With a threatening air, Vaughn laughed. ‘Well I had to get someone – after all there was the small matter of me having to recover from what you did. Bullet wounds take time to heal – maybe you need a reminder of that?’ He stared at Franny, hatred oozing from his eyes.

‘I don’t need this – just move out of the way and let me leave. You have no right to stop me, and you have no right to hang on to Mia, especially as you let this crackhead look after my baby.’

Vaughn smiled nastily. ‘Your baby? Your baby, Franny? I think you’re losing the plot, darlin’.’

Franny snapped. ‘You know what I mean.’

‘Get this into your head. Mia has nothing to do with you. Nothing.’

Franny shook her head. ‘I don’t want to do this in front of her.’ She pointed at Shannon who responded by sticking her tongue out as she rocked Mia gently.

Vaughn shrugged. ‘Why not, Fran? Cos she knows what you’re like? She knows what a dark, evil bitch you are? You see, she watched you, Fran, after she’d taken Mia. She hid and watched you take that petrol can out of the car. I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for Shannon pulling me out of that fire. Unlike you thought, Shannon is my friend, and I’m hers. And friends look out for each other, hey, Shan?’

Shannon blushed with delight, her happiness complete as she grinned a toothless smile.

Turning his attention back to Franny, Vaughn said, ‘But then you wouldn’t know that; you wouldn’t know about friendship, would you? I mean, look what happened to poor Bree.’

Franny pointed at Vaughn, her voice on the edge of hysteria. ‘Don’t you dare, don’t you dare talk about Bree. You don’t know anything.’

Vaughn took a quick gulp of the scotch, enjoying the burn at the back of his throat. ‘I know enough, and I know anybody who gets close to you, Franny, ends up getting hurt.’

Franny, still shaking, glowered. ‘Get out of my way, Vaughn.’

‘Oh no, not this time. I’m afraid I can’t do that because we’re waiting for a visitor.’

Franny blanched. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘They should be here any minute now.’ Vaughn grinned as he looked at his watch. He began to count down, mouthing the numbers, when suddenly there was a knock on the front door. He winked at Franny. ‘Bang on time … I’ll be back in a minute.’

Leaving Franny standing there, Vaughn rushed out of the room, but a moment later he returned, followed by several police officers. He pointed at Franny. ‘That’s her, that’s Franny.’

The tallest police officer walked up to her, trying to pull her hands behind her back. ‘Franny Doyle, I’m arresting you on suspicion of murder …’