Deciding to make herself a drink to stop feeling nauseous, Franny switched on the coffee machine. The smell of fresh beans wafted into the air. She spoke quickly, an array of thoughts rushing through her mind. ‘How did you get on yesterday? Is everything set for today? I thought maybe I’d go and see Charlie again, ask him about Mia.’

‘I thought you said he didn’t know anything.’

Franny shrugged. ‘That is what he said, but in light of everything, I’d like to speak to him again, see if there’s anything – even the smallest of things that might help try to find her. Sorry. You didn’t say how you got on …’

‘I sorted it. Hopefully we’ll have enough, more than enough, but you never know with this kind of thing. With any luck, because Barry’s a small fish, the auction will only attract the scum with no money, rather than the scum with money, because that’s when it becomes a problem. Once I’m outbid, there’s nothing I can do. I’ve asked myself a thousand times if I should get the police involved, but I know it will only make it worse for Taylor.’

‘And Mia.’

Alfie lit a cigarette, drawing on it deeply. ‘Exactly. Barry will dispose of Taylor the minute the police go sniffing around, so it’s just too risky. And the tragic thing is, nobody would miss Taylor. Barry could dig a grave in Epping Forest and nobody would ever know.’

Franny shivered, becoming tense. ‘Jesus, Alf, what’s wrong with you?’

‘It’s the truth.’

She stared at him as images of Bree came into her mind; as if she could hear the noise of Bree’s limbs breaking and the sound of her body being dragged through the forest. ‘You still don’t need to say it though. We both know what will happen if we don’t deal with this properly … So, go on then, how much did you manage to get? Who lent it you?’

Alfie exhaled before he said, ‘Half a million. I got it from Mr Huang.’

Franny could almost feel herself paling. She raised her voice, furious and frustrated. ‘Are you fucking stupid? You went to the Triads to get money, and not even some money, but half a million pounds. You have lost your mind, Alfie. You need to give it back. You hear me? You need to give it back.’ Franny slammed her fist on the table, sending her cup of coffee onto the floor.

Raging, Alfie stood up, flipping the table over in anger, sending it crashing across the room. ‘It won’t make a difference, will it? Even if I took the money back now, I’ll still have to pay the interest. You know that as well as I do. The minute I walked out of that place with it, then bang, I owe them.’