It was the sort of thing she could see him doing. He was resourceful. She had been on the point of leaving when he had persuaded her to have another drink. She had guessed that he was frightened of being alone at this time, that he needed another human being. She had stayed out of pity and now she was glad. He was a good talker, a great storyteller and even though she knew what he was capable of, she liked him. She trusted him, too, though why this should be so after his earlier performance she had no idea. Kelly was a hard man, but he had an Achilles heel. Mandy Kelly.

Already, Kate felt as if she knew the girl. And if all her father said was true, she was most definitely not a girl to go off without letting him know. Kelly was the kind of father who would demand to know his daughter’s whereabouts. It was as much a part of him as his swearing.

‘I’m sorry about carrying on earlier, but I’ve been out of me mind.’ His voice was low. Kate knew it had taken a lot for him to give her an apology.

‘I understand, Mr Kelly.’

As if of one mind, they both looked at the clock; it was just after half past twelve.

‘Where the hell can she be? When she walks in, I’ll slap her from one end of this room to the other, I take oath on that. I’ve never raised me hand to her before but I will tonight, by Christ.’

Kate put her hand over his. ‘Calm down, hitting her won’t solve anything.’

‘No, but it might make me feel better.’

The phone rang and Kelly rushed to answer it.

‘Mandy?’

Kate saw his face dissolve from hope to fear in the space of seconds. He held the phone out towards her and said, ‘It’s for you.’

‘Burrows here.’

Patrick Kelly watched her face blanch and in that moment he knew that something had happened to his only child. He clenched his fists so tightly the nails dug into the skin of his palms, drawing blood.

Kate put down the phone and looked at him fully.

‘We’ve found your daughter, Mr Kelly. It seems she’s been attacked.’

Kelly stared at the woman in front of him, confusion and pain flitting across his face.

‘Attacked? My Mandy?’

His voice sounded like a little boy’s, full of hurt and disbelief.

Kate nodded. ‘She’s in Grantley Hospital and they’re operating on her. She’s in a bad way.’

Patrick Kelly felt the wetness in his eyes and did not care. He felt as if his world had just come to an end. He swallowed hard. When he finally spoke it was in a low croak.

‘Is she gonna die?’

Kate put her hand on his arm gently.