The Perfect Mother (ARC)
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Elizabeth was ready with an answer. ‘He said he was
in love with Kelly. That he was going to leave you for
her, but then she disappeared. He’s got footage of the
two of them together all happy and in love. He’s got all
the evidence he needs. Can you see how much trouble
you’re in?’
The bastard, Sheridan thought, biting her bottom lip.
There was no time for tears now. Despite it all, Leo
needed a father. She could not leave him parentless. Her
lawyer was right. Daniel did love Kelly, but only now
could she see how much. Sheridan took a deep breath as
she prepared to give another performance.
‘Kelly’s death was an accident. She died having Leo.
I didn’t tell Daniel because I couldn’t face it.’ The last
bit was a lie but it was all about damage limitation now.
‘And your mom?’
Sheridan shrugged, holding in a cough as she inhaled
the stench of artificial tobacco. ‘If Mike paid her a visit it has nothing to do with me.’
‘And what about Roz – is she telling the truth?’
‘I didn’t want to hurt Roz. You’ve seen the video
footage of us together, the flight ticket in her room. But
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then she found Kelly, and Mike pulled a gun on her. I
begged him not to hurt her. I was going for help when
George and Monica – I mean Alex Santana – turned up.’
‘Ah, the famous Alex Santana. She really has it in
for you.’
‘And George?’
A beat passed between them, and Sheridan knew there
was more to come. Opening her folder, Elizabeth sifted
through some of the paperwork. ‘Did you know that
George was selling stories to Alex Santana all this time?’
‘George?’ Sheridan frowned. ‘No. It was Rachel, my
ex-housekeeper. She was the inside source.’
Elizabeth shook her head. ‘Shame you’re going down.
This would make a great movie.’ She paused to suck the
e-cigarette, locking the vapour in her lungs for a couple
of seconds before letting it go. ‘It’s always been George.
He said he tried to warn Roz when she first arrived in
New York. He left newspaper clippings in her room about
Kelly, and old issues of Celeb Goss magazine. He even left her a knife. But he couldn’t tell her directly because you were paying for his mother’s care. All your staff were
indebted to you, in fact.’
‘That’s not right,’ Sheridan stiffened as she was hit with
betrayal after betrayal. ‘He told me about Roz’s note.’ She bit her lip. What was she saying? She had just stated she
had planned on letting Roz go.
‘The famous note in the prayer book? Yeah, he men-
tioned that, too. He said you were getting suspicious.
He told you about the note to keep your trust. But then
Monica bumped into Roz in your home and persuaded
George to work with her to get her out. She should have
called the cops. Typical journo – wanted the story first.’
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Sheridan’s head hung low. She was so caught in her
own web of lies she daren’t speak another word. But her
lawyer was wrong about one thing. Mike would never
squeal. The memory of their intimacy would guarantee
his loyalty for a long time to come. She knew she was
facing prison, and she was facing it alone. But she would
use her time wisely. Monica was not the only person who
could write a book. She may have taken her throne, but
she wouldn’t occupy it for very long. Sheridan would
make her regret the day she’d double-crossed her.
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CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
Celeb Goss Magazine
By Tiffany Matthews
November 2019
SHERIDAN SINCLAIR HELD ON
KIDNAPPING & MURDER CHARGES
It is the crime that shocked the nation, and
you heard it here first. One year ago, Celeb
Goss journalist Alex Santana launched an
internal investigation into Academy Award-
nominated actress, Sheridan Sinclair. An
investigation that led to the Hollywood star-
let being charged with the manslaughter of
missing Carolina waitress Kelly Blunt and
the kidnapping of Irish woman Roz Foley.
After an extensive police investigation, Sher-
idan’s husband, Daniel Watson, was released
without charge.
In another shock announcement, last week’s
edition revealed the identity of Celeb Goss
journalist Alex Santana as Monica Murphy,
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therapist to the stars. The revelation does
not seem to have harmed her relationship
with up-and-coming actor Adam Weiss,
who announced their engagement last week.
Adam recently signed on the dotted line
to play the next James Bond. Monica has
sold her new tell-all book on her time with
Sheridan Sinclair for a seven-figure sum,
with movie rights being snapped up after a
five-way auction. A Hollywood source says:
‘With the demise of #Sheridani, Hollywood
is crying out for an exciting new celebrity
couple. Charismatic and endearing, Adam
and Monica fit the bill.’ Here at Celeb Goss,
we wish our new favourite celeb couple, the
#MAdams, all the success in the world.
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CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
Roz
It took me six months to settle into some kind of normal-
ity. It helped to know that I was getting justice, and that Sheridan was facing trial. My reluctance to incriminate
Daniel was not for him, it was for his son. It was for
Kelly, too. I still felt a connection with the young woman
whose clothes I had worn. What would have happened
to her son Leo if both Sheridan and Daniel were locked
away? Kelly’s mother had no room for her grandson, and
I never doubted that Daniel would provide Leo with a
good life. Sheridan may have been ready to kill me, but
I liked to hope that Daniel had played no part in it. It
was some punishment that he had lost his revered role
as James Bond.
I heard that George showed remorse, and I was sur-
prised to hear he was the one selling his story to Celeb Goss all that time. He was the creator of the ‘shit-storm’ he told me about – his way of leaking what was really going on.
While his mother was alive, his efforts to help me were
sadly lacking; just enough to ease his conscience, I sup-
posed. He was not the only one feeling guilty. Daniel was
not allowed to speak to me, but he paid my thirty-grand
medical bill in full. The news of his split from Sheridan
came as a surprise to everyone.
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I was yet to have a full night’s sleep without the memo-
ry of staring down the barrel of Mike’s pistol. I was grateful to George for saving my life, and that of my child. It’s a
special kind of irony that he did so with Sheridan’s gun.
