The Loner

The Loner
Josephine Cox

This bestseller from Josephine Cox tells a story of running away from a secret but longing to go home.Home is where the heart is – but it's also where the pain lurks…After a tragic accident involving his mother, and the disappearance of his father, young Davie flees his hometown of Blackburn, to escape the haunting memories of the worst night in his young life. With little more than the shirt on his back and a fierce determination to find his father, he sets off on a lonely, friendless road.Back home, those Davie has left behind wait anxiously; Kathleen, his childhood friend who has held a secret close to her heart, and Joseph, his grandfather whose guilt burns right to his soul. Will they ever see Davie again?Eventually, Davie finds a friend and a place to stay. Perhaps now his heart and mind will find peace. But his hopes are shortlived when Fate urges him to decide whether to keep running or go back and face his demons.

JOSEPHINE COX

The Loner

COPYRIGHT

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

Copyright © Josephine Cox 2007

Josephine Cox 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

Typeset in New Baskerville by

Rowland Phototypesetting Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without

the prior permission of the publishers.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

FSC is a non-profit international organisation established to promote the

responsible management of the world’s forests. Products carrying the FSC

label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come

from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and

ecological needs of present and future generations.

Source ISBN-13: 9780007221134

EBook Edition © SEPTEMBER 2008 ISBN 9780007279548

Version: 2017-08-10

DEDICATION

This book is for my Ken, as always

My thanks to my large and wonderful family forall the love and support you have always given me.And to my many friends, including the ones whoread my books and write to me. What would I dowithout all of you? Stay well, be good, and if youcan’t be good, be naughty!

CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

PART ONE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

PART TWO

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

PART THREE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN