Rick, standing there looking suave as ever in his black cashmere overcoat, seemed less taken aback. He eyed her coolly, almost looking bemused at her unexpected entrance.

Shane, holding some kind of black plastic suitcase, gave her a dour grimace, while, next to him, Stephen gazed at her with unabashed hostility.

Nancy’s initial expression of surprise faded to be replaced by a victorious smirk.

‘So you decided to come after all,’ she said. ‘I knew you would. But then I guess you aren’t really all that smart.’

Bailey shrugged. She registered Jennifer, bound with duct tape, lying on the ground at their feet. Jennifer’s grey eyes locked onto Bailey’s, her face displaying no sign of relief or pleasure at the sight of her sister. But at least she was still alive, and by the looks of it, so far uninjured.

Bailey walked forward slowly, keenly aware of the sawn-off shotguns tracking her every move. But she knew they wouldn’t kill her yet. Not until Nancy’s say-so, and she knew Nancy would want her to see her sister die first.

Bailey turned to Rick. ‘Sorry about your car. I’m afraid it’s a bit of a write-off.’

He shrugged, apparently unbothered. ‘I was planning to trade up anyway.’

She nodded over at the distant lights of Tilbury Docks. ‘I had it in my head that you were going to bring the guns in through the docks to this place.’

‘Yeah, I know,’ he replied. ‘Your bent-copper friend told us all about it. Luckily that was never part of our plan.’ He paused reflectively. ‘Although it’s not a bad idea in theory. I’ll have to keep it in mind for future shipments.’

‘So where exactly are you bringing the guns in? Or are they already here?’

‘I’m due to pick them up tomorrow in fact. They’re arriving just as planned, one day before I was due to sell them to you. Not that you’re going to be around to do anything about them,’ he said with a laugh. ‘Considering all the trouble they’ve caused me, I think I might consider offering them at knock-down rates, just to make sure I really do find a buyer this time.’

Bailey couldn’t help but shake her head in disgust at his brazen lack of morals.

‘We could spend all evening engaging in small talk,’ Nancy interrupted. ‘But now that you’re here, I think we should really get this show on the road.’

She nodded to Shane. He opened the black plastic suitcase and took out a large drill. He affixed a drill bit to it and then handed the tool to her. Nancy gave the trigger a few squeezes, sending a loud, angry buzz echoing through the night. Brandishing the drill, she smiled sadistically at Bailey, like some kind of malevolent dwarf.

Shane grabbed a handful of Jennifer’s hair and pulled her harshly to her knees. With a belligerent sneer, Jennifer twisted her head to look up at Nancy.

‘I’ll see you in Hell, bitch.’

‘I’m already looking forward to it,’ grinned Nancy as she depressed the trigger of the drill and lowered it towards Jennifer’s temple.