‘I have already got people out there searching for her, the Old Bill included, useless fuckers that they are. But I swear on my fucking eyesight, when I find out what’s gone down, I will fucking kill the bastards responsible with my bare hands. How dare they! How dare anyone think they could touch my daughter and live to tell the fucking tale!’

Michael was stalking around the office of the nightclub in Ilford. He was so angry he couldn’t even breathe properly. There was no doubt in his mind now; his Jessie was missing. It was over three days, and that wasn’t normal, even for her. She was a fucking nuisance, living her life like a fucking hippy but, as much as she thought she was some kind of enigma, she was actually very predictable. Not that he would ever explain that to her, the dozy little mare. It suited him for her to think she was a fucking maverick, a fucking independent woman. As if. Without him and his protection she would have gone under a long time ago. She had more problems than the euro and, in real life, if she had to sort things out for herself, she would be seriously fucked. But she was still his baby, and he couldn’t turn his back on her.

Declan Costello watched Michael as he stalked around the small office; it was unusual to see him so flustered. He always kept his cool, no matter what happened. But this was different, Declan understood that; this was about his kid.

Declan sat back in his chair, heart-sorry for his friend. ‘It can’t be a kidnapping, Michael – you’d have heard from them by now. It’s fucking mental! No one can just disappear like that.’

Michael sighed heavily. ‘That’s just it though, Declan – they can.’

Declan knew what Michael was trying to say, and he shook his huge head violently in denial. Who would bother to kill Jessie? People disappeared, that was a given, but there was always a reason.

‘Fuck off, Michael! Will you listen to yourself? Why on earth would anyone want to kill young Jessie? It’s ludicrous.’

Michael Flynn stood in front of his old friend, and he said honestly, ‘Think about it, Declan. You know what she’s like. I want to kill her myself half the time. She’s got a fresh mouth on her, she talks to people like they’re shit. I warned her time and again that, one day, if she wasn’t careful, her big mouth would get her into real trouble. She pushes everything, pushes everyone.’