It had been a test. Toni had just been testing her nerves. She guessed she’d passed.

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Just a simple accountant who got in way over her head.’

Toni scrutinised her. ‘I like you, Bailey. You’re not a pussy. I feel like we’re on the same wavelength. We need people like you on our team.’ She flipped the shank in her hand so the handle was pointing towards Bailey. ‘Here. Take it. It’s yours. If you’re going to be a member of the Ace Blade Crew, you’re going to need a blade, right?’

‘Yeah… I guess.’

Bailey took the shank from Toni. She examined it, turning it over in her hands. It was simple and utilitarian – a single piece of metal about seven inches long, one end bound with tape to form a crude handle. The blade was filed razor sharp on both edges and it tapered off to a narrow vicious point. It weighed very little but was clearly capable of doing some serious damage as Toni had been only too keen to demonstrate just a few moments earlier.

‘That’s the only kind of stiletto you’ll be wearing in here,’ said Toni.

Bailey loathed the idea of carrying a knife, let alone actually using one, but she knew that this was as much a badge of membership as the tattoo.

‘Thanks,’ she said, forcing a grateful smile onto her face.

Was that the reason she had been asked to come here? So that Toni could give her a shank?

Toni seemed to read her thoughts. ‘Probably wondering why I asked you to come here, huh?’

‘It did cross my mind.’

‘I think it’s time for you to do your first job for us.’ She glanced around again even though the cell was quite clearly empty apart from the two of them. ‘It’s top secret.’

She stood up and walked to the cell door. She turned around and looked at Bailey, who was still sitting on the bunk.

‘Well, what are you waiting for?’

Bailey stood up and followed her out of the cell. Toni walked fast, with a purpose, and Bailey hurried to keep up with her. They traversed the length of the landing, the other inmates dissolving rapidly out of their way as soon as they recognised Toni. They descended the metal stairwell at the far end of the landing, going all the way to the ground floor.

From the huge echoing galleries, they proceeded down into the dank basement corridors beneath B-Wing, Bailey getting more and more curious as to the nature of their destination. Judging by her confident stride, Toni seemed to know her way around every last murky recess and cloistered passage of this decrepit Victorian pile.

The sound of machinery and power tools echoed through the corridors as they got closer to the prison workshop. As they passed by it, Bailey glanced through the small window in the door, catching a glimpse of inmates in welding masks manipulating white-hot oxyacetylene torches.