Finders Keepers Edie Baylis (phonics readers .TXT) 📖

Table of Contents

Finders Keepers (Retribution, #2)

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty One

Twenty Two

Twenty Three

Twenty Four

Twenty Five

Twenty Six

Twenty Seven

Twenty Eight

Twenty Nine

Thirty

Thirty One

Thirty Two

Thirty Three

Thirty Four

Thirty Five

Thirty Six

Thirty Seven

Thirty Eight

Thirty Nine

Forty

Forty One

Forty Two

Forty Three

Forty Four

Forty Five

Forty Six

Forty Seven

Forty Eight

Forty Nine

Fifty

Fifty One

Fifty Two

Fifty Three

Fifty Four

Fifty Five

Fifty Six

Fifty Seven

Fifty Eight

Fifty Nine

Sixty

Sixty One

Epilogue

Thank You!

More From This Series

More From This Author

About The Author

Acknowledgements

Join Edie's Mailing List

FINDERS KEEPERS

THE RACE IS ON...

When Saul Powell is released early from prison, it causes mayhem for the family firm. His brother, Jonah, has enough problems trying to keep semblance amidst the chaos, not to mention his fast approaching unwanted marriage.

But even Jonah’s problems pale into insignificance compared to what Robert Adams is discovering about his mother, Dulcie – the woman he's always put on a pedestal.

In the meantime, Teagan Fraser is also facing a dilemma – one which could ruin her life completely.

Can anyone come out of this nightmare unscathed?

Fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Jessie Keane will love Finders Keepers.

Also by Edie Baylis

Until the End of Time (Downfall Series #1)

Escaping the Past (Downfall Series #2)

Vengeful Payback (Downfall Series #3)

The Downfall Series Box Set

The Status Debt (Hunted Series #1)

The Family Legacy (Hunted Series #2)

The Target of Lies (Hunted Series #3)

An Old Score (Retribution Series #1)

FINDERS KEEPERS

RETRIBUTION SERIES #2

EDIE BAYLIS

First published in Great Britain in 2021 by Athame Press.

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher.

Copyright © Edie Baylis 2021

The moral right of the author has been asserted

Front cover design Copyright © Athame Press/Edie Baylis 2021

Front cover photography: Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash, Erik Lattwein/Dreamstime

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to any real person, living or dead is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

e-ISBN 978-1-9161627-5-4

Athame Press

Unit 13230 - PO Box 6945 – London – W1A 6US

Prologue

2005

SAUL POWELL TIPPED his third pint down his neck and looked around the Kings Arms finding it fitting this place should be his first port of call, considering what he’d done here was what landed him a long stretch. ‘You’ve no idea how fucking good this tastes, mate,’ he said, a wide grin across his face. ‘It’s the little things in life you miss the most.’

Keith Grogan returned the smile, his one gold tooth amongst the other slowly decaying ones glinting in the yellow glow of the overhead lights, their stained glass shades doing nothing to help the dimly lit interior of the room.

Despite it being a sunny afternoon, the Kings Arms always appeared to be in a perpetual state of winter – its worn and gloomy interior not encompassing any hint of the outside seasons, courtesy of the frosted glass windows blocking out all natural light and the shabby green curtains no good for anything, short of cutting down the draught from the ill-fitting, rotten frames.

Personally, Keith wanted to go somewhere a little more salubrious to celebrate Saul’s early release after seventeen long years at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, but Saul was insistent they came here, preferring this back street pub rather than one of the many pubs that had transformed into wine bars in his absence. He had little penchant for wine, preferring a good old pint rather than some poncy overpriced grape juice, but at least wine bars offered a more pleasing vista than this place.

His eyes strayed to a pair of elderly women sitting opposite, fags in trap and legs akimbo, complete with wrinkled stockings, one avidly scratching herself, whilst the other picked through a packet of bacon crisps she’d tipped onto the sticky tabletop.

‘Appreciate you collecting me, Keith,’ Saul continued, pulling a new packet of cigarettes from his jacket, his cold blue eyes scrutinising his friend. ‘No issue getting the time out, I take it?’

Keith opened a bag of pork scratchings, offering them to Saul and seeing the quick refusal, happily began cramming them into his mouth. ‘The question wasn’t even asked.’ His face slid into a sneer. ‘He’s tied up organising the show’s rota since the woman who usually does it has done a runner.’

Saul put his pint down none too gently. ‘Gwen? She’s done a runner? Why?’

Keith shrugged. ‘Yeah, Gwen. Not sure why exactly. She hasn’t exactly done a runner, she just hasn’t been seen for a few days.’

Saul rolled his eyes. ‘That says it all really. Instead of sorting out where the fuck our haul has gone, my dearest brother is only concerned with which bird is dancing with who on the stage, the fucking prick. That’s been Jonah’s fundamental problem all along. His priorities are all to pot.’

Keith glanced around uncomfortably. Several people had been eyeing them since they’d arrived and he didn’t want to attract any undue attention, however much he agreed with Saul’s opinion. Plus it was awkward hearing Jonah get slated. The man was still his boss. For now. Truth was, thanks to his penchant for insisting on treading lightly around civilians, Jonah had allowed this situation to drag on for longer than it should have.

Saul chugged down the rest of his pint. ‘Everything will be changing shortly, my man. Unfortunately for Jonah, he’ll be stepping down now I’m back.’ He grinned widely. ‘You’re sure he’s no clue I’ve been released?’

Keith shook his head. ‘None whatsoever. I haven’t said a word. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?’

‘Absolutely.’ Saul’s bared teeth resembled a snarl rather than a smile. ‘It will be a surprise for him and everyone. One that’s very much overdue.’ Standing up, he slapped Keith on the back. ‘And you, my friend, will