Heartfelt let out a long whistle and Jerry and Tommy looked at each other, eyes wide. They heard the sound of wood on wood as a sash window slid open above them and then, as if an angel had appeared and delivered them a heavenly gift, a sack landed in their laps. Both men looked to the left and saw the trolley Frank had talked about. ‘That’ll do nicely, thanks, Frank,’ whispered Tommy with a grin. Their eyes met as the window closed above them. They heard the front door on the street side of the administration building open and close and the sound of footsteps which they assumed to be Heartfelt retreating.

*

When Frank the Skank turned the corner, he visibly jumped as his torch lit up the two men with his sack at their feet. He looked down at the sack then up at the men and licked his thin, tight lips as his hand went to his truncheon.

‘Don’t even try it,’ said Jerry. ‘We know everything. We know you were in the Doherty kitchen and you were heard. It’s the end of the road, Skank.’

Tommy felt his blood boil with anger. ‘You scumbag! You were going to try and nail me, put me down, separate me from my family because of your thieving ways.’

Jerry looked sideways at Tommy; the thought that they were up to no good themselves was lost on his friend. Then he spoke. ‘You can take your money – we are better off without the likes of you two around here, but take this message to Heartfelt…’

Tommy swallowed; he couldn’t believe Jerry was going to let the Skank walk and with the money too.

‘Tell Heartfelt I’ve taken five hundred pounds. You two can have the rest. I’ll be using this to help the people up there who, due to Heartfelt’s mismanagement of the docks, are on half-pay most of the time. There are families who are suffering, kids who aren’t being fed properly because of him, men who do a day’s work on near-empty bellies. You can also tell him that if there are any rent arrears on the four streets, he’s to wipe the slate clean from today – have you got that?’

Frank the Skank didn’t speak.