Two Knives opened the glove compartment and took out two Smith & Wesson revolvers. He gave one to Crazy Boy and held the other one down at his side in his left hand.

The cop walked up to Crazy Boy’s window and motioned for him to wind it down. Crazy Boy did as he was told. ‘Yes, officer, is there a problem?’ He kept his gun down at the side of the door, his finger on the trigger.

Everyone in the room was looking up at the main screen, which was showing a live feed from a CCTV camera on the M25. They were looking at the truck from the rear, and even on full zoom they couldn’t make out much detail. They could see the truck and the police car behind it, its lights still flashing. And they could see a figure in a fluorescent jacket standing next to the cab of the truck, holding a clipboard.

Button was fingering the thin gold chain around her neck. ‘Please be careful, Spider,’ she whispered.

Shepherd looked up at Crazy Boy. ‘I need you to both step out of the vehicle, please, sir,’ he said, keeping his voice flat and emotionless as if he was just a bored traffic cop doing his job.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Crazy Boy.

‘I just need you at the rear of the vehicle. And your passenger. And bring with you any paperwork you have plus your driving licence and insurance.’

‘We weren’t speeding,’ said Crazy Boy.

‘Please, sir, if you would just get out of the cab we’ll get this sorted and get you and your load on your way.’

‘Get what sorted?’ asked Crazy Boy.

Shepherd kept his face impassive and his tone neutral, concealing the growing tension that he was feeling. ‘We just have to check your tyre pressures, sir, they appear to be a little deflated.’

‘The tyres?’ he said. ‘This is about the tyres?’ He spoke in Somali to Two Knives and both men laughed.

Shepherd stood to the side and Crazy Boy opened the cab door and climbed out. Shepherd couldn’t see any sign of a weapon. ‘And the passenger too,’ he said.

He walked with Crazy Boy to the rear of the truck. Drivers were braking to see what was going on. Shepherd walked Crazy Boy around the back of the truck and on to the grass verge so that the vehicle was blocking the view of the passing traffic.

‘Please stay where you are, sir,’ said Shepherd, and he walked up to the passenger side. ‘Can you get out, please. I need to see you at the rear of the vehicle.’