He raised his hand, and to her annoyance, she flinched. She assumed he was going for her throat, but instead he ran his index finger gently down her cheek. ‘Where is it then?’

‘As if I’d tell you,’ she snapped.

‘Well phone your police buddies then, Grace. Either we both go to prison, or neither of us do. It’s your choice.’

Shit! What was her next move? Of course she’d destroyed the evidence. She’d done as she was told. Like she’d always done. And he knew it. God, he was the most devious, manipulative bastard she’d ever met in her life. But as good as he was, she was better.

She closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at his smug, smiling face any longer. He was going to pay for this. She’d make sure of it.

‘Thought so,’ he said. ‘You might think you’re a big player now, but you don’t have the balls to cross me. You never will. Don’t ever forget that.’ He walked away from her and pulled out a chair before sitting on it and resting his feet on the kitchen table. He started to blow smoke rings across the kitchen. ‘That was a good try though, Grace. You almost had me for a second there. Maybe you have learned something from me after all. But I’m very disappointed in you. Trying to use Tommy against me. I never thought you’d stoop so low. But your willingness to bring it up, and even incriminate yourself, to protect Jake, makes me wonder what else you’d do to protect our son.’

She frowned at him. What the hell was he on about now?

‘You remember that gun Jake told you about the other night? The one he waved in Jimmy Dillon’s face? Well that gun was used in an armed robbery the week before. That armed robbery where the driver was shot. Did you hear about it?’

Grace’s heart started to beat at an alarming rate and her stomach churned.

‘Well our Jake’s prints are all over that gun because he fired it too. Remember? Now I also happen to know that Jake was sleeping off a hangover in my flat when that robbery happened. And what with me being his dad, and a convicted criminal, well I wouldn’t be much of a credible alibi witness now, would I? As much as I could protest he was with me, who would listen, eh? The very fact that he’s my son would be enough to convince anyone he could have done it. Now, I currently have that gun secured in a very safe place. But if for some reason, it should fall into the wrong hands,’ he said, mimicking her earlier threat to him, ‘then he would be looking at a very long stretch indeed. Don’t you think?’