Peter and Glynn exchanged concerned glances and ran in search of Sandra. She was sitting down, her head bent forward. Peter could see that Sandra’s usually immaculate blond waves were streaked vermilion and matted, and there were blood stains in the corner of the room.

He walked up to her and gently whispered her name. She looked up; her blood-spattered, swollen face was streaked with tears and her eyes were darkened pools of fear. Peter had to stop himself from flinching at the sight of her bloody, bruised face.

‘Who did this to you?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know,’ sobbed Sandra, ‘but they sent a message. Something about Alan evening the score.’

‘Shit!’ Peter cursed, then he asked, ‘What did they look like?’

As he had expected, the descriptions of two of the men fitted Alan and David to a T. How could they do this? Then he thought about what Glynn and Mike had done to Sam and it made sense.

‘Come on, love. Let’s get you home,’ said Glynn.

Peter secured the shop as they left, and Glynn led a trembling Sandra to the car. Peter knew that Sandra would never set foot in the place again. It would be far too traumatic for her.

They deposited Sandra at home and made sure she had someone to stay with her. Before they left, Peter took a wad of notes out of his wallet.

‘I’d prefer it if you kept all this quiet,’ he said, handing Sandra the money. ‘If there’s anything you need, anything at all, just ask. OK?’

Sandra nodded. A few seconds later the doorbell rang. ‘That’ll be my sister,’ she said.

‘OK. We’ll let her in on our way out,’ said Peter. ‘And don’t forget what I told you.’

He and Glynn then turned and walked away.

‘We can’t fuckin’ take this lying down,’ said Glynn when they were inside the car.

‘I know,’ said Peter. ‘It’s a fuckin’ liberty.’

‘What you gonna do then?’ Glynn demanded.

‘I don’t know. Let me have a think. It’s no good rushing at this. I need to think carefully about it. But, at the moment, I need a fuckin’ drink.’

‘Me, too,’ said Glynn. ‘We’ll chat about it in the club but we can’t afford to let them get away with it. Otherwise who knows what other fuckin’ liberties they’re gonna take?’

‘I said I’ll think about it!’ Peter snapped, the strain of the situation getting to him.

Glynn didn’t reply so Peter left it at that for the time being. He tried to keep his mind on his driving rather than the violent acts of retaliation Glynn would expect him to carry out on Alan’s gang. As his eyes studied the road, he didn’t notice the steely look of fury on Glynn’s face.

Chapter 41