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deserved to die. But fuck him for taking it out on me and now Steve. Gates might have been out of the bad-guy business for a decade, but he hadn’t let any rust build on his skills for intimidation. ‘Yes,’ I forced out between gritted teeth.
    â€˜I see a little anger in those eyes. Don’t waste your energy getting angry with me. Turn it into fuel for finding my brother’s killer and no harm will come to your family. Even better, you’ll have my undying appreciation.’
    â€˜What happens when I find the person responsible?’
    â€˜Hear that Dominic? “When”. Not if, but when. I like that. It shows confidence and determination.’ Gates examined the mallet in his hands and his mood changed from condescending to sullen. ‘I expect to be updated regularly on your progress and when you find the bastard responsible, you just tell me where I can find him and I’ll take things from there. Just make sure you don’t tell the filth first.’
    I could only imagine what Gates would do to the culprit if and when he got his hands on him. That thought left me queasy. Jason’s killer deserved to be brought to justice, but not this way. I’d be delivering him to his death. That made me no different than Gates. I’d be a killer. It was a role I wasn’t sure I could play.
    â€˜So we have a deal?’
    Gates had proved that he could easily get to me at any time. He’d do the same with Steve. I didn’t have a choice. ‘Yes.’
    â€˜Good. Get him out of here, Dominic.’
    Crichlow grinned, then pulled the hood back over my head.

Lap Five
    C richlow stuffed me back in the boot of his BMW and drove me back to my car, which he’d stashed on the service road to the Windsor Racecourse. My tyre was still flat. I drove home on it. I was definitely not in the mood to change it. Crichlow had let me go with the reminder: ‘Not a word to anyone. We’ll be in touch.’
    No doubt, I’d thought.
    I got as far as letting myself into the house before Steve appeared from the living room. He was still dressed, but his ruffled hair said that he’d fallen asleep waiting up for me.
    â€˜Where you been, son? I expected you home hours ago. You have responsibilities now. You can’t go off partying when it suits you.’ He stopped and looked at my clothes. ‘What the hell happened to you? Are you OK?’
    â€˜No, not really.’ It was nice not to have to pretend to someone that everything was normal and I was fine.
    The lecture went out of Steve’s tone. ‘You’d better have a sit down then.’
    I followed Steve into the living room. I held in a groan when I sat down on the sofa. My body wasn’t quite bolted back together after its tazing and Andrew Gates’ fists. I don’t think the sofa had ever felt as comfortable as it did at that moment.
    Steve sat in his armchair and put his feet up on the corner of the coffee table. ‘What’s happened?’
    I told him about finding Jason, the police interview and picking up a flat tyre. He didn’t need to know about Crichlow and the bargain I’d struck with Gates. Last year, I’d dragged Steve and Dylan into a situation that had almost gotten all three of us killed. I couldn’t risk putting him through that again. This time, it was my burden.
    â€˜So how do you feel?’ Steve asked.
    â€˜Shitty.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜I was so caught up admiring my name painted on the side of a fucking truck that I missed that a man was bleeding to death at my feet. If I’d seen him straight away instead of having my head up my arse, I might have been able to save him.’
    â€˜You don’t know that.’
    A tremor started in my hands and crept up my arms. ‘I should have done more.’
    â€˜You did your best. No one could ask more of you.’
    Andrew Gates could and had. He had a noose around my neck now.