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Back The Village Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. PROLOGUE
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A loud, loose sigh permeated the line. ‘The one piece of advice I can give you is to keep yourself to yourself. If my sister had listened to me, she’d be alive today.’

‘Alive?’ Naomi exchanged a look with Morgan, whose eyes were wide. ‘So, you know what happened to them?’

Another long silence, followed by a rasping breath. ‘I know the next time I see my sister it will be in heaven, and with my health, that’s not too far away for me now.’

‘Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.’ Naomi spoke with a heavy heart. The estate agent had given Naomi an inkling of Petunia’s terminal illness so it was of no great surprise. A beat passed between them as Naomi orchestrated her thoughts. ‘I really love the cottage . . .’ she continued, glancing around the room.

It was a lie. She didn’t love it as much as she’d hoped. How could she, when she was on edge all the time? But if she was able to solve the mystery of the Harpers’ disappearance perhaps it would make it all worthwhile. By the look in Morgan’s eyes, she wanted answers too.

‘. . . but I can’t rest until we sort things out. Please. I’d be so grateful . . .’

‘Then I’ll tell you. But not over the phone. Tomorrow. Come and see me. And call me Petunia for pity’s sake.’ Naomi saw a hopeful smile rise to Morgan’s face as she listened to the woman speak. ‘I’ve held this secret for almost ten years . . .’ she continued. ‘Perhaps it’s time to let it go.’

‘Thank you,’ Naomi said on the exhale. ‘I appreciate it more than you know.’

Petunia reeled off the address of a local B&B, and Morgan’s fingers were nimble as she typed the meeting place in.

‘I didn’t realise you were staying locally,’ Naomi said.

‘I’m here for the anniversary of my sister’s death,’ she replied.

Of course, Naomi thought. The anniversary of their disappearance is tomorrow. She had forgotten in all the worry over Morgan. But Petunia had said death, not disappearance.

She wanted to know more, to demand answers now. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if she could come over, until she remembered Morgan. She had responsibilities now. She couldn’t leave her. And she certainly couldn’t drag her out on a night like this. But tomorrow she would get to the bottom of it all, and if she found out that Lloyd and his cronies were involved, she would take it all the way.

There was a tap against their front door. Who was it now?

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

‘You’ve got a visitor,’ Naomi said, with surprise in her voice. Outside the storm was showing little signs of letting up.