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Chapters (70)
  1. Cover
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  3. Map of Rutland
  4. Map of Oakham
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  68. On Borrowed Time
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. Adam Croft

When Mark had come back with a bottle and two glasses, Caroline decided she needed to get straight to the point. There was no point delaying things any further. He’d waited long enough. She’d spent the whole day trying to think of words that might work, rolling them around in her mind, trying her hardest to put her thoughts together in a coherent stream that he might understand. But she didn’t know if he ever would.

She hoped she hadn’t done too much damage. She couldn’t change the fact she’d hidden her illness from him, and lying about that would only make things worse. Now was the time for honesty. With any luck, they’d be able to draw a line under what had happened and move forward.

‘Mark, I need to tell you something. I’ve not been well recently. For quite a while, actually. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. I should have. But the longer it went on, the harder it was. That’s why I wasn’t at work that day when you brought my lunch in. It’s why I’ve been sick sometimes. And tired. And irritable. But it’s being sorted. I’ll be alright.’

Mark nodded slowly. ‘When you say not well…’

‘Cancer. Ovarian. They caught it early, though. They’re confident.’ She looked up at Mark and could see the colour had drained from his face. ‘I wanted to tell you, but there was so much going on and all I wanted to do was protect you. Honestly, the only thing on my mind was you and the boys. Nothing else. Nothing at all. It was stupid of me, I know, but I thought I could get it sorted without worrying you or anyone else. I know it sounds ridiculous to say it now, but it’s true. I didn’t want to hurt any of you. I just wanted you all to be happy and not worry. I thought I could sort it out on my own.’

‘How long have you known?’ he whispered.

Caroline could see the hurt on his face and she knew it would take some time for them to rebuild. But it was out there now. She’d been honest. She’d opened up and told him the truth. For her, that was a huge step forward.

She opened her mouth and began to talk. A few minutes later, she closed her eyes and waited for his response. She’d told him everything. Nearly everything.

On Borrowed Time

Book #2 in the Rutland crime series

Each morning, the first train of the day leaves Oakham station and thunders through a tunnel under the village of Manton. But today the driver sees something that changes his life: A dead body hangs in the tunnel's exit.