‘My God, Tommy, you’d kill anyone, wouldn’t you? Without another thought? I admit I could have wrung his bloody neck, and a good hiding would have been compulsory, but I’d never have topped them. They weren’t worth topping. They were nothings, no ones. Shit on my fucking shoes! How dare you do that without telling me? How dare you take something like that on yourself and expect me to be grateful!’

‘Well, that’s rich, Briony, I must say. Here’s me trying to help...’

‘Don’t give me that old bollocks, Lane. You wanted an out. Well, you’ve achieved what you set out to do, you’ve got your out, and your big fucking finale into the bargain. Only don’t expect me to drop to me knees with thankfulness. It ain’t gonna happen.’

Tommy stood up.

‘Before I go - about the businesses. I’m staying as a sleeping partner. I’ll send you details of where to bank me money.’

Briony cut him off. ‘Sleeping partner? More like a fucking coma victim! You never ran the houses or the clubs-I did. And I didn’t feel the urge to kill all and sundry while I did it. You know something, Tommy Lane? One day you’ll go too far. You always did before. It was me who was the sensible one, the voice of reason. Remember that next time you feel the urge to batter someone’s brains out.’

‘Well, then. We know where we stand, don’t we? I’m off.’

Tommy walked to the bedroom door.

‘Goodbye, Briony.’

She watched him leave the room, then sat on the edge of the bed, her face buried in her hands, tears forcing their way through her fingers.

Tommy was gone, she was really alone. Empty at last of any real feeling, she dried her eyes. She herself was the only person she could ever rely on from this day forward. It was Briony Cavanagh against the world, and this Briony was a harder, sleeker version than the previous one. Because she had no one at all now except herself.

Tommy drove himself home, his heart light inside his chest. He had achieved what he had set out to do. Briony would be fuming with him for what she thought he’d done. But her mind would be at rest with the thought that her secrets were safe. She had broken with him, and so he would try and make a life of sorts without her. His need for her was as strong as ever, but he had to try and live without her.

As he parked outside his house he glanced at his watch. At this moment Kevin Carter was driving Elizabeth O’Malley and her son to Liverpool. They were frightened out of their wits, and both knew better than ever to open their mouths about Briony.