He looked at her and wondered if he knew her, if he had ever known her, his mother. Suki’s words were dancing in his head. A brutal rape. Killing the dog. Claire, running for her life. And his mother at the back of it all? Could any of that be true?

‘Work,’ he said. No way was he telling her what he’d really been doing. She was jittery enough as it was; mention the fact that he’d just driven the girl back to her hotel and Shauna would hit the fucking roof. And somehow . . . he didn’t want to tell his mother where Claire and Suki were staying. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t.

‘I’m glad you called in,’ she said, exhaling sharply so that two plumes of smoke came down her nostrils.

Dragon Lady, he thought. She looked fearsome. Christ, he wouldn’t want to cross her. Once Shauna Flynn had it in for you, your goose was well and truly cooked. Uncomfortably, that made him think again about Claire, and what had – according to Suki – happened to the woman all those years ago. If Shauna had really been involved in that, how could he feel anything but disgust for her?

Almost against his will, his mind turned again to Suki, Claire’s undeniably gorgeous daughter. Keep thinking those thoughts about the American girl, and there would be trouble.

‘Listen. I’ve been hearing some crazy things,’ said Connor. ‘About Claire Milo.’

Shauna’s face grew still. Her eyes flicked down and she stubbed out her cigarette, hard. ‘From who?’

‘That don’t matter. But I was told she was raped, and her dog was killed. By some people called the Cleavers. And that you had a hand in it.’

Shauna let out a bark of laughter. ‘That’s total bollocks. She just broke off her engagement to your dad and took off. Now we know she went to America. Who’s been telling you all this rubbish?’

Connor ignored the question. ‘I went out to the Cleaver place a while ago. Just looking around. With Dad gone, I wanted to see where he grew up, just look around the area. Anyway, I pitched up at the Cleaver place.’ He paused, stared into her eyes. ‘One of them – said his name was Jeb – came at me with an axe.’

Shauna’s face grew still. ‘You what?’

‘He said he was going to send bits of me back to you in a carrier bag. Serious. Dad’s mate Bubba Pole saved my arse.’

‘You what?’

‘It’s true.’

‘That bastard!’

‘About Claire Milo . . .’

‘She was a milksop little cow, Claire Milo. A real gutless wonder,’ said Shauna, suddenly ashen, her manner distracted.

‘She vanished that night, didn’t she? The night you and Dad left the site.’