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Back The Secrets He Kept
Chapters (59)
  1. Cover
  2. Prologue
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter Two
  5. Chapter Three
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Chapter Eleven
  14. Chapter Twelve
  15. Chapter Thirteen
  16. Chapter Fourteen
  17. Chapter Fifteen
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Chapter Twenty-One
  24. Chapter Twenty-Two
  25. Chapter Twenty-Three
  26. Chapter Twenty-Four
  27. Chapter Twenty-Five
  28. Chapter Twenty-Six
  29. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  30. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  31. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  32. Chapter Thirty
  33. Chapter Thirty-One
  34. Chapter Thirty-Two
  35. Chapter Thirty-Three
  36. Chapter Thirty-Four
  37. Chapter Thirty-Five
  38. Chapter Thirty-Six
  39. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  40. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  41. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  42. Chapter Forty
  43. Chapter Forty-One
  44. Chapter Forty-Two
  45. Chapter Forty-Three
  46. Chapter Forty-Four
  47. Chapter Forty-Five
  48. Chapter Forty-Six
  49. Chapter Forty-Seven
  50. Chapter Forty-Eight
  51. Chapter Forty-Nine
  52. Chapter Fifty
  53. Chapter Fifty-One
  54. Chapter Fifty-Two
  55. Two Weeks Earlier
  56. A Letter From Jackie
  57. Acknowledgements
  58. About the Author
  59. Also by Jackie Walsh

And now I’ve to meet the boy. The social worker rang Tom with the arrangements. I wanted to say no, I’m not going but my heart wouldn’t let me. The poor boy has been cast in his worst nightmare. He certainly didn’t ask for his mother to be killed and replaced with some stranger, me. I do feel sorry for him, just not enough to adopt him. I’m sure if I was standing on the outside of this drama, listening to someone relaying the story, I’d be all ‘of course the father should take him, it’s the least he can do, sure what harm could the youngster be? He could do with a break he’s been through so much.’ But I’m not standing on the outside with my opinion the only thing involved. I’m stuck right in the centre. This is my life, my family’s future, no one else could possibly understand what it’s like to be put on the spot like this. Driving past the house, I remind myself not to get carried away. With a bit of luck the kid will not want to live with us. After all he doesn’t know us from Eve.

She’s arranged for us to meet tomorrow. I’m nervous; afraid I won’t like him. Remember, Sal, he’s only a kid, if it was Amber in this situation I’d want someone to help her.

Phone, make sure you have your phone, Sally. Checking my bag the idea suddenly hits me. If Tom won’t tell me anything more about what is going on or why he was questioned by the police, I’ll do my own investigating. I’ll drive to her house, the dead woman’s house. There’s bound to be some neighbours hanging around with gossip they’re dying to unload, hoping for some casual passer-by to ask the question. What happened?

According to Journal.ie. Sycamore Gardens is the name of the street where Claire McCarthy lived. I put the address into Google Maps and follow the directions. Why does that street name sound familiar?

The traffic is less busy at this hour on a Saturday morning: car loads of kids in jerseys heading off to play matches but none of the usual mid-week jams. I get to Sycamore in a few minutes. It’s not far from my own house. If I’d walked across the fields at the back of my estate, I’d arrive at the back of the Sycamore Estate.