‘No way. Forget it. I can’t do any favours for you, not if I want to keep all my limbs attached. Eva doesn’t trust me as it is,’ said Jarvis.

‘I wouldn’t be contacting you if it wasn’t essential.’

‘What d’you want? And make it fast.’

All right then. ‘What can you tell me about the kidnapping of two teens from Heathcroft High within the past twenty-four hours?’

‘Two teens? Who are they?’

‘Liberty Jackman and Troy Ealing.’

‘Never heard of them.’ Jarvis’s response was immediate.

‘Liberty Jackman is my daughter,’ I said.

‘Your what? You have a daughter now? When did that happen?’

I wasn’t getting into it. ‘Seventeen years ago. So you haven’t heard anything at all?’

‘Not a word. If this was some opportunist scratching for pennies, I would’ve had the full cast list by now.’

‘That’s what I’d figured, which means only one thing—’

‘Eva or Owen Dowd planned the whole operation.’ Jarvis got there quickly.

I had too.

‘I can understand why you kept your daughter a secret, but if either Dowd or Eva knows about her, and is responsible for her disappearance, the chances are slim to none of seeing her again,’ said Jarvis.

Not what I wanted to hear. At all.

‘Thank you. I’d already worked that out,’ I snapped. ‘Whoever it was, they’ll keep her alive till they get what they want.’

‘Which is?’

‘My destruction … They want me to announce to the world that I murdered Dan. Someone is moving heaven and earth to get me out of the way.’

‘Damn. OK, I’ll ask around. If I manage to get some intel, I’ll phone you. Don’t contact me again.’

And, with that, the call was disconnected. I glowered, but understood the caution. No one within the Outfit knew Jarvis reported directly to me. Not even Dan had known, which had proved incredibly useful over the years. Jarvis was a mean bastard who got up to all kinds of dodgy shit, but he was no fool. His loyalty belonged to me, bought and paid for. It was time to set more wheels in motion.

And, if they rolled over and crushed everything and everyone in their path, then so be it.

twenty. Sephy

‘Morning, Jonny. It’s Sephy Ealing, Callie’s mum. Hi and all that. I need a favour.’

‘What the hell, Sephy?! D’you have any idea what time it is?’

‘Early. My apologies for disturbing you at this hour, but I really need your help.’

‘For Shaka’s sake. With what?’