‘My father, does he know you’ve got me? He will pay you a lot of money if you ask him to. Have you asked him for anything? What does he know?’

The man didn’t answer; he just stared at her, as if he couldn’t hear her. It was a very nerve-racking experience.

He dropped his cigarette on to the floor and put it out, slowly grinding it under his foot into the concrete floor. Then he shook his head, smiling at her as if it was a great joke. ‘No, of course I haven’t contacted him. Why on earth would I do that?’

His voice was almost conversational as though he expected her to have an answer for him. He was even looking at her quizzically. She felt the cold hand of fear clutching at her heart. None of this made any sense. Why had this man taken her?

‘But surely money is what this is about? My father will pay for me, my mum will see to that. I mean, why else would you even bring me here in the first place? It doesn’t make any fucking sense.’

He lit another cigarette, drawing on it noisily, but he didn’t bother to answer her. Jessie threw her cigarette butt on to the floor at his feet, getting more worked up.

‘Do you even know who my father is? Don’t you realise exactly who you are dealing with? My father is not a man to try and have over in any way. He is very dangerous if he’s crossed. He will be searching everywhere for me. You better understand that, and stop this before it goes too far.’ She sounded petulant even to her own ears, but she was still reeling from his words. If he hadn’t been in touch with anyone, how was she ever to escape? How could anyone find her? If this wasn’t about money, about shaking down her old man, then what the hell did this fucking nutbag want with her?

The man settled himself on the end of the bed and, shrugging gently, he looked at her frightened face, and he said seriously, ‘This isn’t about you, Jessie. It never was. This is about your father. Michael Flynn. This is about payback. This is about reminding him that the past is always there, no matter how much he might have tried to forget about it. I certainly haven’t. When I finally decide to deliver you to your parents, young lady, you will be as dead as a fucking doornail. That was always the plan.’

‘But why? What have I ever done to you?’ Jessie was sobbing now.