He squirmed uncomfortably. He had indeed made a mistake. He’d got greedy and now he needed to disappear for a bit, and that was where his aunt’s money came in. If anyone could shift stolen sailing antiques, it was her; she’d been doing it for fifty years and he’d learned the trade alongside her. He hadn’t been tasked with the boatshed burglary, but he couldn’t resist once he’d seen what was in there. And now he was in the shit.

‘How can I find you?’ she asked.

He handed her a mobile phone. ‘It’s a pay-as-you-go, completely untraceable. Don’t go calling your friends for a chat, there’s a good girl. Only use it for me, or I might rip your balls off.’

‘They’re bigger than yours, Leo.’

They smiled at one another and he stepped forward to embrace her.

‘You’re a good boy, Leo. Did you bring the photos?’

He nodded and took an envelope out of his jacket. She emptied the photos across her desk.

‘You weren’t toying with me. There it is. Is it really 1929 cedar?’

‘How the fuck do I know?’

‘Don’t you swear in front of me, I’ll put you over my knee, you’re never too big for that. You got your potty mouth after your mother died.’

‘Sorry.’

‘It’s beautiful.’ She studied the photo of the wooden two-man boat.

‘Whatever.’

‘You have no taste or class, so I’m not surprised you don’t appreciate it.’

‘I spotted it, didn’t I?’

‘Now you want a medal? Have you got time for a nip?’ Her eyes twinkled and she pulled a half-bottle of bourbon out of a drawer. She reached for two shot glasses and filled them, handing one to her nephew. They both gulped the liquor in one.

‘So. What do I do when they come knocking?’ the old lady asked.

‘Do you still have the gun I gave you?’

‘Of course.’

‘Tell them that I’m a good-for-nothing, and you haven’t seen me in years.’

‘And what if it’s not the coppers who find me first?’

‘Use the gun. These are serious guys, Brenda, they’ve done it many, many times before and they use hired thugs – ex-convicts, ex-army and the like, you know the type.’

‘Sounds like family.’

‘I’m not kidding around.’

‘I know you’re not. Don’t worry, I can handle myself.’

Chapter 27

‘Kelly, how are you?’