‘Oh, my friend, I wouldn’t go there if I were you. You know I don’t respond well to threats.’ Tobey’s voice had taken on a scalpel-sharp edge. He hadn’t raised his voice once, but then he didn’t have to.

‘You know I deal in promises, not idle threats,’ I replied. ‘By the way, how is Callie Rose Hadley?’

Pause.

The air in the room was being slowly sucked out. Tobey and I faced each other like enemies in a boxing ring, sizing each other up before we went in for the kill.

‘She’s fine, last I heard – thanks for asking,’ said Tobey, his tone calm and even. ‘And God help us all if she isn’t, because I will scorch this earth and beyond if any harm comes to her.’

So it was like that. Sephy’s daughter still ruled his heart and his head, both of them. Even though my gaze never left Tobey’s face, I was very aware of his fists slowly clenching and I doubt he even knew he was doing it. Time for a tactical retreat.

‘Look, this is neither the time nor the place,’ I said with a smile. ‘We’ve been mates for too long to end a mutually beneficial partnership in five minutes. Let’s have a proper discussion later, OK? I have a couple of phone calls to make, so I’ll see you at the dinner table.’

‘I won’t change my mind, Dan.’ Tobey turned on his heel and headed for the door.

‘Well, Tobey, if you insist that our working partnership is over and you don’t change your mind, I’ll have no choice but to inform tonight’s dinner guests about all the ways I’ve helped you over the years, including how you double-crossed Alex McAuley and your involvement in his death, and how you really became Mayor of Meadowview. More than a few people got caught in the crossfire during that campaign, to their cost. I’ll also be more than happy to tell tonight’s guests all about your links to the Outfit. Once that’s out in the public domain, let’s see how long your political career lasts.’

‘You do what you have to do, and I’ll do the same,’ said Tobey, reaching for the door handle.