’re progressing very well. I would imagine he knows how to piece together this sort of story better than anyone else I can think of.’
Crosswick nodded. ‘Yes, that might work very well. Do you trust him? I’d like to keep the people who know about this to a bare minimum for now. Do you think he’d be able to keep schtum?’
‘Yes,’ Rachel said. ‘I think so. I trust him.’
‘Good,’ said Crosswick. ‘Well then, have a talk to him. Keep me updated with what you find. I’d like to have as complete a picture as possible to present to any potential heir.’
‘And if there isn’t an heir?’ Rachel asked.
‘Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it,’ he said.
Sixteen
Toby wasn’t sure what to expect when Rachel asked him to stay behind. For sure it wasn’t for her to lock the door to the bookshop, with him still inside, before turning to him to say:
‘I need to ask for your help.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Anything you need, I’m here. What is it?’
She glanced away, her usually composed features shifting with slight discomfort. ‘Before I tell you – and this is going to sound ridiculous – I have to know that you can keep a confidence.’
Toby was more perplexed than ever. She wanted to tell him a secret?
‘I promise, Rachel,’ he said. ‘Whatever it is, you can trust me.’
She smiled up at him. ‘That’s what I told Alan Crosswick.’
‘Cullen’s solicitor?’ Toby said, even more in the dark. ‘Just what is it you need my help with?’
She began to make her way across the bookshop floor. ‘It’s easier for me to show you. It’s upstairs.’ Rachel paused, looking back at him, glancing at his leg. ‘There are a lot of steps…’
‘It’s fine,’ he said, following. In truth, though, his leg was smarting by the time he’d reached the mezzanine. He’d done too much standing around as he chatted today and would pay for it tomorrow; was in fact paying for it already, even as Rachel surprised him by crossing to the door of her living area, somewhere he’d never been before.
She unlocked the door and flicked a light on as she went in, holding the door open and glancing at him. ‘All right?’
He shook off the pain, his curiosity outweighing his discomfort. ‘Lead on, Macduff.’
They made their way up to the next level, but Toby barely had a chance to glance inside the miniature living space that seemed to be a kitchen before Rachel was leading him up again. This flight of steps was even steeper and, short as it was, he had to pause halfway up. Rachel reached the top and looked back down at him with apologetic concern, which he waved off.