It was dark now and the porch light had blown but I recognised the figure standing in the drive, the Range Rover behind him.

‘Thank you so much for coming,’ I said shyly, relieved I was no longer in my dressing gown. The night we’d just spent together seemed so long ago already. ‘But it’s all OK. The kids are back safely, thank God.’

‘Oh?’ Danny looked at me quizzically. I was so pleased my earlier assumptions had been wrong.

‘It was all just a hideous misunderstanding.’ I smiled at him, pulling my cardigan tighter against the cold evening. ‘I really appreciate your concern, though. Thank you. God, it’s cold tonight, isn’t it?’ I peered up at the great sky. I knew I was babbling with nerves. ‘Do you think it will snow?’

The night was colourless, full and heavy with the silence that always foretold snow.

‘I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick actually, Mrs Miller.’ Danny looked down at his feet for a second. ‘I’ve just brought a message, that’s all.’

‘Really?’ I said slowly, my heart sinking.

‘Aye, really.’ Danny’s voice was low, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. ‘I can’t spell it out any clearer than this, Rose. If you don’t stay away, OK, if you don’t leave Kattan’s family well alone, your weans will be in proper danger. Don’t ring, don’t speak to them, don’t do any research. Just leave everyone be.’

For a moment I was speechless.

‘Do you understand me?’ He looked up now and held my gaze.

‘Not really. Is Kattan threatening me?’ I held on to the wall for a second. It felt rough beneath my fingers. ‘Threatening my – my “weans”? Seriously?’

‘Maybe.’ He shrugged with what seemed like utter indifference.

‘Or sorry, perhaps you are?’ I found my voice now. ‘Is it you who is threatening my family?’

The blankness of his face bit into my soul as he shrugged again. ‘Not especially me.’

‘You bastard.’ I made to shut the door in his face, but he stopped it with his booted foot. He took his hands out of his pockets and I realised with horror he was holding the gun I’d seen the other day. He folded his hands behind his back. My heart was pounding; I could feel myself start to shake.

‘Listen to me, Rose.’ His tone was urgent now. ‘I don’t know where the bairns were earlier, but I do know this is deadly serious. I warned you before this is not a game. Stay away, before something really bad happens.’

We stared at one another for a moment. Then Danny stuck the gun in his waistband, zipped up his jacket so that it covered his mouth and chin, and he walked away from me, towards the great blank-eyed car he drove.