Paddy’s eyes were slits as he barked out, ‘Or she’s gone to Nick the queer. Either way, she could land the lot of us right in it. The stupid interfering bitch! Cox is missing too.’

‘Maybe they’re just sorting out the final details on the jump?’

Paddy nodded as he acknowledged this. ‘Could be - but I don’t trust him and I don’t trust her. There’s been too many rumours on the street. And that Donna, she’s been asking about too much. Stephen told me she’s into everything. Who knows what she’s sussed out, eh? And if she susses out about her big fine husband, she’ll sell him down the river like that!’ He clicked his finger and thumb. ‘And we’ll all go along with him.’

He thumped the steering wheel in temper.

‘We have to find out where she is, and we have to find out soon. Even Georgio would agree with that.’

Davey sat beside Paddy as they drove towards London. His heart was heavy in his chest; he wished he’d never got involved in any of it.

If Carol ever found out . . . he felt a rush of fear so acute he could almost taste it.

He hated it, hated all of it. It was greed, nothing but greed. Now Georgio was banged up, the merchandise was on the streets and he was in charge of distribution through mail order. Davey was in it up to his neck and knew he couldn’t get out.

Stephen arrived at eight in the evening, hot, dusty and angry. The hotel was just picking up and he walked through the front door with a fixed smile on his face. The sight of the children affected him not at all. He nodded pleasantly at the men and made his way to Candy’s office.

She was sitting drinking a large brandy and Seven Up. Her face was hard. Stephen closed the door gently behind him then said, ‘How much does she know?’

‘Too bloody much. She walked in here as if she knew everything, Stephen. Told me that she was out here looking over Georgio’s interests. Told me he had sent her.’

Stephen laughed nastily. ‘Oh, she did, did she?’

Candy nodded. ‘There was a bit of trouble and all while she was here. That geek Gainsborough tied up the little girl from Colombo. The stupid prat tied her to the end of the bed by her hair, if you don’t mind. Somehow, during his games, probably as he turned her over, her hair got wrapped around her neck. He crushed her fucking windpipe. ’

Stephen frowned. ‘Is she all right?’