‘They sold him, and we’re just looking after him until the new owners come and get him. I swear he’s fine. Look at him – he’s well looked after. He’s a happy boy. I always change him, I always …’

Alfie bellowed, cutting into the woman’s words. ‘Shut up! Shut up, you warped bitch! Do you hear what you’re saying to me? Do you understand what shit is coming out of your mouth? You’re talking about him as if he’s just about to go to Disneyland instead of going to be abused by God knows who for God knows how long.’

‘It’s not always like that!’

With his face curled up with hatred, Alfie hissed, ‘I don’t care if it’s like that only once. Once is too much, you hear me?’

‘I’m only saying.’

Alfie lunged out and grabbed Sally’s face. He squeezed it hard between his fingers, fighting back the tears. ‘Don’t push it. Don’t push me. Because I am so close to putting a bullet in your head. Do you understand?’

Terrified, Sally nodded as Alfie let go of her. She continued to talk. ‘What I mean is, sometimes we look after kids who are simply changing hands. You know, someone can’t afford their kid, or don’t want them and the dealers buy them and then ask us to look after them until the new parents are found.’

‘You make it sound like it’s all rosy.’

Sally shrugged. ‘I’m just trying to explain the difference, that’s all.’

‘And what about the others? Because, fuck me, what you’ve told me is bad enough, but what about the other side of that coin? What about this kid here?’ Alfie nodded towards the toddler and as he did so he caught a glimpse of the strain on Franny’s face. He tried to smile at her, but he couldn’t manage it; what Sally was saying was too unbearable.

‘He’ll be all right. The person who bought him lives in Japan. They’ll give him a good home … but there are the others who get sold for other reasons.’

Alfie rubbed his head, which was now pounding with a migraine. ‘What is wrong with you? How can you live with yourself?’

‘It’s money, ain’t it? We all have to earn our keep.’

Alfie stood up and began to pace, anger and disgust running through him in equal measure. ‘I could be starving on the fucking street and you would never get me to come even close to doing what you do. I would rather die.’

The woman’s eyes flashed with irritation. ‘It’s not like I’m the one who’s abusing them though, is it?’