* * *
My mother fell in love with Ashling the moment she
/> set eyes on her. It was nice, being pampered and fawned
over in a normal way. I felt safe in her home, as long as
Ashling’s cot was by my side and we had a nightlight on.
The gossip set Ferbane alight for a few months, but things
eventually calmed down.
‘Tea?’ Tony said, handing me a cup. His smile was
warm, his curly hair in need of a cut. He was a gentle
bear of a man and the house felt different now he was
around. I felt like I’d known him forever; he had a
lovely manner about him. If I were to describe his at-
titude in a single word, I’d say ‘non-judgemental’. It’s
something that Dympna has demonstrated, too. Her
relationship with Ashling was destined to be special,
and the information she gathered has helped the police
no end. I’m glad she patched things up with Seamus,
and have no doubts she’ll make a terrific detective one
day. John pays weekly maintenance and is keeping his
marriage afloat.
Like Dympna, I gained a stepsister. Jenny, Tony’s
daughter, is a delight. It was hard for her, losing her
mother at such an early age, but now she has so many
new people in her life.
‘Thank you,’ I smiled at Tony. ‘And not just for the tea.’
‘You’re coping remarkably well for someone who’s
been through hell.’
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‘I hope you’re not analysing me,’ I chuckled. I was tak-
ing baby steps, but getting there. I’d even begun drawing
again. It was nice to take pleasure in the simple things,
and I would never take my life for granted again. When it
came down to it, friends and family were all that mattered.
‘Having Ashling here means the world to your mam,’
Tony said, as if he were reading my mind.
‘I couldn’t deprive Ashling of a grandmother,’ I replied,
feeling like a hypocrite as I remembered I was happy to
do so before. ‘I mean…’ I stammered, backtracking.
Tony raised a hand in reassurance. ‘No need to explain.
Your childhood was the subject of most of your mother’s
rehabilitation. That day in the coffee shop when you said
you were going to America, it almost tipped her over the
edge.’ He sighed at the memory, shaking his head. ‘That
evening, I found a bottle of whiskey in her bag. But she
hadn’t drunk it. She was still fighting.’
‘There’s a time in your life when you have to stop
being a victim. When you have to take back control.’ I
hadn’t realised I had spoken the words aloud until they
left my lips. Time in solitary confinement had affected
me in so many ways. Back then, I’d spoken to myself all
the time, and it had become a habit I needed to shake.
‘Your mother told you that?’
I nodded, taking strength from her words.
As he rubbed his beard, the smile widened on Tony’s
face. ‘I said that to her when we first met. I didn’t think she was listening back then.’ He chuckled, obviously
pleased to know she was.
I watched his face light up as he spoke of her, wishing
I could find someone who loved me that much. Then I
realised I had already found her as my mother returned
with my Silver Cross pram. My Ashling. My fighter. My
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little girl. She would never be a victim. She would keep
me strong. I watched Jenny open the door, being careful
not to bump the pram against the wooden doorframe.
This was my home now, and I was in no hurry to leave.
The building blocks of our future: a stable home and
good relationships were what my daughter and I could
look forward to now.
Flushed from the cold, Jenny’s smile was wide, her joy
at being an auntie plain to see. Ashling delighted everyone she came into contact with. I exchanged a look with my
mother as she parked my sleeping daughter next to me. I
saw love there, and it was returned. She was a wonderful
grandmother for Ashling, and I had long since forgiven
her for past mistakes. I peeped in on my daughter, who
looked like a sleeping cherub in her pram. I breathed a
sigh of contentment. It was time to look to the future.
I had found the perfect mother for my child.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Launching a book is by no means a solo performance
and I am hugely grateful to have such a fantastic team of
professionals behind me. To Maddy, Hayley and everyone
at the Madeleine Milburn literary agency. Thank you for
championing my work.
To my superb editor Jane Snelgrove, a thoroughly
lovely lady whose insights have been invaluable. Also, to
editor Ian Pindar – your encouragement and guidance
has been most appreciated. To the rest of the team at
Thomas & Mercer, you are all stars, I wish I had space to name you all! A special mention to cover designer Tom
Sanderson – thank you again for your magnificent work.
To the book bloggers and book club members who
have supported my work – in particular, Joseph Calleja,
who I was fortunate enough to meet during a trip to
Malta recently. Never underestimate just how much your
support means to authors, and keep up the good work.
To my amazingly talented author friends, both those
on social media and those whom I’m fortunate enough to
hang out with in real life. In particular to Angie Marsons, who I took my first tentative steps with as a fiction author and who has been a brilliant support ever since. To Mel
Sherratt, who has been there on a daily basis as we travel
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through our writing journeys together. Big hugs to you,
lady, we come as a pair these days.
To the brilliant Sophie Ransom of Midas PR and to
the fantastic libraries and online book clubs who have
helped spread the word. To my ex-police colleagues,
stay safe guys, you are always in my thoughts. Also, to
my readers, particularly those who have made contact to
say you’ve enjoyed my work. It always brightens my day.
As always, to my family. Thank you for your unfail-
ing love and support.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A former police detective,
Caroline Mitchell now writes
full-time.
She has worked in CID
and has also specialised in
roles dealing with vulnerable
victims – high-risk victims of
domestic abuse and serious
sexual offences. The mental
strength shown by the victims
of these crimes is a constant
source of inspiration to her,
and Mitchell combines their
tenacity with her knowledge of police procedure to create
tense psychological thrillers.
Originally from Ireland, she now lives in a pretty
village on the coast of Essex with her husband and three
children.
You can sign up for her newsletter at www.caroline-
writes.com, or follow her on Twitter (@caroline_writes)
or F
acebook (www.facebook.com/CMitchellAuthor).
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