‘Trey’s got a gun, but he’s not waving it around or anything. Says Leon will get it if I don’t come back.’

‘You’re sure?’ James asked, as the pair kept walking towards the street exit at the front of the shop. ‘I can move in and get Leon out if you want.’

‘Trey just wants to get hold of that lying bastard Oli,’ Daniel explained. ‘Wouldn’t mind knowing what he’s up to myself. Little rip-off merchant …’

‘Take this,’ James said, passing over a lipstick-sized tube of pepper spray. ‘Bear attack formula,’ he warned. ‘Don’t stick around if you spray it in the car, ’cos the fumes alone can blind you.’

‘Nice one, Q.’

‘Keep safe.’

As Daniel headed out the automatic front door to a bus stop right outside, James grabbed vitamins off the nearest shelf and paid at the self-checkout so that he looked like a regular shopper as he strolled back into the car park.

16. STAPLES

James checked things were still calm inside Trey’s VW, before using a bus tracker app on his phone to work out when Oli would likely arrive. The app said seven minutes to wait when Oli and Daniel came out the back of the supermarket.

‘What’s back here?’ Oli asked, clearly having second thoughts.

Ten metres away, Trey was emerging from the VW. Oli tried doubling back inside the supermarket the instant he saw.

‘You get over here,’ Trey roared, as Daniel grabbed Oli by the back of his coat, then got an arm around his chest and started marching him.

‘Let go you prick,’ Oli shouted, backpack sliding down his arm. ‘You don’t know what you’re doing.’

‘I know you ripped us off,’ Daniel growled. ‘And you lied about doing the print shop for Trey.’

After a few stumbled paces, Oli got shoved to Trey, who dragged him into the car.

‘Door,’ Trey ordered, as Daniel stumbled in.

The driver moved off, with the VW protesting against the half-closed sliding door with bing-bong sounds. Once he’d slammed it shut, Daniel got back on the rear bench next to Leon. Oli tried to get between them but Trey shoved him face down in the half-metre gap between front and rear seats, then pinned him under a rigger boot.

‘You think I wouldn’t realise it was you that stole the key?’ Trey shouted. ‘I’ve been good to you, Oliver. Gave you jobs when others said you were too young to be trusted. And this is how you repay me?’

Trey had one boot on Oli’s back, and used the other one to deliver a kick to the side of his head. Not full strength, but enough to make him gasp.

‘You lack respect,’ Trey roared. ‘Messed up big time.’