Frankie had sadness etched across her face as she stared at both of her children. In all honesty, Georgie had always had a slight wild streak in her. When she was young she used to have a habit of running away and she had never been able to suffer the confinement of a classroom when she’d started school. Georgie looked like her father, had his mannerisms, and Frankie knew she only had herself to blame for that.

‘Can we go home now? You can’t make us stay ’ere,’ Harry said bluntly.

Feeling her eyes well up again, Frankie bit her lip to stop herself from crying. The change in her beautiful, loving, timid son was the one thing that was literally breaking her heart in two. Gone was the happy, fresh-faced, polite little boy whose smile could light up a room. In his place was a sullen, dirty, scruffy lad who had an attitude problem, terrible language and front teeth missing.

‘So, what hobbies have you both got?’ Frankie asked awkwardly. She felt as if she was conducting an interview with two complete strangers.

‘I like shopping for clothes and I like music. Harry likes quad bikes and thieving,’ Georgie responded, nudging her brother.

‘You like drinking cider and playing with Ryan’s cory,’ Harry chuckled, joining in with the fun.

Unable to stand one minute more in the same room as her children, Frankie let out a stifled sob and bolted.

Jimmy and Jed led Eddie to the warehouse where the tyres were kept, and laughed as they pushed him violently onto the concrete floor.

‘Tie his legs up while I bring the next one in,’ Jimmy ordered his son. Mickey had now taken Billy to the hospital and Jimmy insisted that his son wasn’t to be left alone until the extent of his injuries were known.

‘If he were to die, I don’t want him dying alone, Mick,’ Jimmy had told his friend.

Jed picked up the rope and smirked at Eddie. ‘What’s it feel like, knowing you’re gonna die soon?’

Aware that Mickey had taken Billy to hospital, Eddie knew, with Jimmy outside, this might be his last chance to get to the guns. He waited until Jed bent down to tie his feet up then, with all his might, kicked him full in the face with his right foot. Jed flew backwards, clutching his chin and cursing.

‘You fucking wanker,’ he mumbled, as he stood up and spat out a mouthful of blood. Eddie’s kick had caught him completely by surprise, so much so that his teeth had nearly severed the end of his tongue.

Aware that Jed was in shock, Eddie leaned his back against the wall and tried to heave himself up by crawling up against it. He needed to get outside to see if one of his lads was in a fit state to untie his hands.