Desperate to rationalize the situation, she decided to call the only man right now she could trust – Victor. If her father had once confided in the man and shared his best brandy and his darkest secrets, then Victor was her answer.

Lighting up a cigarette, Zara was about to make herself an espresso when the doorbell rang. She stopped dead in her tracks, her heart beating fast, hoping it wasn’t Eric. The security monitor showed it was Victor. ‘Speak of the devil!’ she said under her breath. Stubbing the cigarette out in the sink, she hurried to the front door to let him in.

‘I’m so pleased to see you, Victor. Come through. I’m just making some coffee. We need to talk.’

Victor leaned against the doorframe in the kitchen, with almost no room to spare. ‘So, what’s this all about, Zara? Are you okay, love? Ya look peaky.’

She poured another espresso and handed him the cup. ‘Last night, Antonio’s was ambushed again. Well, some men tried to make an attack, but they didn’t get far. But I think I know who one of the men was.’

Victor nodded. ‘Go on.’

‘Eric Regan!’ she exclaimed.

Casually, he took a sip of his drink. ‘I hope you don’t mind me being kinda upfront with you. I mean, I know I’m on ya payroll, but ya dad always confided in me, and I guess it’s a natural reaction, but let me know if I step outta line.’

‘No, Victor, please. I need as much help as I can get. Do carry on.’

‘If you recall, I said he was up to something. When I followed him, remember, he was outside the restaurant reading that notice. See, Zara, you need to remember hell is empty, all the devils are here, so watch ya back.’

She smiled. ‘That’s another one of my dad’s sayings.’

‘Yes, I know. It’s a common saying. Shakespeare’s, I think. Anyway, blood is thicker than water. I know you had a thing with this Mike Regan, but let me warn you, Zara. Girlfriends come and go, but brothers will always stick together.’

She looked at his face and wondered if he was being sarcastic or whether he was treating her as a silly lovesick woman, which she most certainly was not. ‘Mike isn’t like that. He would go mental if he knew.’

Victor stood up straight as if he was about to make a pronouncement. ‘Zara, you said I could be frank, so, as an older man, I can see right through situations. I’m not clouded by emotion, and I hate to tell ya this, but you are at the moment.’

Irritated by his words, she spat back, ‘I’m no idiot. Far from it!’