Jack Johnson was listening with half an ear as Ray described the birth. Reggie was all ears, apparently genuinely interested in the blood and gore; Jack wasn’t that enamoured with women’s shit, personally, but he laughed out loud as he heard Ray saying seriously, ‘Honestly, guys, if someone on the street put you through that much pain and suffering, you would want them to get ten years!’

‘Women’s work, Ray. My old mum used to say, if men had the first child and women the second, there would never be a third!’

Ray grimaced as he said in disgust, ‘Wouldn’t be a fucking first! I don’t know how they do it!’

Reggie grinned. ‘I delivered my own little brother. I was fascinated by it.’

Jack and Ray exchanged worried glances and Jack broke the mood by saying loudly, ‘So, are we agreed then? I will put in an offer for the Carlton brothers’ loans and bets? They ain’t coming home for a fucking long time – their probation officer ain’t even been born yet! Poor fuckers. Definitely a grass there, I reckon. But, either way, it adds to our holdings.’

Ray laughed with delight. ‘I don’t see a problem myself. Do you, Reg?’

Reggie shook his head slowly, but he didn’t look too convinced.

Jack noticed and said seriously, ‘You have any reservations, Reg, then you should share them with us.’

Reggie sighed deeply. ‘Honestly? The Carltons have a big family network – cousins, et cetera, the whole fucking shebang. I think they will want to leave it in the hands of the family. I would, wouldn’t you? Both of them have families that still need to be taken care of. If they get a huge lump, they will want ongoing businesses, not a one-off sum. The court costs at the Bailey will be the national debt alone. By the time they have bumped a judge for a guaranteed sentence they will be practically boracic. That, Jack, is my worry. I don’t think it will be quite as cut and dry as you seem to think.’

Ray could see the logic of what Reggie was saying but he also knew that Jack didn’t like the Carlton brothers in the least. He saw them as boors and bullies, which they were. Ray was well aware, though, that Jack had set his heart on taking over from them.

‘Fuck them and their extended family.’ Jack’s voice was hard now. He had never liked to be contradicted even though he asked for honesty from his entire workforce, no matter how high or how low.

Ray looked askance at Reggie and then waited for Jack to speak again. Ray could see what Reggie was saying and he thought he had made a very valid point.