Dan swallowed loudly. Kate heard it above the low drone of the car engine.

‘Yes.’

‘So you’re going to be a good boy and tell the CIB that you gave them a load of old cod’s, ain’t you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Right. Willy, stop the car and let the man out.’

Patrick took the cigarette away from Danny’s face and flicked the ash on the floor.

Willy stopped the car. Leaning over Dan, Patrick opened the door and pushed him out violently on to the road. He shut the door as they pulled away, leaving Dan lying in the road, so frightened he thought he was going to wet himself. He saw his overcoat being thrown out of the window and felt the sting of tears.

Kate had sat there and let it happen. He couldn’t believe it.

But one thing was certain: he was going to do what Kelly said. As he had always admitted to himself, he was not the hero kind.

Kate stared out of the car, not sure if what she had witnessed had really happened.

‘All right, Kate?’ Patrick’s voice was low.

She nodded.

He sighed. It was a shame they had had to do it in front of her.

‘Look at it this way, Kate, if I hadn’t’ve frightened him - and that’s all I did, frighten him - you could kiss your job goodbye. He asked for that, girl. He damn’ well asked for it.’

‘Could you take me back to my car, please?’

‘Turn the car round, Willy, Kate wants to get home.’

Patrick had a feeling of utter futility. He had been trying to help her, but maybe he had gone too far. Sometimes he forgot that she was from a different world. This night would make or break them, he knew that, but either way she still had her job and that, he knew, meant a lot to her. He had given her that much at least.

Kate was still shaking when she got home. She went upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom, running herself a hot bath. She stepped into it and lay there, trying to work out her troubled thoughts.

Tonight she had seen another side to Patrick Kelly. It had not endeared him to her. She was finally seeing exactly what she was taking on, and it was frightening.

But for all that, in a funny kind of way, she had enjoyed seeing Dan get his comeuppance. All those years of being hurt by him, of knowing that he had used her. Seeing the contempt he had for her tonight had hurt her more than she had thought possible. He had enjoyed having something over her. She had not enjoyed what Patrick had done to him, but she had enjoyed seeing Dan’s fear, seeing him grovel like that.

It was these feelings that frightened her more than anything.