Ged’s phone was ringing again, and it took all his strength just to pull it out of his pocket, only to see Frankie’s name flashing. He held a single finger to his mouth and urged Nancy to be quiet. He looked around and made sure he was safe to talk before he answered the call. ‘I’ve been had over Frankie, they took the fucking lot, bruv.’

Nancy could hear the cursing and shouting down the other end of the line. She pulled a face, ready to take the phone from Ged’s hand and tell the prick how badly his so-called mate was hurt. As the call ended Ged dropped his head back, his eyes closed and his bottom lip trembling.

‘Frankie is going sick, he said it’s up to me now to pay the money back. It’s five fucking grand, Nance. Where the fuck am I gonna get five K?’

Nancy shook her head and gritted her teeth. ‘Is he for real or what? It’s not your fault you got had over. Tell him it was you who put your neck on the line, not fucking him. He’s a cheeky bastard. Did he even ask how you were or where the hell you was?’ The blood started to seep through the scarf again; she knew he was on borrowed time.

‘Nancy, shut the fuck up. I don’t need you chipping in right now. What the fuck were you doing up here anyway?’ His words were slow, his face paler than it was five minutes before. He needed to rest, save any energy he had.

Nancy looked at him slowly. She’d just saved this lad’s arse and now he was on his way home he was getting mouthy with her. ‘It’s a free country, I can go wherever I want. It’s a good job I was there tonight, or your sorry arse would be six foot under. I spotted you leaving the train when I was on the platform. I wanted to see where you were going – thought maybe we could chill for a bit.’

Ged clenched his fists; he wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. ‘I knew those two muppets behind me on the train were up to no good. I could sense it. I had a gut feeling I should have listened to it instead of carrying on. I should have stayed in the station for a bit longer to make sure they weren’t on my case.’

‘That doesn’t matter now. The most important thing is to get you looked at. Frankie can whistle for his money if you ask me. He’s a prick saying it’s your debt now. What happened to him having your back, best mate, brothers-in-arms and all that? He was talking through his arse if you ask me.’