‘And another thing while we’re on it. There’s an old adage that you should have tattooed on your arse. “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” You was quite happy to put us all on the line when you thought your old man was the dog’s bollocks. Now you find out you’re dealing with the scum of the earth, your old man included there, lady, you want to stop it all here and now. Well, as I just said, you can’t - and if they get a capture and grass you up, you’ll be looking at a good eight or nine years for your part in all this. So think on that one, darlin’!’

He started the car up and wheelspinned out of the airport.

Donna sat beside him, her ears ringing.

‘I never wanted any part of murder, Alan.’

Hearing the tightness of her voice, he could only laugh in disbelief.

‘If I hadn’t arrived in Sri fucking Lanka, the murdered person would have been you, love. When you get involved with big boys’ games, you have to take the big boys’ consequences. That’s why I never wanted you as my number two. If you cast your mind back, I tried to get someone else, but oh, no. Mrs Villain’s Wife wanted to be in on it all - and look where the fuck it’s got us, eh? You know what’s really your trouble, don’t you? You’re trying to blame everyone else for this lot except yourself. Well, you’re as much to blame as anyone. More so in fact, because you took on something you was ill-prepared for. Now someone’s dead. Big deal!

‘Don’t you realise that if anyone tries it on while the jump’s in motion, they’ll be shot at? Use your fucking loaf! You were there when we bought the hardware. Now you’re shitting it, and rightly so. You’d have more chance of pulling off the Second Coming, love, than stopping this jump. The only way to stop it would be to grass to the filth and the moment you did that, we’d all be out for your blood. Me included. Bear that in mind, Donna, and keep your trap shut and your arse behind closed doors until it’s all over. Right?

‘You’ve already caused one murder, I’m sure you don’t want to be the instrument of another, least of all your own! Jonnie H. would see you tortured and killed if you were the means of separating him from his wife and kids. And that would seem like heaven to what the others would cook up for you!’