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Back The Sleepover Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. EPILOGUE
  69. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  70. MORE FROM KERI BEEVIS
  71. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  72. About Boldwood Books

Hannah was silent for a moment as she considered. ‘Could I talk about it a little now?’ At Liam’s raised eyebrows, she elaborated. ‘I don’t mean like properly. Just you and me, no recorder and off the record. I haven’t really spoken about it, well, not since when it happened and I’d like to try, to see how comfortable I am with it.’

He took a sip of his wine, studying her over the rim of the glass as he considered her question. The way he was sat, back pressed against the far side cushions and one jeaned leg tucked under him so he was twisted to face her, looked relaxed, but Hannah knew he was alert and could see he was intrigued by her proposition.

‘Of course,’ he agreed, his tone neutral. ‘Whenever you’re ready.’

21

2002

After the visit for ice cream, during which Mrs Wickham dressed Tash’s knee and Bill fixed her BMX so you could barely tell it had been damaged, the farm became a regular hang-out for Hannah and her friends.

Mrs Wickham, or Mrs W as she came to be known, was so lovely and friendly to them. She had told them they were welcome to stop by any time and could play on the farm, as long as they didn’t interfere with any of the equipment.

It was an arable farm, she had told them. Sadly no animals to see, other than the few chickens often poking about at the back of the farmhouse. Mrs W’s late husband had been a farmer and she had kept his farm going after he died. It was bigger though and eventually became too much. That was why she had bought this place.

She let them use the land to build dens, play games, or swim in the pond, and quite often she would invite them into the farmhouse, plying them with treats from the freezer or freshly baked pie.

Lauren, Jill, and Miles had been sceptical at first, unsure if the woman was going to be as cool as Hannah, Rosie, and Tash made out, but Mrs W quickly won them over, while they were all flattered that Bill made time for them.

He was slightly older and popular at school, and initially they had been a little shy around him. He didn’t hang out with them as such, often busy with chores, but sometimes he would stop to talk to them or join them around the table as they stuffed their bellies.

All had seemed perfect that summer, but as could often be the case, things could sometimes be too good to be true.

The first time Hannah had a sense of foreboding, an understanding that things weren’t quite right, was during her second week visiting the farm. It was one of the hottest days of the summer so far and Mrs W had made lemonade and cookies.