I’m delighted to share an extract from A Stolen Future. Although this is the 4th book in the series it’s a complete story and can be read as a standalone. The book is due for publication on 1st April 2025 in all formats.
Some days are simply golden, and this turns out to be one of them. By some glorious serendipity, the stars have aligned. Or, more likely, the checks by the police the previous day have expedited matters. Which means I am outside in the car park when Rex arrives in his mother’s car late the next morning, his mother in the driver’s seat. I sign the docket on the clipboard handed to me by the flatbed truck driver and give it back to him. His colleague has already wrapped the towing chains around the front wheels of Rex’s BMW and is hauling it up the ramp and onto the back of the flatbed. Unfortunately for Rex, this action has drawn a crowd as everyone has come out to watch the spectacle.
‘Hey, stop!’ Rex, panicked, leaves the car door open and runs across to the driver. ‘What are you doing with my car?’
‘Been repossessed, mate,’ the driver says, before heading back to the cab.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. And don’t “mate” me. Unload it right now.’ Etched into every word is his entitlement, as is his public school accent.
‘Can’t do that, sir.’ He opens the door and makes to climb in.
Rex turns to me. ‘What do they mean, repossessed?’
Abigail, immaculate as ever in a sky blue shift dress and jacket along with the obligatory matching heels, joins us on the pavement. ‘What’s going on?’
I am happy to provide a summary. ‘According to their paperwork, Rex has been driving uninsured. The lender has obtained a court order and now they’re taking the car back as he’s breached their conditions.’
‘There’s obviously been a mistake,’ Abigail says, because naturally her son can’t possibly have done anything wrong, ‘anyway,’ and she pounces on an opportunity to lay the blame, ‘don’t you deal with all that?’
‘I used to but Rex prefers to do it himself nowadays, said my work was, what was it, Rex? That’s it, “shoddy”, because apparently he didn’t like the company I’d insured him with.’
‘But I did it, I did sort it out, I haven’t been driving uninsured.’ Despite coming across as though he is a spoilt child, he sounds convincing enough, although then he frowns as if second-guessing himself. ‘No, it must be some mistake. I’ll go in and sort it out.’ He almost turns towards the office, but then gazes longingly back at his car, his arms outstretched, as if he can’t quite bring himself to leave it. ‘My car…’
‘There’s little you can do about it now,’ I say rather callously then, distracted, add, ‘Oh, the police are here.’ This refocuses Rex on the possibility of preventing the imminent departure of his beloved car.
‘Good, perhaps they can stop these thieving bastards.’ As he walks off towards the officers, every employee remains solidly in place, no one keen to miss the next part of the drama.
Abigail leans in closer and says, ‘What have you done?’
‘Nothing,’ I say, and I meet her raptor eyes without hesitation before I add, ‘and I’m offended you would think I had.’
Rex is gesticulating wildly towards his car, in case the officers can’t see it. ‘Do something. My car’s being stolen and I need you to stop them.’
The older of the two, with barely a tilt of his head, sends the other off to the cab to speak to the driver. He is handed the clipboard, and all eyes are on him as he checks through the paperwork. Apparently satisfied, he hands the clipboard back through the window, shakes his head at his partner, and the engine of the flatbed starts. There is a jolt as it pulls away. All present pause as if in suspended animation in anticipation of Rex actually shedding tears as we watch his pride and joy being carried off across the car park.
The younger officer re-joins the group, breaking the moment as he says, ‘He’s not insured. His lender has repossessed.’
‘Oh dear, oh dear, that’s not a good start. In fact, that’s serious, that is. Six points on your licence and a minimum three-hundred-pound fine, and, as you’ve seen, your vehicle can be taken away. If you were the owner, it could even be destroyed.’ I can’t speak for everyone present, but I thoroughly enjoy how much the older officer appears to relish imparting this information.
‘Destroyed!’ Rex repeats, his voice strained, his eyes wide with disbelief. ‘Can’t you stop them?’
‘Stop them? Oh no. If your lender hadn’t been about to repossess, we would have done so. And what I mentioned before, it’s only the start. If you get taken to court, which in this case you may well be, the fine can be unlimited and you may even get disqualified from driving. Although,’ and he hesitates, ‘I understand that could be something you’re facing, anyway.’ I can barely keep the smile from my face as the officer tuts quite distinctly. ‘Do you want to know which section of the Road Traffic Act you’ve violated?’
‘No, I bloody don’t! Fucking useless, the lot of you!’ His mother places a restraining hand on his forearm, but he throws it off as he rounds on the officers. ‘What are you even doing here, anyway?’
‘We’ve received a report of a burglary?’
‘What! That was on Sunday! And you’re only here now?’
‘The thieves had already left the premises when it was reported to us, sir, so it was not an emergency.’ I can sense Rex’s anger is swiftly reaching boiling point and am relieved when Eddie Lumbers steps forward.
‘I can deal with this. Please come this way.’ He indicates towards the gateway to the side of the office block. ‘I can show you what’s happened. I’ve also sorted out a copy of the CCTV for you.’
‘Thank you,’ the older officer smiles and the three men take the route round to the backyard.
A rival to overcome… A truth to reveal…
A family firm. A long-held promise. What will it take to protect all she loves?
Alice Fraser has everything she needs. A comfortable home. A few good friends. A satisfying career. But when the promise made doesn’t materialise and everything changes at work she finds herself losing control of all she once held dear.
She could have left. She should have left. Instead she decides to dig in, and make life uncomfortable for her tormentor.
Petty revenge, she calls it. And that’s how it starts. But one day she is pushed too far, and once she takes the next step there is no going back.
A Stolen Future is a gripping domestic suspense novel. If you like character-driven action, suspenseful storytelling and unexpected twists then you’ll love this psychological thriller.
Preorder/Purchase link – https://books2read.com/AStolenFuture
Georgia Rose is a writer of suspense. Both romantic and psychological. First came the romantic and suspenseful Grayson Trilogy books: A Single Step, Before the Dawn and Thicker than Water. Following completion of the trilogy she was asked for more and so wrote a short story, The Joker, which is based on a favourite character from the series and the eBook is available to download for free at the retailer of your choice.
