‘You can say that again.’ Dave sank his head into his hands, ruffled his thin hair so that it stuck out like a rumpled baby’s. In that moment, Josh thought Dave was the most pathetic spectacle he’d ever seen. Scared of his wife. Scared of his boyfriend. Scared of what might happen if he just let things slide. Scared of what would happen if he didn’t. Poor bastard.

‘You’re a tough nut,’ said Dave, staring at Josh. ‘I can see that. Grew up rough and had it hard, yeah?’

‘That’s about right,’ said Josh, thinking of life in the camp, Dad always at him when he was small, hammering him with his fists.

‘So what would you do? In this situation?’ asked Dave.

‘I think Andrew’s got to go.’

‘Go?’

‘He can’t be allowed to blow the whistle, tell all to Phil. She’ll fuck with your finances, lose you your kids and make you look bad with your mates. He can’t be allowed to go on dealing in your club. So yes – I’d say he has to go.’

‘That sounds sort of permanent,’ said Dave with a nervous laugh.

‘Sounds like what you want.’

Dave’s nervy grin faltered and fell from his face. ‘Yeah.’ He swallowed. ‘But . . . you wouldn’t do it anywhere near the club, would you? Keep me well out of it. He goes down to Marbella in April, you could do it there.’

Josh’s eyes widened. ‘Wait on. I didn’t say I would do anything.’

‘I’d pay well,’ said Dave.

‘No – what?’ Josh was shaking his head. Facing a man head-on in a fair fight was one thing. This was something else. ‘What are you saying here? You want me to warn him off?’

Dave hesitated. Then he said: ‘No. I want this thing settled.’ His eyes met Josh’s. ‘I want this permanent.’

‘You want . . .’

‘Yeah, I want him gone.’

‘Christ. Well . . .’

‘Two hundred and fifty thou to make it go away,’ said Dave, his eyes suddenly pleading.

‘You what? Just wait a fucking minute . . .’

‘All right! Five hundred thou,’ said Dave in desperation.

Josh’s jaw dropped. He didn’t know what to say.

Dave was nodding. ‘That’s right. Half a million quid to get rid of my problem. How does that sound?’

Josh thought of Shauna, always pecking his head over the next purchase. This was bad, what Dave was asking of him. The idea of it sickened him. But it would pay better than anything else. Better than anything he’d ever done. It would buy them a house. A future. Everything.

‘He’s already set it up for us,’ Dave was saying quickly. ‘It would look like a drug deal that’s gone wrong.’

Josh was shaking his head. No. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t.

Could he?

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