The Mistake

by K. L. Slater

  ‘I made a bit of an effort as today is so special.’ She smiled.

  ‘Good girl. Now, have you got the receipt?’ He glanced at the clock. ‘My solicitor should be here within the hour and he’s booked a room in the main block to take your statement.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I have the receipt with me.’

  She looked at him with new eyes. This wasn’t Billy’s killer in front of her. He’d actually been telling her the truth.

  ‘Thank you, Rose,’ he said, his eyes glistening. ‘For believing in me. I swear I never hurt Billy. I teased him at times but I loved him like a little brother, you know.’

  She looked at him.

  ‘What’s wrong, princess?’

  ‘I’ve one last thing to ask you, Gareth, and I need you to tell me the truth. Did you attack Cassie?’

  ‘No!’ he said, swallowing hard. ‘It wasn’t me, Rose. I was devastated when I heard the poor girl had taken her own life, I really was.’

  ‘You didn’t rape her and then take off your mask and smile at her? Threaten her with ruining me and my family if she ever told the truth?’

  ‘No!’ His face is glowing red. ‘No! Whoever has told you that is a liar, Rose. A liar, I tell you.’

  ‘I’ll get the receipt,’ she said, reaching for her bag.

  ‘You can give it my solicitor,’ he said, his shoulders relaxing a little.

  ‘I want you to see it, your ticket to freedom, Gareth.’

  ‘That’s sweet, go on then.’ He grinned. ‘My solicitor said if we handle this the right way, prove a police cover-up, I could be out in weeks, maybe even earlier.’

  She pulled the small white envelope from her handbag; the very same one she’d taken from the back of her mother’s notebook, squirrelled away in the attic.

  ‘Rose—’ he watched her open the envelope, his eyes sparkling with anticipation ‘—let’s put all this awfulness behind us. Make a fresh start. What do you say?’

  Rose upended the envelope and a hundred charred, tiny pieces of blackened paper fluttered down on to the desk.

  His mouth dropped open and he looked at her in horror.

  ‘This was the receipt that I’ll deny I ever had. I turned it into ash when I found out you raped and effectively killed my best friend,’ she said pleasantly. ‘You see, I’ve already made a fresh start, Gareth, and it doesn’t include you.’

  His lips made word-like movements but no sound came out.

  Rose laughed. ‘For what it’s worth, I know you didn’t kill Billy now but I know you definitely hurt Cassie. It can be our little secret, Gareth. I won’t be sharing it with anyone else and helping you to your freedom. You’re stuck in here until you’re old and grey.’

  ‘You… you bitch! You’re making a terrible mistake. Oh God, what have you done?’

  He jumped up and launched himself across the table at her but Rose was ready for him. She sprang back so he fell well short of being able to grab her. Nearby women and children began to scream and, within seconds, an officer reached their table.

  ‘That bitch, she’s destroyed—’

  The officer grabbed him and Rose moved smoothly back as two others closed in on a raging Gareth. He picked up his chair and smashed it down on one officer’s head. Rose grimaced as blood began streaming from his eye.

  The female officer with the cropped hair rushed across to her.

  ‘Are you OK, love? What the hell happened there?’

  ‘He just flipped,’ Rose said, looking bewildered. ‘He started rambling on about getting out of here and making a fresh start together. He’s serving time for killing my brother! When I told him he was deluded, he went crazy.’

  Other officers milled around, clearing the room of visitors. They both walked slowly to the door.

  ‘I’m leaving the job at the end of the month,’ the officer told her in a low voice. ‘So I’m going to tell you something that I’ll thank you to keep to yourself. He’s got a large photograph of the two of you on the wall of his cell, told me you were his wife when I asked about it. I recognised you on the first visit.’

  Rose looked at her.

  ‘You seem like a nice, level-headed woman. I’d keep away from him, love. He’ll have at least another five years added on to his existing life sentence for attacking Officer Renshaw today.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Rose nodded. ‘I won’t be coming here again. I promised my dad a long time ago I’d never have anything to do with Gareth Farnham again and this time I mean it.’

  ‘Pleased to hear it. I wish you a happy future.’

  ‘Thanks, I’m excited.’ Rose smiled. ‘I’ve got a whole new life waiting to start.’

  And for the first time ever, she found that she really meant it.

