‘I just don’t get why though – we’re all partners.’

Rubbing her temples from the pounding headache that was beginning to start, Franny said, ‘He thinks I owe him for the money I took from you both last year, and as you didn’t force me to pay him back, I guess he saw that as some kind of betrayal from you, and he decided to take matters into his own hands.’

‘By ripping us off?’

In full flow and starting to believe her own lies, Franny nodded. ‘Yeah, but he didn’t see it like that; he saw it as taking back what was his.’

Clearly not wanting to accept what Franny was saying, Alfie lit a cigarette. ‘Vaughn may be a lot of things, but to go behind my back like that, well it’s not like him. Are you sure you haven’t got this wrong, Fran?’

Franny looked at Alfie evenly. ‘I wish I had, but I think Vaughn’s been laying the groundwork for a long time.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘All those digs at me, trying to make out like I was up to something. Basically, trying to get you to turn against me.’

Alfie stared at Franny. It was true that Vaughn had kept trying to lay the seed of doubt about Franny, and it was true that the books weren’t balancing, but Vaughn, rip him off? It was so hard to believe, but then, when Franny had taken the two million pounds from them last year, albeit for good reason, that had been hard to believe as well. He supposed, when it came down to it, none of them were in this business because of their sainthoods. ‘So, why were you in the club?’

Not wanting to answer any more questions, Franny snapped, ‘Look, Alf, do we have to do this? The fact is I came to the club and we had a row. I found him taking the money out of the safe … as well as his passport. He’s gone, Alf.’

‘Gone? Where?’

‘I dunno, but I guess he realised that once I told you what he was up to, then things would get very difficult for him. I’m sorry, Alf, I know it’s hard to hear this. I was upset myself. After all, I thought we were all friends. I guess I was wrong.’

Franny smiled at Alfie, though her eyes were dark. When he was about to answer her, Alfie’s phone rang again. He answered it, still processing what Franny had said. ‘Yeah … shit … are you sure? … Okay, thanks.’

After a minute he put the phone down and looked at Franny, her whole face and body still covered in thick mud.