Michael looked at his old friend as if he had never seen him before. ‘Oh, stop it, Declan. This isn’t CSI, for fuck’s sake. Gil Grissom isn’t going to miraculously find the cunt’s name out before the sixty minutes is up. You and I both know that’s a fucking big stretch for anyone’s imagination. Most people’s fingerprints aren’t on any database, unless you’ve been nicked, and DNA takes weeks to process. Even then they can only match it with a name if they happen to have the fucker’s DNA there to start with. Can’t see that, can you?’

‘I just think you should use whatever you can, Michael.’

Michael shook his head sadly. ‘All I can do now is wait until the bastard contacts me again.’

Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen

Chapter One Hundred
and Fourteen

Michael had rung the number from the letter over and over again. Nothing. It was a waste of his time, but he couldn’t stop himself. The phone didn’t even fucking ring; it was probably a cheap throwaway. He couldn’t understand why the person involved didn’t seem bothered about making contact with him. If this had been a shake-down, a call for cash, then he would have heard something long before now. Michael felt sick with apprehension. There wasn’t anyone he could think of with the guts to do something like this to him; he was too big, too respected for anyone to think they could dare get away with something like this. But he couldn’t find out a fucking thing – even the police were stumped. He just sat in his home, waiting for a call, for another letter to be delivered, anything at all that might lead him to his daughter.

Jake bowled into the room, all smiley-faced. He smelt clean, and his sturdy little body looked bigger than ever. Michael ruffled his hair, pleased to see him, proud of the boy.

‘Hello, Granddad! I’ve been learning my seven times table.’

Michael laughed at his grandson’s complete enjoyment of his little life.

‘Have you now! Very important, you know, learning your times tables.’

Jake nodded in absolute agreement. ‘I know that, Granddad! Dana reckons it’s what sorts the men from the boys!’

Dana laughed at his words. She was already making Jake’s breakfast, and Michael laughed with her.

‘Well, Dana knows about these things, Jake, so listen to her.’

Jake was pleased to hear his granddad sound happy. Jake hated the tension in the house. His nana was very sad, she didn’t seem like her usual self. His nana had fallen out with his granddad, he had heard them shouting at each other. It was very worrying – other than Dana they were all he had in the world. He hadn’t seen his mum for a long time and he was feeling very anxious about her too.