Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2017
Copyright © Kimberley Chambers 2017
Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017 Cover photograph © Glenn Ferguson/Arcangel Images
Kimberley Chambers asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Source ISBN: 9780007521807
Ebook Edition © October 2017 ISBN: 9780007521821
Version: 2017-10-12
In memory of Bradley Arthur
Taken far too soon
1990–2015
A loving son, brother, father, grandson,
friend and fellow Spurs fan
RIP Brad
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
Prologue
Part One
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Part Two
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Part Three
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Also by Kimberley Chambers
About the Publisher
It was a cold February evening. So bloody cold, the car windscreens had started to freeze.
Beads of sweat forming on his forehead, the man wanted to take off his crash helmet, but daren’t. How had it come to this? he mused, even though he already knew the answer. His brother had a screw loose, wasn’t right in the head. He’d never been sane, truth be known. That was obvious, and it should have been dealt with.
There had been some good times, brilliant in fact, but the bad outweighed those massively now. His brother was a ticking time bomb that exploded every now and then, leaving a trail of carnage and sadness. Well, this time he had gone a step too far. Which was why a decision had been made to stop him in his tracks, for ever. There was no other option.
The man’s heart rate went into overdrive as he heard the distinctive sound of an approaching vehicle. He knew without a doubt it was him, could hear the sleek diesel engine, and the song ‘Jealous Guy’ blaring out the speakers. His brother had always been a big fan of Roxy Music, reckoned Bryan Ferry’s voice was second to none.
Sporting the number plate VB1, the black Range Rover screeched to a halt and a tall suited man leapt out. He looked the part, as always. Thick black hair greased back, expensive watch and shiny shoes.
‘Bruv! You shit the life outta me then. Where’s your motor? I’m pleased you called.’
Hands trembling, Michael Butler lifted the gun. ‘I’m sorry, Vinny, I really am. But …’
‘I’m not upset that you lied to me,
I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you’
Friedrich Nietzsche