Suzy, though, wasn’t letting him get off that lightly. She followed him. Bursting out into the hallway, she launched herself at him, nails and hair flying.

‘You big gormless bastard! You walk out of this house and that’s it, the finish! I mean it!’

Boysie grabbed at her wrists and held her away from him.

‘Enough!’ Daniel’s voice was scandalised. ‘I ain’t never heard anything like it in my life!’

Boysie and Suzy stared at him. He had come through the front door as Suzy’s mother had left. He’d been waiting in the hall for the fight to finish before showing himself. Now, however, he had listened to enough from Suzy Rankins, as he still thought of her.

‘Listen here, darlin’, you married a fucking man. Ever heard of one of them, have you? If you wanted a nine to fiver, love, you should have spent your time down at the Ilford Palais or some other dive full of civil servants and insurance brokers. You wanted the excitement of being Mrs Cavanagh. Well, you’ve had your day, darlin’. Most dogs get one, you know. So shut your fucking trap up and give us both a bit of peace!’

Suzy stood stock still, the naked hatred in her brother-in-law’s face enough to stem any further words from her.

She looked at Boysie, expecting him to defend her, but he stared at her, eyes like flint. She knew that this humiliation in front of his brother would cut deep, and felt a prickle of fear then at what she had done. Her breathing was erratic in her chest. Pain constricted her windpipe, made her eyes water. Fear emanated from her in waves. Looking at her, Boysie wondered why he couldn’t smell it. It was acute, almost tangible.

So great was his temper, his feeling of complete humiliation at his brother witnessing his domestic strife, he could easily have wrung her neck.

‘Boysie...’ It was a plea.

Turning from her abruptly, he walked from the house. Danny shook his head at her and poked a finger into her chest.

‘You’ll push him too far, girl, then you’ll be sorry. But if ever I hear you carry on like that again, you’ll have me to deal with and all. Just remember this. He raised you, darlin’, when he married you, and he could cast you back down any time he wanted to.’

DC Sefton sat before DI Belling dressed in his straight gear. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail and his earring had been removed. He accepted the proffered cup of coffee and sipped the scalding liquid cautiously.

‘So, Sefton, what’s the buzz on the streets?’

He shrugged.