James Senior was more than aware of his son’s failings but, as much as he irritated him, Jamie was still his eldest son and he had to make sure he kept his own temper in check. Nevertheless, sometimes he felt he could quite happily take the fucker out himself. Like most people who knew young Jamie, he believed his boy was living on borrowed time because, eventually, he was going to upset the wrong person. But explaining that to someone who had no intention of listening to anything he saw as even remotely a criticism of his own good self was basically an impossibility. It did not stop the man from trying though. He was also warning him that Davie Bannerman was baying for his blood and was threatening him with immediate extinction on sight.

Young Jamie took all this in his stride. He was still on an adrenaline high from shooting up the cab office; he was hoping that he had hit someone – that appealed to his sense of melodrama. In fact, he was hoping that he had taken out the giant Northerner who had been given to Sharon Scott as some kind of bodyguard! For fuck’s sake, she would need an army of Titans to protect her before he was finished. He had always wanted Lenny Scott’s holdings and he would not rest until he had them firmly in his hot little hands.

James Senior watched Jamie as he completely disregarded everything he was trying to tell him and, eventually, fed up with his son’s attitude, he walked out of the pub and drove himself home. He only hoped that Davie Bannerman got him before anyone else. He wouldn’t have to avenge Bannerman’s treatment of his son, that was family business and Jamie had stepped over the line. But with Jack Johnson and Co. it would be completely different.

Chapter One Hundred

Reggie Dornan was fit to be tied. Whatever they had been expecting, shots fired while the offices were open was definitely not part of it. How no one had been seriously hurt could only be put down to a miracle. There were just a couple of cuts and abrasions to attend to, which, considering the amount of glass that had been flying around, really was miraculous.

Sharon had been fantastic; she had calmed people down and dealt well with the police. Ray had made himself scarce before the arrival of the Filth and took the two heavies with him. There was no need to alert the whole world to their presence. The cab drivers were shaken but kept their traps shut. Everyone acted as if the shooting had been as unexpected as a vicar at an orgy. The police were not fools but they knew when it was pointless to push too much over certain matters.

By ten o’clock the windows were boarded up, the drivers had gone home and Sharon gratefully downed a large brandy with Reggie.