‘Frank Pargeter’s after you too,’ said Donny calmly. ‘Your old boyfriend, Dora. He’s rubbing out everyone who was at that Saturday party, picking them off like sitting ducks. Just like he did with Kim Merton. And you think he’d leave you out?’ He shook his head. ‘Unlikely. It looks like Dickie Cole didn’t kill Tony Dillon after all. That maybe all of you witnessed something different, something involving Frank. So my boss sent me up here to bring you back. You’re a valuable witness. And don’t think you can walk into a Yorkshire cop shop and they’ll help you, because they won’t. They know I’m here, they’re giving the Met their full cooperation.’

‘Frank wouldn’t hurt me,’ said Dora, but even as the words came out of her mouth she knew she was lying both to him and to herself. Frank had already damaged her, and he’d damaged her baby. If he was now getting worried about witnesses to the cold-blooded murder of another gang boss, then Donny was right – he’d nail whoever he thought could be a threat to him, and that included her.

‘Don’t kid yourself,’ said Donny flatly.

He slid the compartment door closed behind them and she was trapped, stuck in here with him once again. Dora felt panic suffocate her. Somehow, she had to get away. She’d take her chances on escaping Frank. Donny was her immediate problem. Given the frame of mind he was in, he could do anything. He might take her back to London. Or he might actually shove her right out of the train onto the tracks next time he felt like it. He would make up some elaborate cover story, and his bosses would be none the wiser as to her true fate.

Her eyes were flickering around the compartment like a trapped animal’s. And then they fell on the emergency pull cord, above the window. She glanced back at Donny.

He smiled, reading her mind. ‘Don’t even think of it,’ he said.

‘Fuck you, Donny Maguire,’ said Dora.

She lunged over to the window and pulled the cord.

50

There was a massive rush of sound – later she’d find out it was compressed air rushing out of the braking system – and then Dora fell against the seats, unable to keep her footing, such was the impact of thousands of tons of metal being brought to a forcible stop. She saw Donny fall, too, just as she did, floundering, fighting to keep his feet but not succeeding. She saw his head strike the edge of the carriage door, saw him grimace in pain.

The noise seemed to go on forever. Dora felt like she was being pushed into the seats by a giant hand, pulverizing her, flattening her – and then, suddenly, it was over. The train was still and that stillness was as shocking as the noise had been.

Gasping, shaking, Dora looked fearfully at Donny. There was a tiny river of blood pulsing down from a cut on his forehead as he lay slumped on the seats opposite her. His eyes were closed. Was he unconscious? Or was he only faking, waiting to spring another nasty surprise on her?