A Place of Safety

A Place of Safety
Helen Black

When the world has failed you, you need a place of safety…Hard-hitting crime from the author of Damaged Goods.The rape of a young asylum seeker plunges family care lawyer Lilly Valentine into the toughest case of her life.14-year-old Anna lives in Hounds Place, a hostel in Bedfordshire for youngsters seeking refuge from the atrocities being carried out in their homelands. A chance meeting with three public schoolboys ends in her being horrifically assaulted. When Artan, Anna's friend and a fellow asylum seeker, approaches Lilly about seeking justice through the courts she warns him that the law may not be on their side. Who will believe the words of an asylum seeker over the account of three privileged English boys? Despite this, Lilly is loath to get involved. After all, she is supposed to be putting her family and work commitments first.But Lilly quickly lives to regret that decision when Artan and Anna turn up at a school armed with guns, determined to take matters into their own hands. The day turns to tragedy and Anna is arrested. Wracked with guilt, Lilly is compelled to take on Anna's case despite the objections of her boyfriend Jack, boss, and most importantly, her own son Sam - a pupil at the school.Her decision to defend Anna attracts a huge backlash from the press and the community. And when local racist groups pick up on the story, Lilly's family and friends become a target. Can Lilly follow her conscience and defend Anna - or is this case just too close to home?

Helen Black

A Place of Safety

Copyright (#ucf1c22e8-1e04-5f02-9668-6a9fb61ff26b)

AVON

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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Publishers 2008

Copyright © Helen Black 2008

Helen Black 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.

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Ebook edition © 2008 ISBN: 9780007328864

Version: 2017-06-26

Praise for Damaged Goods: (#ucf1c22e8-1e04-5f02-9668-6a9fb61ff26b)

‘A fantastic first novel.’

Jane Elliott, author of The Little Prisoner and Sadie

‘A dark and gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat…this terrific debut novel is full of intrigue and a real page-turner.’ Closer

Dedication (#ucf1c22e8-1e04-5f02-9668-6a9fb61ff26b)

For Mum

Contents

Cover (#u1cb14b84-d116-5269-8ad9-08c9b2708f4b)

Title Page (#u44e9755e-8079-54f9-894c-c435229e4e64)

Copyright

Praise

Dedication (#u60b735bd-737d-5a97-9676-5cb554506ac9)

Prologue

Chapter One (#ulink_4c94a1e5-dd14-5251-98aa-8d335600b784)

Chapter Two (#ulink_74fcd271-b8e1-5641-93f8-454f3e4c2522)

Chapter Three (#ulink_ae5fd52d-5a5b-5577-80d6-1379b82bc094)

Chapter Four (#ulink_156f5efd-5a3d-5e7e-9b01-2f0230761ed0)

Chapter Five (#ulink_4d5a64a5-6e0f-573c-b2f0-956bce34490c)

Chapter Six (#ulink_f2fbce01-3b3e-53fa-ad3d-7b08b10c55c7)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)