Days later, when Josh was off down the gym training, Jeb Cleaver turned up at the door. He stood there, wide and tall. For the first time ever, Shauna felt afraid of him. Jeb Cleaver, who she’d been leading around by the cock for the best part of both their lives. Now he looked at her and there was something different in his eyes, something threatening. Thank God the nanny was out with Connor, and wouldn’t be back for over an hour.

‘What do you want?’ she asked coldly, managing – just – to keep her voice steady. ‘I told you: we’re over.’

He’s looking for them. For Ciaran and Rowan.

‘You seen my brothers?’ he asked, his eyes unblinking as they stared into hers.

‘What?’ Shauna gave him a blank look. Her heart was beating hard and she could feel a trickle of sweat worming its way down her back.

‘Ciaran. Rowan. They went out a few nights since and they ain’t been back.’

‘What’s that got to do with me?’

‘Nothing,’ he said. Staring at her like he wanted to pick her brains apart.

‘I haven’t seen them. Why would I?’

Jeb shrugged and smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Can’t run a pig farm with two men. Pa and me, we’re fully stretched and here they are, going off on a bender or some such foolishness.’

‘That’s got nothing to do with me,’ said Shauna.

‘No, course. Only there’s this, you see. We had all sort of agreed between us that – painful but true – your old man should go.’

Now Shauna was really sweating. She could smell the fear on herself. She wondered if he could, too.

‘You weren’t going to play nice with me any more, that was plain. So we thought that you’d be nicer if you didn’t have that fucking Flynn bloke with you. Ciaran and Rowan were going to do whatever needed doing, but they ain’t been back home. We ain’t seen them since they left that night. Ain’t that funny? And I just seen Josh Flynn drive off, whole and well.’

‘Well, they haven’t been here. Maybe Ciaran and Rowan went on a real bender of a pub crawl. Maybe they got rat-arsed,’ said Shauna. She gulped down a breath. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time, would it? Listen. I don’t care where they are or what they’re up to, I haven’t seen them. And I don’t want you coming round here, not any more. I told you. Take it in will you? We’re finished. I’ll pay you for any jobs you do, but that’s it. All the rest of it? That’s over.’