She felt her face flush. It was as though he had read her mind. ‘S-sorry,’ she began, hesitantly. ‘I-I can’t afford to get involved in anything illegal again. I don’t want to go back to prison, Peter. I couldn’t go through that again.’

‘Who mentioned fuckin’ prison? Look, you wouldn’t be involved in anything illegal. The nightclub, the bookmaker’s and the sunbed salons are all kosher. And you wouldn’t be doing the job just because you’re my sister. I need help with the accounts.

‘Max has got the nightclub books in a right fuckin’ mess and I’m a 50 per cent shareholder in the club now so I don’t want to leave it to chance any more. Max has become more of a sleeping partner these days so I need to step up to the plate. And I haven’t got a fuckin’ clue about accounts or bookkeeping. I need someone who knows about all that shit; someone I can trust.’

He was putting up a very convincing argument and Adele felt herself smiling, listening to him. No wonder he was doing so well; he certainly had a way of persuading people round to his way of thinking.

‘OK,’ she conceded. ‘I’ll think about it.’

‘Thank fuck for that!’ he said.

‘Hang on a minute. Before you get too carried away, I’ll only do it on the condition that I don’t get involved in anything illegal. And I want you to promise me that, Peter.’

‘Course you won’t. I’ve already told you, haven’t I? Those businesses are all kosher and I worked fuckin’ hard to build them up.’

‘OK, OK, I’ll take your word for it, then.’

‘Good, so that’s that. Now are we having a fuckin’ drink to celebrate, or what?’

Adele went along with him, grateful that at least she had found work. But at what cost, she wasn’t sure. As she sipped at the brandy Peter had poured she couldn’t help but wonder just what trouble she was letting herself in for.

Chapter 30

They’d arrived at the nightclub during the day so it wasn’t yet full of punters.

‘Come on, I’ll show you the offices,’ said Peter as he led Adele through the main room.

Before they reached the door that led up the back stairs, two men walked through it and towards them.

‘Alright, how’s things?’ greeted Peter, patting one of the men on the shoulder as they drew level.