Noelle Holten - Dead Wrong

One More Chapter

a division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in ebook format by HarperCollins Publishers 2020

Copyright © Noelle Holten 2020

Noelle Holten asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for 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.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2020 ISBN: 9780008332259

Version: 2020-02-19

For #MyTribe. You know who you are.

Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page Dead Wrong NOELLE HOLTEN

Copyright One More Chapter a division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk First published in Great Britain in ebook format by HarperCollins Publishers 2020 Copyright © Noelle Holten 2020 Noelle Holten asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work A catalogue record for 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. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. Ebook Edition © MARCH 2020 ISBN: 9780008332259 Version: 2020-02-19

Dedication For #MyTribe. You know who you are. Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

Chapter One: Lorraine

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One: Yvonne

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

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-One

Chapter Fifty-Two

Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-Two

Chapter Sixty-Three: Veronica

Chapter Sixty-Four

Chapter Sixty-Five

Chapter Sixty-Six

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy-One

Chapter Seventy-Two

Chapter Seventy-Three

Chapter Seventy-Four

Chapter Seventy-Five

Chapter Seventy-Six

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Chapter Eighty

Chapter Eighty-One

Chapter Eighty-Two: Francine

Chapter Eighty-Three

Chapter Eighty-Four

Chapter Eighty-Five

Chapter Eighty-Six

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Chapter Eighty-Nine

Chapter Ninety

Chapter Ninety-One

Chapter Ninety-Two: One Week Later

Chapter Ninety-Three

Chapter Ninety-Four

Acknowledgements

A Note from Noelle

About the Author

Also by Noelle Holten

About the Publisher

‘So – are you dangerous?’ Lorraine danced around the hall playfully. He frowned; to her he looked unsure whether she was serious or flirting. The party had been epic, and she was still buzzing from all the cocaine in her system.

‘Nice place you have here.’ She ran a finger along the hall mirror and smiled at her reflection. The house had an old-fashioned feel to it – wooden floors covered with well-worn rugs, cream-coloured walls and a strange-looking bookshelf that seemed out of place in a hall.

Tilting his head, he stared directly into her eyes. ‘Do I look dangerous?’ He caressed her arm; the goose bumps rose on her skin and she wondered whether he was toying with her. Her body shivered with excitement.

‘You seem OK to me. Can’t be too safe these days though.’

‘’Course not, sweetheart. But I’m a pussy cat. Can’t you tell?’ He placed his hand on her elbow and began directing her towards the stairs. He smelled of one of those nice deodorant sprays, not as pungent as cologne.

A knock on the front door made them stop.

‘Are you expecting company?’ She pouted her lips, hoping that he would get rid of whoever it was quickly.

‘Only you, love. Have a seat through there,’ he pointed to the living room, ‘and make yourself comfortable. I’ll take care of this.’

She watched him as he made his way to the front door.

He looked through the peep hole, his hands clenching into fists, his body stiffening. ‘What the fuck?’ He muttered and stepped outside. Although she heard raised voices, she couldn’t make out what was being said or whether the mystery visitor was a man or a woman.

Wonder what that’s about? She didn’t want to be caught eavesdropping, and when she entered the living room and saw the bag of white powder on the table, she knew what she would prefer to do. Lorraine walked over to the couch, sat down and made herself comfortable.

Within ten minutes, he returned to the room.

‘Everything OK?’ She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

‘Yeah, fine. Shall we get this party started?’ He sat down beside her and caressed her leg.