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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

‘But I don’t remember any of these people.’ Her mother raised her hands in the air. ‘Besides, it’s not as if I can go into the village, not with Grace.’

Grace pulled back behind the doorway. Her mummy didn’t like it when she spied.

‘Look.’ Her father’s voice was softer now. ‘I’ll be back before you know it. You knew when I took the job that I’d be spending time away from home.’

‘I know that, but . . .’ her mother began to say.

‘What do you want me to tell them?’ Grace’s father interrupted. ‘That I can’t go to work because my wife wants me home? Take your anti-depressants. They’ll make you feel better. I’ll only be gone a couple of days.’

Grace returned to the schoolwork her mummy had tasked her with. Soon Daddy would leave, and Mummy would turn her attentions to her. The thought made her stomach heave.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Naomi picked up the snow globe and gave it a shake before placing it back on the window sill. But as much as she loved the ornament, it didn’t make the house feel any cosier. There was something about the kitchen that didn’t sit right. Perhaps it was the smell of fresh paint, or the tough time Naomi was having accepting that a vital part of the crime scene had been thrown into a skip. Even the will to bake had deserted her. Joanne had yet to email her order, but she should have something prepared. Baking had been a nice distraction over the course of the last year. She had plans for her small start-up business and hoped to supply some of the coffee shops in the larger surrounding towns. She opened and closed the cupboard, her shoulders jerking upwards at the sudden ring of her phone.

It was Ed. She took a second to catch her breath before answering.

‘Hey, you,’ Ed said, his breath ruffling the line.

‘How is everything?’ Naomi asked. ‘I hear the weather is pretty rough.’

‘Aye, it’s pure Baltic.’ The sound of his voice warmed her. Even when ensconced in the wilds of Scotland, he still found time to call.

‘Still no luck finding Harmony?’

‘I’ve been to her local police station, trying to get them to take her disappearance seriously. Now I’m driving around all her old haunts.’

‘Well, be careful. You know what she’s like.’

‘I’ve got a surprise for you.’ As he changed the subject, a smile carried on his words.

‘What is it?’ she said.