Running upstairs to the guest bedroom where their personal safe was hidden behind a large set of white hand-carved drawers, Franny pushed the furniture out of the way. She bent down, punching in the code before opening the safe and beginning to count the money as she continued to listen to Ma talk.

‘I don’t have to give you anything, Franny Doyle. There are other bidders you know.’

Shocked, Franny froze. ‘What are you talking about?’

Ma chuckled. ‘Well Mia’s a little girl. The sort of people I know would pay a lot of money for her. Babies don’t come along that often.’

Losing all sense of composure, Franny screamed down the phone, ‘No, Ma! No! Oh Jesus Christ, you can’t even think that. Ma, listen to me, whatever you want I promise I’ll get it for you. Anything. Just don’t do anything stupid! Please, please!’ Tears filled her eyes as she fell to her knees.

‘Stupid? Getting a bit of money in my pocket ain’t stupid, and wherever that money comes from, it don’t bother me. Your readies are just as good or bad as the next person’s.’

Rocking back and forth on the floor, Franny begged into the phone, her words hard to hear as her sobbing drowned them out. ‘That’s not what we agreed, Ma. This was about not telling Alfie, but I’d rather him know. I’d rather he found out all about it than you do this.’

‘It ain’t your call though, not anymore. And when you come, I want to see Bree; though clearly, she doesn’t care that much about her daughter. I would’ve thought she’d have been on the blower to me already. So, make sure you bring her along, you hear me? Otherwise I might change me mind about doing business with you.’

As Ma cackled, Franny cried hysterically. She yelled, ‘Ma, please! Jesus Christ, please. Bree’s not here.’

‘What are you talking about?’

Franny’s words rushed out. ‘She’s … she’s had to go away … She’s … she’s not well. She couldn’t cope with the fact that Mia was gone.’

‘You seem to think that I care about your problems – well I don’t.’

In desperation, Franny shouted down the phone, ‘I’m going to call the police then!’

Ma roared with laughter before her voice dropped into a dark, nasty tone. ‘You listen here, Franny. Don’t ever threaten me. Never, never do that. You call the police, I’ll deny everything, and you will never see Mia again. Do you understand me?’

In the tiniest of voices, Franny replied, ‘Yes, yes … sorry.’

‘Now that’s more like it … and, Franny, make sure you’re here in an hour.’