What the fuck were they about to do? Panic set in and his body became rigid with terror; Sonya Richard’s plight was now at the forefront of his mind.

In one fluid movement, Willie cut the rope that held Torvic’s upper body to the chair. The diver’s knife was as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. The slice ripped into him but not deep enough to cause his innards to spew out. He winced at first and then felt the blood returning to parts of his body that had gone numb from the tight rope. Pins and needles fizzed around his chest and along his arms. He was in no state to take on any of these men and neither would he risk his granddaughter’s life to go for Willie; besides, he would only have a ten per cent chance anyway.

‘You really believed I wouldn’t be cold-hearted enough to take revenge in the same way that you do business, but you were wrong. Now then, this is what you’re going to do. But, before I tell you, you need to know why. You see, in the last few hours, I’ve managed to gather so much information about you. Turning all of you in to the police would be just and fair, but they’re not bothered if we finish you off ourselves.’

Torvic’s quick breathing was now noisy, yet he wouldn’t interrupt her in any way, in case Zara let that acid drop on his granddaughter’s head.

‘You see the reason that the Regan firm was released early was to clean up the streets, to find you and your gang, and to take you all out. Eric, who wanted to run his own firm to reclaim his brother’s respect, was given a tip-off as to who the Machine was. Eric and Lance then made a pact. Their aim was to discover who was behind the drug called Flakka.’

She looked over at Lance. ‘It’s just so sad that Kendall Mullins was murdered by the evil drug at your son’s hands. You see the Police Commissioner, Alastair’s brother-in-law, wasn’t fit for purpose, really. The Army seconded Lance, at the government’s request, to find out who you were. Even the government want you dead and buried. They see little upside in bringing you to justice. In fact, they’ve removed your rights as British citizens. I just thought you should know.’ She paused and looked at Eric. ‘Hand Torvic the acid, would you?’

Eric looked rough; his wrist was still bandaged, and his head was badly bruised. Zara felt a twinge of guilt. If only he’d said. She could have forgiven him for trying to make a pass at her; she guessed he couldn’t help who he loved. The same could be said for her, in that she couldn’t just turn off her feelings for Mike.