She walked from the pub and Dan followed her. Outside in the gravel car park he caught up with her and, grabbing her arm, swung her round to face him. He slapped her. Not hard, but a stinging slap.

It was then he saw Willy and Patrick.

Kate saw his face change in the gloomy light of the car park and turned to see Patrick running across the gravel towards them.

‘You fucking bitch, you set me up!’

As Dan turned to make his way to his car, Willy caught up with him and Kate watched as Dan was dragged towards Patrick’s BMW. A young couple pulled into the car park and got out of their car. They were watching Dan and Willy, a shocked look on their faces. Kate went to them and got out her ID. ‘Grantley police, we’re apprehending a known drug dealer. Did you happen to see anyone on the road as you drove here?’

Both shook their heads, not wanting to get involved. Patrick walked sedately to the BMW with Kate, taking her arm and nodding at the couple. Willy had already forced Dan inside. Kate felt as if she was caught up in a nightmare. She went to the car and got in the front, Patrick got in the back with Dan, Willy wheelspun out of the car park and on to the Grantley Road. Kate twisted in her seat and looked at Dan. He was terrified.

Willy slowed the car and Patrick lit a cigarette. He passed it to Kate in the front seat and then lit one for himself. He puffed on it until the end glowed bright red.

Kate watched him and he winked at her.

Then he grabbed Dan’s hair and held the cigarette a fraction of an inch away from his eyeball.

‘I could blind you, Danny boy, I could blind you without even thinking about it.’ Kate went to say something and Willy put his hand on her leg to warn her to keep silent.

Patrick carried on talking in his sing-song voice and Kate watched, fascinated now, as Danny sat stock still. Not moving a muscle.

‘You see, you’ve annoyed me, and when I get annoyed I do terrible things. I could even cripple someone if they annoyed me enough. And you have annoyed me, Danny boy, believe me.’

‘Wh-Wh-What do you want?’ Dan’s voice was high as a schoolgirl’s.

‘I think you know what I want, I think you know what your wife wants. And I think you know we’re going to get it. Because if needs be, I will hunt this country high and low for you, Danny, and I’ll get you in the end. Like AIDS I am. You won’t even know I’m there for years, but when I do show up the consequences will be devastating. Do you get my drift?’