‘I want you to ring DI Blyth and tell her I want to see her. You tell her that I’m ready to tell the truth now, and don’t you dare say nothing to my dad.’

Frankie then stood up and, leaving Larry open-mouthed, calmly walked out of the room.

Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Sally’s funeral was a tearful affair and, as his daughter’s body was lowered into the ground, Terry Baldwin was positive that he felt his heart split in two. Sally was Terry’s only child and he’d literally worshipped the ground she’d walked on. Finding her lifeless body swinging from the ceiling was a sight that would haunt Terry until his dying day. He’d tried everything to revive her, but he’d been too late and he’d never forgive himself for that. If only he’d kept popping upstairs every five or ten minutes; he’d known how depressed she was.

‘Shall we make a move now, love? The funeral cars are waiting,’ Anne asked her husband as he crouched down and stared at the flowers once more.

‘I’ve checked every one of these cards twice and do you know what? That fucking piece of pikey shit didn’t even bother to send my baby any flowers,’ Terry said, referring to Jed. His daughter and grandson’s demise were all down to Jed, and now Sally’s funeral was over, Terry was determined to make things even.

Anne linked arms with her husband. Since Sally’s death she’d become increasingly worried about Terry’s rants about revenge and she was concerned that he might do something incredibly stupid.

‘Promise me something, Tel,’ she asked him.

‘What?’

‘Promise me that you won’t take the law into your own hands.’

With sadness etched across his face and tears in his eyes, Terry turned to face Anne. ‘I’m sorry, babe. I can’t make that promise.’

* * *

Another person currently discussing the subject of retribution was Eddie Mitchell. He’d organised an emergency meeting at Auntie Joanie’s house and was discussing how, when and where he and the boys were going to pounce.

‘What about the mother, though? I mean, if we dispose of Jimmy and Jed, she’ll have custody of the kids, won’t she?’ Raymond said sensibly.

‘We’re gonna have to do her in an’ all. We can’t take no chances,’ Ed replied bluntly. He didn’t usually like to involve women in any kind of violence, but in Alice’s case he was willing to make an exception.

‘But how we gonna kidnap Jimmy, Jed and Alice without the kids being around? Georgie and Harry are always gonna be in the company of one of them, ain’t they?’ Gary asked.