Jason smiled, gratified to have Joe’s full attention. ‘We even tried to do business with him. And collar him, obviously. The first time round he must have smelt a rat. Perhaps even traced our IP back to the nick. We never even got an answer. So the second time we covered our tracks. Managed to get hold of him. Arranged a rental. He gave us a location. Somewhere nice and open. But he never showed. Probably had us for police before we even reached the meet. So whoever it is, he’s so low profile as to be almost invisible. You find him, you might just have the man who provided the shooters.’

Joe nodded slowly. ‘I will. In the meantime you keep the information coming, right? I find you’re holding anything back…’

‘You won’t. I know which side the butter goes.’

Joe turned the dead eyes on him one last time. ‘Yeah. Just make sure you don’t land butter side down.’

Felgate got out of the car and walked away. Leaving Joe wondering if his bent copper ever felt that itch between the shoulder blades. The one that came with the fear that he’d dined with the devil using too short a spoon. Eddie walked past him and climbed into the car in his place.

‘You got anyone who knows the dark web?’

Eddie, not stupid, but no sort of expert on the internet, shook his head. ‘I thought that was all just drugs. The Silk Road and that.’

Joe shook his head. ‘Well apparently they’ve moved into renting out guns. So we need a hacker to help us track down whoever it was rented the gun that shot my guys. I suggest you get one.’

18

The WhatsApp message had arrived on Mickey’s phone three months before. Unexpected and jaw-droppingly straight to the point.

‘I know about your sister. I know what killed her. I know who dealt it.’

He’d frowned at the screen. Wondering if this was some sort of trolling. But kept reading.

‘I know you want the people who killed her to pay. So do I.’

Do you now? he thought. And why would that be? Did you know Katie? Why else would you give a shit?

‘I can give you that revenge. Proper, biblical revenge. Old Testament.’

Biblical? As in an eye for an eye?

‘I can tell you where to strike. Where the man who was ultimately responsible for Katie’s death can be hurt the most. I can give you enough on Joe Castagna’s organisation that you’ll be able to kick the legs out from under him. Time and time and time again. Enough to finish him.’

Finish him? Bloody hell. Mickey went from yeah so what to near incredulity in the blink of an eye.

‘All you have to bring to the party are the weapons and the ability to use them. And the anger. You must be angry.’