Gready sat in silence for some while, thinking. Lucky Mickey had the ability to sink him. If he started giving evidence for the prosecution it was going to take more than the current tampering with the jurors, it was going to take a miracle. ‘Mickey doted on his brother. Has he forgotten how much I’ve helped him over the years? Everything I paid for? Now he’s looking to make a deal by grassing me up? What happened to loyalty, Nick?’

‘They say that when a Black Mamba bites you on the end of your dick, you find out who your true friends are.’

Gready, absorbed in his thoughts, didn’t react. ‘I can’t believe Mickey could do this.’

‘Well, you’d better, and you’re going to have to move fast if you want to stop him. The way the prosecution case is going, they’ll finish next week so they’ll have to call him then.’

‘Witness for the prosecution? Fuck, he’s one of our key defence witnesses.’

‘Maybe not any more.’

Gready was thinking hard. ‘Just let him try. I’ll tear his other sodding arm off and fuck his other eye up, and the only job he’ll ever be fit for again after I’m done with him will be as a fucking paperweight.’

Fox stared across the little divide at him, expressionless.

‘Loyalty, right?’ Gready said, bitterly.

‘It is what it is.’

‘I hate that expression.’ Gready was silent for some moments then said, ‘No. I’m not having this. This isn’t what it is at all.’

Fox nodded.

Gready was perking up. ‘I’ve thought of a way we can get to him. Mickey needs to be given a reality check.’

‘What kind of reality check?’

Looking around cautiously before he spoke, Gready replied, ‘A permanent fix. Know what I’m saying?’

Fox nodded. ‘I know what you’re saying, Terry, but are you sure? It’s one thing threatening Mickey, but this is taking it to another level. I’m not sure I want to be involved.’

‘We all have to do things we don’t like sometimes.’ Gready stared at him. ‘That’s what I pay you for. Nothing’s easy, Nick, if it was, I wouldn’t need you. My wife and my kids are up in the public gallery watching every day. They’re expecting to see me acquitted because they know I’m an honest man. And that’s what you’re going to deliver. Is that clear enough?’

Nick Fox shrugged then smiled. ‘The King of the Jungle’s always delivered, Terry, you know it. I just don’t think this is a clever thing.’

Gready looked at him. ‘Perhaps the King of the Jungle’s going soft in his old age? Or perhaps the King of the Jungle is just too plain warm and cuddly? Maybe I need a wolf instead?’ His voice was hardening as he spoke and Fox frowned, uncomfortably.