Problems? They were for solving. And he was the man to do it.

Then he got another call.

145

‘You know Belle Barton went into one of the crack places? Well since the fires started they say she’s been back. One of the Vietnamese said they saw a dragon woman,’ said Alec, one of Harlan’s boys. ‘You know that funny thing they have, hanging mirrors on the outside of doors? One of them reckons he saw a woman reflected there and she was going to burn the place down. He said it was her, the same woman, but marked up bad. Scarred.’

Harlan held the phone away from his ear. He stared at it. Then he brought it back. ‘What you bothering me with this stupid shit for?’ he asked.

‘She lit the fire. She had men with her, horrible big bastards, helping her. But it was her who set the fire. She was smiling, he said, and it was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. Then the whole place went up and he was lucky to get out alive.’

Harlan thought of Ludo’s last call to him. A trickle of something cold touched his spine, making him give a shiver. ‘She’s scarred up something awful . . .’

‘Call me when you’ve got some actual facts,’ he said, and slammed the phone down.

He sat there, thinking.

Nah.

Belle was . . . well, where was she, exactly?

He took a shower, still thinking.

Was Belle somehow doing this? Was this her revenge?

Nah. He shook himself, dried off and got dressed.

Superstitious bullshit.

146

‘My advice? Don’t,’ said Jack when Belle told him at the breakfast table that morning what she intended to do.

It had been a busy night for the team. Six crack production lines razed to the ground. Jack’s pals were still in bed, so Jack and Belle sat there alone, drinking tea and talking in low tones. Belle had another one of Nula’s diaries open in front of her. She was learning a lot.

‘I’ve got to,’ said Belle.

‘It won’t be pretty.’

‘Even so.’

‘Stevie’s on it. He’ll take good care of her.’

‘Which involves what?’

‘Keeping her hydrated. Keeping her confined. It’s rough. And not pretty, like I said.’

‘Jack,’ said Belle. ‘I have to. She’s got no one. Only Harlan, and what fucking use has he ever been to her? Apart from him, all she has is me.’

‘You want me to phone ahead?’

‘No.’ Belle stood up. ‘Let’s just go, shall we?’

Jack had been right. It wasn’t pretty at all, what Milly was going through. When they entered the Deptford house where Stevie was keeping her, the first thing they heard was Milly sobbing and begging him to let her out of the upstairs bedroom.

They stood in the hallway with Stevie and he smiled.