Connor winced as he touched the sore spot behind his ear. It was still bleeding. He felt dizzy.

‘That hurt? Don’t worry. You won’t be feelin’ it for long,’ said Jeb, coming closer.

Christ, what was happening here? ‘I was in the church . . .’ Connor started, dazed.

Jeb nodded. ‘A little clue there on the stone: something blue – a nice touch, don’t you think? Shauna liked that, she said the useless Milo cunt had always said she liked the place, so why not bury her dog there? So we cut the mutt’s throat and put it in there. Might have put the Milo girl to rest there too, but the mood was on us so we had some fun with her instead. All on your mum’s say-so. Real dark horse, your mother.’

Connor took this in, staring at Jeb’s brutish, uncaring face. ‘It’s true then. She was behind it all.’

‘Shauna wanted the job done and we were willing.’

Christ, thought Connor.

Jeb let out a low whistle. ‘Used to be the best fuck for miles around, that Shauna. And in return? She wanted Claire Milo gone so she could have Josh Flynn for keeps. But she’s let me down, your mother, and I’ve been thinking of ways to get even. And what would hurt her most? Some shit happening to her baby boy and girl, I reckon.’

Connor felt like he wanted to puke.

‘All I done for her,’ said Jeb. ‘Sorted things out, lots of things. Including that little hairdresser of yours she wanted rid of. Now she thinks she can blow me out like I was nothing? So let’s see what she makes of this, yeah? Knees first,’ said Jed, and surged forward, swinging the pickaxe high.

161

161

The kitchen was as disgusting as the lounge, but Aysha barely noted any of it as Bill Cleaver dragged her in there and slammed the door after them. He went to the back door, yanked it open, said: ‘Get!’ and the dogs swarmed outside. He shut the door after them and then stood looking at her. Aysha shrank back.

‘You piece of shit!’ she said, her face wet with terrified tears.

Bill only grinned at that and crossed the room. ‘See you in a second, girly,’ he said, and went back out into the hall.

The minute he was gone, Aysha started yanking open drawers. Forks, spoons, knives but too small to be any use. She looked on the worktops. Threw open the cupboards, banging her shin on a toolbox. ‘Fuck!’ she yelped, and bent and rubbed her leg and then lifted the lid and looked inside. No good. Well, maybe. Then she saw something else, in the far corner of the worktop. She grabbed what she needed, gathered her courage, and surged out into the hallway.