Jordan didn’t know who they were talking about, but it was clear they were waiting for someone. He considered his options. He knew he couldn’t take both of them. He had no choice but to attack them separately, maybe when one of them came out here for the toilet. It was one of three doors off the small entrance hall he found himself in. He tried the other doors and they were also open. He checked them out without switching any of the lights on. There was enough moonlight coming through the windows to work out that they were dumping rooms full of junk.

When he came back out to the entrance, he heard a car. He went to the window overlooking the landing at the top of the stairs and peered through gingerly. It was the two coppers he’d seen hand over the cash for the address. He didn’t know what else to do for now apart from slip into one of the other rooms unseen. He closed the door behind him and listened to the two men coming up the metal staircase. They reached the top and made their way to the main room, banging on the door.

Jordan found that the room he was in contained several doors, and as his vision improved in the dark, he realised that one connected the storeroom to the main room. The door was ajar, and he could hear the exchanges clearly.

‘Where’s the rest of the party?’ one of the coppers said. ‘They deserted you?’

‘Fuck off.’

Jordan didn’t think the guests were expected, but they were known.

‘Pleasure as always.’

He saw a faint glow of blue light through the window and went to check it out. Three police cars were approaching. Jesus, that was all they needed: more bent coppers. But then he saw Kelly Porter getting out of one of the vehicles and realised that this was the genuine raid turning up. He was running out of time. He made his decision.

He went back to the connecting door and brought out the two knives he’d taken from home. Then he took a deep breath and entered the main room.

‘What the fuck?’ Adam was the first to spot him. Jordan glanced at Will and the other police officer.

‘Jordan!’ Will said.

Jordan held the knives up in front of him.

‘You know him?’

‘Yes, Jason, he’s the son of the woman your brother killed in Potton Park.’

The Cotton brothers stared at him.

‘What’s your plan, Jordan?’ Will asked. ‘Come for revenge? They’re not worth it, lad, believe me, and they’re going down anyway.’

Neither Jason nor Adam moved. They weren’t quite sure what was going on. Jordan had definitely made the most of the element of surprise. But he didn’t know what to do next. He’d just heard the police officer confirm that Adam had killed his mother.