The previous year, terrified that Lucy was getting in too deep during an undercover assignment, which just conceivably could have threatened one of McCracken’s own operations, Cora had contacted the gangster, explaining their daughter’s role in it and begging for her safety. Lucy’s life had been spared, but her cover was blown and weeks of careful policework wasted. At the time, Lucy had been quite sincere when swearing at Cora that she would never speak to her again. Events had eventually conspired to bring them back together – if somewhat stiltedly, though it was not a scenario Cora wished to revisit under any circumstances.

McCracken looked unconcerned by the outburst. ‘Has she mentioned anything in passing about a bunch of cowboys doing shoot-’em-up blags around Manchester?’

‘Are you not listening to me?’ Cora retorted. ‘I said I can’t talk to you.’

‘Cora … this is serious.’

‘Oh, it’s always bloody serious … at least as far as you’re concerned. And what is it you do, Frank? Oh yeah, Lucy told me. You extort money from other criminals.’ She made no effort to conceal her disgust. ‘And if they don’t cough up, you have them killed. Is that what this is about? This new bunch of maniacs … the Crew not getting their cut? So they’ve sent you along?’

‘For once, love, this is not about money. These men are wreaking absolute bloody havoc. They’re highly dangerous … they carry sub-machine guns, for Christ’s sake! And they’re not frightened to use them. Now, if Lucy hasn’t mentioned these guys already, she needs clueing in at the first opportunity.’

‘You what?’ Cora scoffed. ‘You’re here to give her a heads-up? Is that what you’re saying? I mean, how stupid do you think I am?

‘Look, I’ve done some digging around this, and at present these bastards can outgun anyone … anyone. Are you hearing that, Cora?’ He gave her a long, flat stare. ‘At some point soon there’ll be an absolute massacre. And it could easily be that the dead bodies are coppers.’

Cora glared at him, lips clamped but visibly trembling. At length, she turned away and sat on the armchair. McCracken walked around to face her. He knew from previous conversations that the one chink in Cora’s armour was her daughter’s safety. In truth, he didn’t think there was much chance that the police would get into a firefight with these new kids on the block, but Cora was tortured night and day by worries that something bad might happen to Lucy when she was on duty.

Even so, this reaction was more than he’d expected; she’d literally gone pale with fear.

‘Hit a nerve, have I?’ he said curiously.

‘You’re not lying about this?’ she said in a terse voice.

‘Do you really think I would?’

‘I’ve seen nothing in the newspapers about these robberies.’