  Want to read more from K.L. Slater? You’ll love Blink - another brilliant thriller full of twists that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

  Get it here!

  BLINK

  A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER WITH A KILLER TWIST YOU'LL NEVER FORGET

  What if the person you love most in the world was in terrible danger… because of you?

  Three years ago, Toni’s five-year-old daughter Evie disappeared after leaving school. The police have never been able to find her. There were no witnesses, no CCTV, no trace.

  But Toni believes her daughter is alive. And as she begins to silently piece together her memories, the full story of the past begins to reveal itself, and a devastating truth.

  Toni’s mind is trapped in a world of silence, her only chance to save herself is to manage the impossible. She must find a way to make herself heard. She must find her daughter.

  A compelling, gripping thriller with a breathtaking twist that will keep you awake until the early hours. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Behind Closed Doors and The Sister.

  Get it Now!

  What readers are saying about Blink:

  'I was excited to start reading this one and once I started I couldn't stop. I devoured it. Chomped away chapter by chapter until I have hoofed the whole damned lot and you know what? It left me hungry for more ...An absolutely stonking 5 stars from me. Jen Med's Book Reviews

  'The book had me from the very first sentence and kept hold of me until I finished it.... There are twists galore but on one occasion my jaw actually dropped open as I realised that all was not as it seemed. Fantastic writing, excellent characterisation that has left me salivating for book number three! Five stars.' Angela Marsons

  HEAR MORE FROM K.L. SLATER

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  ALSO BY K. L. SLATER

  The Mistake

  Liar

  Safe With Me

  Blink

  A LETTER FROM K.L. SLATER

  I want to say a huge thank you for choosing to read The Mistake. If you did enjoy it, and want to keep up-to-date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

  Sign up here!

  When I first got the idea for this book, I was interested in what might happen if a mistake that we considered to be safely buried in the past suddenly came to bear on our present. What if we not only put our trust into the wrong person back then but we made a serious error of judgement, such as having important information at our disposal that we decided to ignore?

  And, as I began to write The Mistake, I also began to explore the nature of controlling relationships and the long-lasting effect such a negative experience can have on a person, even years later.

  We tend to assume controlling relationships are of a romantic nature and often something that men particularly do to women but, of course, this definition is far too limiting. Any one person can feasibly control another and that includes adult children controlling their parents, parents controlling their own children, a control
ling, manipulative boss or – in a relationship situation – a woman controlling her partner.

  Some people may not even realise they are in a controlling or coercive relationship. It’s not about physical strength or being weak-willed. They get used to treading on eggshells around someone, putting up with criticisms (even minor ones can hurt and damage, when consistent) and readily blame their own behaviour rather than being able to identify who is really at fault.

  Sadly, people may have put up with this sort of behaviour from another person for so long, they’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to relax and be themselves anymore. The first stage is always to identify and acknowledge what is happening.

  For anyone who thinks they might need help, advice or clarification, there are some fantastic resources available online at the touch of a button when searching for ‘controlling relationships’.

  The book is set in Nottinghamshire, the place I was born and have lived in all my life. Local readers should be aware I sometimes take the liberty of changing street names or geographical details to suit the story.

  I hope you loved The Mistake, and, if you did, I would be very grateful if you could write a review. I’d love to hear what you think, and it makes such a difference helping new readers to discover one of my books for the first time.

  I love hearing from my readers – you can get in touch on my Facebook page, through Twitter, Goodreads or my website.

  Thanks,

  Kim x

  www.KLSlaterAuthor.com

  SAFE WITH ME

  A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER SO TENSE IT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY

  Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

  Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people to get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

  Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

  First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

  But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

  A compelling, gripping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and The Sister.

  Get it now!

  What everyone's saying about SAFE WITH ME:

  'Holy Hell what a jaw dropper!.....Just need a moment to lift my jaw back off the floor, what a fantastic debut!' Chelle's Book Reviews

  'A very clever psychological thriller that plays with your mind and makes you feel like you've stepped off the waltzers at the fairground!' By the Letter Books

  'A superb psychological thriller. Fast-paced and thoroughly gripping.' The Book Review Cafe

  LIAR

  A GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER WITH A SHOCKING TWIST

  How far would you go to protect your family?

  Single dad Ben is doing his best to raise his children alone, with the help of his devoted mother Judi. Life isn’t easy, but Judi’s family means everything to her and together, they manage.

