Bolton shrugged. ‘I know, the cheek of it, eh? Thinking he could catch me with my pants down. I ask him to help me shift a few things around and next thing I know he’s swinging a two by four at me. He charged me, I clipped him, and he ended up smashing through the window.’

Locke couldn’t help but wonder what a clip from Bolton would feel like. He’d seen a few men on the wrong end of one over the years and it never ended well for them.

‘And the officers?’

Bolton folded his arms and sank back into the sofa. ‘Not my doing, boss. Soon as I saw Carter take a dive I was out of there. He must have had backup there, and they ended up tangling with the coppers.’

Locke studied him for a moment. His gut told him Bolton was holding back. Then again, he’d proved his loyalty so many times over the years, Locke couldn’t bring himself to doubt him completely. He was about to ask for more detail on Carter’s failed attack when he heard the crunch of tyre on gravel from outside. Had Jasper forgotten something? Whoever it was came in without bothering to knock, or ring the bell. Locke heard footsteps marching towards them down the corridor and was surprised to see Gavin Barclay storm in, cheeks flushed candyfloss pink. With his rumpled suit and prematurely receding hairline, he looked about as threatening as an angry accountant as he strode over to Bolton.

‘You,’ he spat out. ‘What did you do to my sister?’

Bolton glanced over at Locke, who in turn looked mildly amused.

‘Hmm?’ Gavin jerked his head forward to emphasise his prompt, but it fell short, looking more like a nervous tic.

‘You do know I was seeing your sister for a bit before she went missing, don’t you, Gav? You really want to know what we got up to? You get off on that kind of thing?’

Gavin screwed up his face and flinched backwards. ‘What? That’s not what … You know fine fucking well what I meant. And you,’ he said, turning to face Locke. ‘You’re no better. Why did you do it? Sending this fucking ape after her. Then calling your slimy lawyer to get him out.’

Gavin turned back to see Bolton rising from the sofa, unfolding himself, filling the room as he stood.

‘Cool your jets, boy. That’s no way to speak to the man.’ Bolton, almost at his full height now, reached out, putting a cautionary hand on Gavin’s shoulder.