Concealment
Page 28
Giddy at the power that lay in my hands, I didn’t hesitate. Lisa had ruthlessly exploited the frailties of those above her to get to the top, in spite of her claims to moral superiority. Why even the assessment centre had been fudged, and I reckoned she knew it. No one more richly deserved to be hoist by her own petard.
‘In my opinion, she’s definitely telling the truth. And there’s no need to rely on me—read her application papers. Honesty is one of Lisa’s major strengths. She’d never tell a lie.’
‘That’s what I thought too,’ said Bailey. ‘Thank you, Amy. And goodbye.’
We shook hands and I walked away, certain we would never meet again.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to everyone who helped bring this book to publication.
First, to my trusted test readers—Gen Moore, Sue Hannaford, Dominic Brown, Paul Williams, Soo Morris and Terri Hamrick. Your positive feedback encouraged me, and your constructive criticism spurred me on to make much needed improvements.
A special thank you goes to Dr Simon Baker, Consultant Psychiatrist with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, who not only read the book, but assessed Amy and provided a summary diagnosis for her GP. His input on procedural matters under the Mental Health Act was also most valuable.
Being a writer can be a lonely business and the guidance of fellow authors is always much appreciated. The lovely Terry Tyler and Diane Mannion have been particularly helpful.
I am also grateful to Ana Grigoriu, who designed the stunningly appropriate cover, to Diana Horner of eBookPartnership who formatted the e-book version and to Clare Davidson who formatted the paperback version. And, of course, to Julia Gibbs, my proofreader, who hunted down all those pesky typos with ruthless zeal.
Amy’s childhood living with her hoarder mother has shaped much of her adult life. Having grown up in a similar environment I share some of her insecurities, and writing Concealment has been a cathartic experience. During this time, it has been wonderful to have the support of the people on the Children of Hoarders (COH) message board. Without these hugely resilient and amazing friends, I would never have had the courage to ‘come out’ as a COH, let alone use the material in my thrillers. As a mark of my gratitude, I shall donate 50% of the royalties from this book to the not for profit organization Children of Hoarders Inc.
Finally, I am forever indebted to my long-suffering husband David and son Peter for tolerating my ups and downs, not just while writing this book, but always.
If you’ve enjoyed CONCEALMENT, Rose would greatly appreciate a few words on Amazon or Goodreads from you to say so.
You may also enjoy reading Rose’s other book NEVER SAY SORRY, a thriller about a Big Pharma conspiracy to suppress a miracle cancer cure.
Amy will be back next year in a new adventure. Meanwhile you can find out more about what Rose is up to on www.roseedmunds.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @roseedmunds.