I sat on the edge of my desk, not bothering with a chair.

I indicated the chair in front. ‘Take a seat.’

‘If you’re going to fire me, I’d rather stand,’ Devon replied.

I studied him, taking my time before answering. ‘Any particular reason why I should fire you?’

Devon pursed his lips together as he glared at me.

OK, let’s try something else. ‘You’re still on parole, right?’

Devon nodded.

‘How’s your wife and family?’

He took a deep breath. ‘Look, Mrs Ealing, don’t fire me. Please. I need this job. I know I can be …’

‘Surly? Belligerent? Moody? A pain in the arse?’

A slight smile flitted across Devon’s lips. ‘All of the above,’ he agreed. ‘But I’m a good chef and I’m determined to be a great one. Saul has faith in me and that’s all I need – someone to believe in me.’

‘Does Katie believe in you?’ I asked of his wife.

Devon shrugged, a whole world of meaning in the lift of his shoulders.

‘You think she’s waiting for you to … let her down?’

Devon sighed. ‘I know I don’t have a good track record and yeah, I’ve messed up before, but I’m not going back to prison. I can’t. Not again. I’d rather die first.’

That I could use. Needs must.

‘Devon, I need some info from you,’ I said.

‘Oh yes?’ Devon eyed me, on his guard again.

‘Now that Dan Jeavons is dead, who has taken his place?’

A stillness descended over Devon that wasn’t hard to decipher. His ice-blue eyes narrowed. ‘How should I know? What makes you think I have anything to do with that world?’

The belligerence was back with a vengeance.

‘Dev, I wish I had the time to bat this back and forth with you, but I don’t. I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t a matter of life and death – literally.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about—’

‘For Shaka’s sake! You think anyone gets taken on at my restaurant without a full background check first?’ I straightened up. ‘You think I don’t know about your time in prison because you took the rap for your brother who worked for Jeavons? How long has it been since your brother’s disappearance? Nearly three years, isn’t it? Word is he’s propping up a motorway or bridge somewhere for bringing the House of Jeavons into the public gaze and disrepute. So don’t treat me like a fool. I’ve neither the time nor the patience.’

Shocked, eyes wide, Devon’s mouth dropped open.