  Then Ben meets Amber. Everyone thinks this is a perfect match for Ben but Judi isn’t sure … there’s just something about Amber that doesn’t add up.

  Ben can’t see why his mother dislikes his new girlfriend. And Amber doesn’t want Judi anywhere near her new family. Amber just wants Ben and the children.

  The further Judi delves into Amber’s personal life, the closer she gets to shocking secrets that could change everything. And Judi must make a decision that could lead to the most disastrous consequences.

  Liar is a compelling psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist that will keep you awake until the early hours. Perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors, The Girl Before and The Sister.

  What readers are saying about K.L. Slater:

  ‘Brilliant… very clever.’ B. A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors

  ‘I want to take it and scream from the rooftops. I want to make everyone I know read a copy. I want to knock on doors and leave this book in mailboxes. If you can’t tell, I LOVED Blink by K.L. Slater. Enthralling, fast-paced and dark … I read this one into the night, I left the book open on my bed so I could try and absorb more as I slept. If you want a hair-raising thriller, then look no further. Blink is a must-read. 5 stars.’ Clues and Reviews

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I really am so fortunate to have a wonderful group of competent and talented people around me.

  Huge thanks to my editor at Bookouture, Jenny Geras, for her uncompromising vision of the book’s cover, which I loved immediately; she has supported and advised me brilliantly, as always, during the writing and editing of The Mistake.

  Thanks to ALL the Bookouture team for everything they do – which, believe me, is an awful lot – especially to Lauren Finger and to Kim Nash who are both so diligent, and a pleasure to work with.

  Thanks to my writing buddy, Angela Marsons, who is always on hand to have a laugh, provide a shoulder to cry on or give astute writing advice. And provide cute doggy pics when required.

  Thanks, as always, to my agent, Clare Wallace, who continues to give valuable support and advice. Thanks also to the rest of the hardworking team at Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency, especially Mary Darby and Emma Winter, who work so hard to get my books out into the big, wide world, and to Kristina Egan and Rosanna Bellingham.

  Massive thanks as always go to my husband, Mac, for his love, support and patience, even when my writing schedule borders on crazy! To my family, especially my daughter, Francesca, and to Mama, who are always there to support and encourage me in my writing.

  Special thanks must also go to Henry Steadman, who has worked so hard to pull another amazing cover out of the bag.

  Thank you to the bloggers and reviewers who have done so much to help make my first three thrillers a success. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to post a positive review online or has taken part in my blog tour. It is always noticed and much appreciated.

  Last but not least, thank you SO much to my wonderful readers. I love receiving all your wonderful comments and messages and I am truly grateful for each and every reader’s support.

  Published by Bookouture

  An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.

  Carmelite House

  50 Victoria Embankment

  London EC4Y 0DZ

  www.bookouture.com

  Copyright © K.L. Slater 2017

  K.L. Slater has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-1-78681-243-8

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Table of Contents

  BILLY

  1. ROSE

  2. ROSE

  3. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  4. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  5. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  6. ROSE

  7. ROSE

  8. ROSE

  9. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  10. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  11. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  12. ROSE

  13
. ROSE

  14. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  15. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  16. ROSE

  17. ROSE

  18. ROSE

  19. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  20. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  21. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  22. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  23. ROSE

  24. ROSE

  25. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  26. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  27. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  28. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  29. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  30. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  31. ROSE

  32. ROSE

  33. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  34. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  35. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  36. ROSE

  37. ROSE

  38. ROSE

  39. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  40. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  41. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  42. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  43. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  44. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  45. ROSE

  46. ROSE

  47. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  48. ROSE

  49. ROSE

  50. ROSE

  51. ROSE

  52. ROSE

  53. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  54. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  55. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  56. SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

  57. ROSE

  58. ROSE

  59. ROSE

  60. ROSE

  61. ROSE

  62. HMP WAKEFIELD

  63. HMP WAKEFIELD

  64. ROSE

  65. ROSE

  66. ROSE

  67. HMP WAKEFIELD

  68. HMP WAKEFIELD

  69. ROSE

  70. ROSE

  71. HMP WAKEFIELD

  Blink

  Hear More From K.L. Slater

  Also by K. L. Slater

  A Letter from K.L. Slater