She spoke in a hushed tone, looking nervous. ‘I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know who this Alan is, but coming to my door like this isn’t how it goes. So, I’d be grateful if you could leave.’

Alfie bent down to her, his face inches away. ‘No, I’m not going anywhere because I’m at the right place, aren’t I?’

Nervously, the woman stared at Alfie. ‘Whoever this bloke is, he had no right giving out my address. Like I say, that’s not how it works. You could be anybody.’

The woman tried to close the door but Alfie jammed his foot in it as Franny stepped next to him. His voice was low and threatening. ‘I just want a word.’

‘Sally, what’s going on?’ a man’s voice from behind the woman called out. He appeared briefly, but seeing Alfie, he frowned then suddenly darted back.

Alfie pushed the door open with force, slamming the woman out of the way, who fell to the floor screeching.

Following Alfie, Franny ran inside, closing the door behind her, but she stayed with the woman as Alfie charged into the bedroom.

Seeing the man trying to climb out of the window onto the small balcony, Alfie, still holding his gun, ran across, grabbing hold of the man’s legs, dragging him back. He grappled with him as the man fought hard. He took a swing at Alfie and picked up the chair in the corner, throwing it across the room before trying to make his escape over the bed.

Alfie pointed his gun. ‘I’d stop right there if I were you.’

The man just stared at Alfie then slowly reached down and picked up a toddler who’d been asleep in a cot.

The man smirked. ‘You might as well put the gun down, because you and I both know you’re not going to shoot.’

Alfie said nothing as he watched the man back out of the bedroom carrying the young child. But not having seen Franny enter the flat, the man stepped into the hallway where Franny quietly walked up behind him, hitting him hard over the head, knocking him out cold as Alfie ran forward to catch the falling child.

37

It was another half an hour before the man, who Sally had informed them was called Anthony, regained consciousness – though when he did so, he found himself tied to one of the kitchen chairs.

Pulling at his hands, which were bound behind him, Anthony glared at Alfie. ‘Untie me now! I said, untie me now.’

Alfie walked up to him and shook his head as he stared back at Anthony, who was sitting next to Sally – also tied – to another chair.