‘Don’t do that … Just don’t.’

Again, Ma roared with laughter, the sound mixing with Mia’s distressed cries. ‘He doesn’t know, does he? He doesn’t know about Mia.’

‘Of course he does. He’s her father, isn’t he?’

‘Or is it Bree he doesn’t know about?’

‘What are you talking about?’

Ma’s voice dripped with scorn although she spoke quietly. ‘Oh, Franny, who are you trying to kid? Something’s going on, I’m no fool. Bree was always a sly little bitch, and it doesn’t surprise me that you’re the same. And for one moment there I thought you had me … For one minute I really thought I’d have to hand back this little snot bag to you. But it turns out for one reason or another you don’t want Alfie to know what’s going on.’

Unable to hold her temper, Franny screamed down the phone, ‘Listen to me, Ma, you better just hand her over to me, you understand? This ain’t got nothing to do with Alfie.’

‘Why don’t we let him be the judge of that.’ The hoot of laughter from Ma incensed Franny more.

‘If you phone him, you’ll regret it. I’m warning you, Ma.’

‘No, Franny, I’m warning you: if you don’t give me what I want, then you’ll regret it because I will be phoning Alfie … Now this is how it’s going to go. I’m going to decide how much I want for Mia, and then I’ll call and let you know. Understand?’

Paling and barely able to speak, Franny nodded her head. ‘Perfectly.’

Ma chuckled nastily. ‘Good. And in the meantime, I think I’m going to pay that little mare a visit. I think it’s high time me and Bree had a chat about old times.’

And with that, Ma put down the phone, leaving Franny standing in the pouring rain. But a minute later, she began to run, jumping in her car and speeding off with only one thing on her mind.

22

Franny sat outside Bree’s maisonette. Her head was whirling from the revelation but if she didn’t lose it, if she didn’t panic, then she could get it sorted and get Mia back. She’d tried to call Charlie, not that she knew what she was going to say, but she needed to get to him before Alfie did, though she knew that was dangerous. The minute Charlie Eton smelt weakness, he was sure to take advantage of it.

Sighing, she looked at herself in the driver’s mirror. She could see the tiny line of stress forming between her eyebrows. She could see her skin was paler than usual and she could see the fear in her eyes.

‘Franny.’