Raymond led his inconsolable niece back to the safety of the car. He had to tell her the truth before the coppers did the honours. Sitting Frankie in the passenger seat, Raymond crouched down and held her hands. ‘Mummy’s dead, Frankie. I’m so, so sorry,’ he said, as another ambulance and more police back-up arrived.

‘Mum’s not dead. What about her baby? She can’t be dead,’ Frankie whimpered.

‘It was an accident, Frankie. I’m sorry,’ Raymond responded, hugging her fragile body in his arms.

As white as a ghost, Frankie shook like a leaf. ‘I want my mum, I need to see her!’ she screamed hysterically.

The police came over to tell Raymond and Frankie that the ambulance was waiting to take them to hospital. ‘You’ll be treated for shock. We’re going to need to take statements from both of you later,’an officer informed Raymond.

Raymond nodded. He had already told the police that he had brought Frankie here to see her mum and found Jessica and Eddie both shot. ‘It’s obvious someone wanted to kill them, and thought they’d succeeded,’ he told the shell-shocked copper.

‘I want Joey. Ring Joey for me,’ Frankie wailed, as she was helped into the ambulance.

Raymond sat opposite her with his head in his hands. How the hell was he meant to tell his mum and dad that both Jessica and the baby were dead?

Unaware of the carnage, Jed was sat drinking a beer and soaking his sore feet in a trailer over in Basildon. Fearful of losing his life, he had run for miles barefoot. He had heard the gunshots as he had scarpered across the fields, but had no idea of what had actually happened. Finally, he had come to a main road, had found a phone box and rung his cousin, Sammy Boy. His feet were ripped to pieces and when Sammy arrived to collect him, he could barely speak through the pain.

‘Do you want another beer? How do ya feel now?’ Sammy asked him.

Gratefully accepting the can, Jed opened it and drank most of the lager in one go. ‘I feel like shit, but I need to find Frankie. I want you to drive me to her house and if she ain’t there, then you’ll have to take me back to Tilbury.’

‘It’s a bit risky if they’ve got shooters, ain’t it?’ Sammy asked him.

‘If Frankie ain’t indoors, I’ll go to mine and get one of me dad’s guns,’ Jed replied.

Sammy handed him a fresh pair of socks and some trainers. ‘Come on then, let’s go.’

Many miles away, Joyce, Joey and Stanley were all of a panic as they headed towards Basildon Hospital.

‘There’s been a terrible accident – you need to come quick. Frankie’s asking for Joey, so bring him with you,’ was all Raymond had told them.