Natalie looked suitably scandalised, and that pleased Jessie. It was exactly the reaction she had wanted to create.

‘You will be careful, Jessie, won’t you? Promise me.’

Jessie laughed in delight. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’m always careful, Nat.’

Natalie Childs shook her head slowly in disbelief; she couldn’t believe her friend was so willing to take such chances, knowing the trouble it could cause. Everyone knew her dad wasn’t a man to cross – not that she would ever say that to Jessie outright, of course. Her family’s name and reputation had never been spoken of outright, but it had always been there between them. Jessie’s father was a dangerous man, and if he found out what his Jessie was getting up to, Christ Himself only knew what the consequences would be. Jessie just didn’t seem to give a damn.

‘You’re mad, Jessie. You can’t keep all this up for ever.’

Jessie laughed, a deep husky chuckle that sounded far too old and knowledgeable for her years. ‘You’re probably right, Nat, but I really couldn’t give a fuck either way.’

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Terence Brown was not a tall man, but what he lacked in height he made up for in width. He spent a lot of time in the gym, and his body showed that devotion. He wore clothes to accentuate his build. He wasn’t a handsome man, but had an interesting face, and he looked very amiable and friendly. People assumed he was approachable – his countenance led people to think he was willing to open up a dialogue with them. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Terence Brown was a man who could pick a fight with a novice nun if the mood was on him. He saw the majority of the people in the world as no more than an irritation, none more so than the people who insisted on attempting to engage him in pointless conversations. He made his living by collecting outstanding debts; they were always for huge amounts of money, and employing Terence Brown was the last resort. He could track any debtor, no matter where in the world they might have travelled to. He was like a bloodhound. He could sniff the fuckers out, and track them down with an ease that was as fast as it was unexpected.