‘Back!’ he roared at Ray and pulled him to his feet. Both men ran towards the front of the house, where Charlie was revving the engine. To his credit, he hadn’t sped off when the shots were fired.

They jumped in and their driver put his foot to the floor and tried to reverse at speed out of the drive. The wheels slithered on the wet mud, slowing the car enough to give them time to see Vincent Carney stroll nonchalantly around the side of the house, his shotgun pointed at the windscreen.

‘He’s going to shoot at us,’ Ray yelled and all three men ducked. Mud from beside the car sprayed in all directions as the shot missed its target. The wheels finally found solid ground and the car jolted into action. Charlie kept his foot on the accelerator as they sped backwards a hundred yards. He sat up, pushed the gearstick into first and turned the car, just as another shot rang out, again wide of its target.

‘Make for the main road,’ Tom ordered. He pulled out his phone and dialled dispatch. ‘Detective Inspector Tom Reynolds of the NBCI. Immediate assistance needed. Shots fired at officers and a civilian. Where the hell are we? Charlie, give them directions.’ The inspector put the phone on speaker as Charlie shakily issued their exact location.

‘We need the Emergency Response Unit,’ Tom ordered, when they had the coordinates. ‘Suspect is armed with a shotgun.’

They’d arrived back out on the main road. Charlie crossed it, spun the car through one hundred and eighty degrees so it faced the lane, and slammed on the brakes. They sat there, all three of them watching the road they’d just come down, breathing heavily.

‘Is there another way out of the property?’ the inspector asked, his heart racing.

Their driver shook his head, too shocked to speak. He’d had enough adrenalin pumping through his veins to get them out of there, but now they were clear of immediate danger, he was almost paralysed with fear. The inspector gripped his shoulder.

‘You’re safe, man. We’ll see him coming.’

It took a moment for Charlie to find his voice.

‘Shit. I can’t … Who knew he had it in him? He could make a run for it on foot, over the fields at the back. But there’s nothing that way for miles.’

Tom turned to Ray.

‘Are you armed?’

His deputy nodded.

‘You?’

‘Yep. Not sure what use a Walther P99c will be against what he has, though.’ The inspector turned back to Charlie. ‘We have to watch for him, in case he tries to leave. Is that okay? We’ll need your vehicle, to give chase if he does. Is there a nearby house you could go to?’