The owner of the café, Salvatore, treated Mackerel well, often giving him free coffees. Mackerel sometimes tried to pay, but Salvatore made a big show of refusing, drawing attention to both of them, until Mackerel had stopped trying. Salvatore had once been a money launderer for the Business, but had given it up years ago, and he saw in Mackerel a kind of kindred spirit. Both of them were people who had left the drug game behind.

Mackerel’s coffee sat forgotten on the table. He was watching the short woman at the counter intensely. She had frizzy blonde hair, high heels and a blue designer summer dress. Shelby Dempsey. A tall, good-looking teenage boy stood beside her, scowling with impatience – her son, Kane.

Mackerel was caught in the agony of decision paralysis, so much so that he found himself sweating, his stomach clenched.

Shelby ordered some food and she and her son took a seat in the takeaway waiting area.

If he wanted to know what was happening with Forest, there was no one else he could ask. His brother, Davey, wouldn’t tell him anything. His mother, Ivy, wouldn’t even look at him.

But there was a chance Shelby would speak to him. She was Davey’s wife, but he hadn’t seen either her or Kane since he’d come back to Shacktown. There was the possibility they didn’t hate him. But he’d have to decide soon, before her food was ready and she was gone.

The trouble was, if Davey found out Mackerel had spoken to Shelby, he’d beat him black and blue.

The story Ivy told everyone in town was that Mackerel had tried to kidnap Davey for ransom. The truth was different but, in Mack’s mind, just as bad: in drug-fuelled psychosis, he had tried to take over the Business.

Davey should’ve killed him for mutiny, but instead he’d exiled him. A sign of brotherly affection, but Mackerel was still paying the price. The ache in his leg was testament to the beating he’d received.

After that, he should never have returned to Shacktown, but it was obvious to all that Mackerel wasn’t a threat to anyone anymore, least of all Davey. While his mother ensured Mackerel was disdained by most of the town, at least Davey was merciful enough to understand that if Mackerel hadn’t come back to Shacktown, he’d be in prison right now. There was no other place for him.

Mackerel watched a local woman approach Shelby, give her a big hug. Shelby hugged her back, nodding at whatever the woman said. He knew that they must’ve been speaking about Forest. He licked his dry lips – he wanted to speak to her, but he knew he shouldn’t.