Ten minutes later she left the pub, and made her way towards Upney station. It was a few minutes’ walk. There were usually plenty of minicabs outside the station, and she climbed into the back seat of the first taxi as usual, pleased that she knew the cab driver a little. He had driven her home before, so they chatted amiably together until they arrived at her apartment building.

She paid him, and then walked quickly towards her home. As she was about to unlock the main door that led into the lift area of the flats, she heard someone calling her name. Turning towards the sound of the voice, she expected to see someone she knew, someone like her who was always on the lookout for company, but the man she saw was a complete stranger. Before she could say another word, she felt something come into contact with her skull.

It was all over in seconds.

Chapter Ninety-Three

Chapter Ninety-Three

‘Do you know what, Michael Flynn? If I didn’t know any better I would think you were trying to annoy me now.’ Josephine was joking, but the underlying question in her voice was clear.

Michael sighed. He hated all this ducking and diving, but it was a necessary evil – there was no other way to handle his wife. These days Josephine couldn’t cope with the truth. She was quite happy living in her little dream world. Sometimes it could be very wearing. He had to live in the real world – it was how he earned his living.

‘I just want to know if you think I should warn this Jonny bloke off, Josephine. I know that Jessie has been seeing him and, from what I can gather, he’s another complete fucking waster.’

Josephine sat down on her bed. She wasn’t sure what she should say – as much as Jessie’s lifestyle disappointed her, she wasn’t going to do anything that would alienate her daughter completely. She didn’t want to be the bad guy – that was Michael’s job.

She didn’t look at her husband as she said quietly, ‘What have you heard about this bloke, then?’

Michael snorted in derision. This was always the way – Josephine left him to find out everything of relevance where their daughter was concerned, then acted as if she was not expecting to hear what he told her.

‘Well, for starters, he’s forty-odd, has a wife and four kids and he’s a druggie. A cokehead to be exact and a small-time dealer, who thinks he’s a fucking big villain. And our Jessie is bankrolling him.’

Josephine put her head into her hands; she wasn’t shocked at her husband’s words, she was just disappointed in her daughter’s choice of man. Why she felt so dismayed she didn’t know – it was the same old story time and time again.