‘I’m sorry, Mr Stoneham, about your niece.’ His words sounded compassionate and genuine.

Stoneham nodded. ‘She was just a kid really, a little bit of a rebel, but a good kid, nonetheless. I am still in a state of shock.’ He was clearly exasperated as he looked up at Mike. ‘I remember that meeting we had in the prison and you said to me, “I’m not like you.” Do you remember?’

Mike looked at his son’s fragile body, the machines rhythmically forcing his chest up and down. ‘Yeah, I do remember. I told you, ya wouldn’t believe in an eye for an eye.’

Stoneham nodded. ‘Yes, that’s exactly what you said, but you, Mr Regan, are wrong. I loved my niece very much, and I want whoever . . . ’ He choked on his words, cleared his throat, before he tried again. ‘I want whoever did this to suffer, and I mean to be tortured and murdered. If I were man enough, I would do it myself, but, as you know, I am not cut out for it.’

Mike leaned against the doorframe and gazed at his son. ‘We both want the same thing, and I am cut out for it. No one hurts my boy and lives to tell the tale. Oh . . . ’ He turned to face Stoneham. ‘I’ll torture them, every fucking day, until they die of starvation.’

‘How is he doing? Do the doctors think he will make a full recovery?’

‘Only time will tell. At least I have hope, eh? I’m so sorry about Kendall. It must be bloody hard for the family. I know, because this is killing me.’ He pointed to his son.

‘Lowry told me your son had only just started dating Kendall. Is that correct?’

‘Yeah, she was his first one ever. He must have liked her a lot. He texted her all the time until they met up again.’

Stoneham swallowed hard to hold back the lump in his throat. ‘She had only just moved into that flat. She and her mother never really got on although my sister will have you believe otherwise. Still, the poor woman no doubt will be heartbroken and full of guilt. She will blame herself for Kendall’s death.’

‘I can understand how she feels. I’m also consumed by that ugly emotion. I believe whoever did this had something to do with that gang we’re after. Christ, I wished I’d never taken you up on your offer.’

Stoneham found himself patting Mike’s back. ‘I know, and that’s why I’m here. I’ve made a terrible mistake, one that will live with me forever. I thought the idea was good at the time. A villain with a reputation who could in some way put the fear of God into these gangs and get the streets under control. I saw it in a film once.’