‘Or Davey Jackson.’ Donna had regained her equilibrium. ‘With respect, Candy, I don’t have to like what we’re doing, do I?’

The other woman relaxed into her seat again and sighed.

‘No, you don’t. No more than I do, I suppose. But it’s like Jake says: if we weren’t doing it someone else would be, and at least I see the kids are looked after for the most part. I don’t have no bondage or nothing for the little ones. In Thailand, you know, there’s brothels where the kids are chained all the time to a bed and have ten or more men a day. When I was in Bangkok a few years ago, a brothel near us caught fire and all the little girls died, burnt alive they were, because they were chained to the beds. Broke my heart it did. No, they don’t have too bad a time of it here. I never keep them more than eighteen months or two years. Even the really young ones look shagged out by then.’

Donna nodded, unable to trust herself to speak.

The phone rang, sending a shrill shock through the quiet of the room.

Candy picked it up with an abrupt: ‘Yes?’

Donna watched the changing expressions on her face.

‘What do you mean? Listen, Stephen, your brother’s wife’s here with me now.’

Donna rose in consternation. As she stood up, Candy waved her back to her seat, fear in her eyes now. Donna walked from the room and out towards the back of the house. She stood in a wide doorway watching the children as they sat in the shade. They were all different shapes and sizes, different shades of brown. All had large expressive eyes, and unsmiling mouths.

She was still watching them when Candy walked out to her and said, ‘I think me and you had better have a little talk, Mrs Brunos, don’t you?’

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Candy took her firmly by the arm and led her back into the office. Donna slumped in the chair once more. She looked frightened; she was frightened.

‘What really brought you out here, lady?’

Donna lit herself a cigarette and took a deep draw on it.

‘What do you think? I had no idea what was going on - oh, I admit I had had my suspicions, but I thought that if I came out here and found out the score then I could decide what I was going to do. I had to know if my husband was involved, you see.’

Candy grinned. ‘Oh, he’s involved all right, up to his neck. This was all his idea, love. Georgio was the brains behind it all. But you can discuss that with Stephen. He’ll be here later today.’

She saw Donna’s fleeting look of fear and half-smiled.