‘I said, both the Carlton brothers will be gone by tomorrow. They are committing suicide, apparently.’

Ray watched carefully for Jack’s reaction; he had taken this on himself for no other reason than he wanted it over. Jack was getting on his nerves with his dithering.

Jack swallowed down his whisky and forced a smile on to his face as he said blandly, ‘Well, that certainly will put the proverbial cat among the pigeons.’

Ray grinned easily as he said, ‘I’ve also sent out warnings to the extended family. We won’t have any trouble there.’

‘Seems like you have thought of everything.’

Ray shrugged and changed the subject. He had made his point. But this had rattled Jack Johnson more than he would ever admit. It was tantamount to fucking mutiny, and that was something he would never countenance. The atmosphere in the office was charged and Ray was watching Jack Johnson every bit as closely as Jack was watching him. The gauntlet had been thrown down. It was time this firm had a revamp and Ray knew that, if he wanted to get on, this was necessary. They were at the top and, if they wanted to stay up there, they had to move with the times. Jack Johnson, he was sure, would eventually bow down to his way of thinking. And if he didn’t, then that was his lookout.

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-One

The demise of the Carlton brothers was a nine-day wonder, and no one except the prison service believed their deaths were suicides. Somehow it was rumoured that Ray Donovan was behind it all, ergo, that meant Jack Johnson had ordered the brothers to be removed. Reggie Dornan didn’t comment either way. No one commented, in fact. Ray had presented them with a fait accompli and there had been no stopping that. But Reggie could tell that Jack Johnson wasn’t a happy man, and that he no longer trusted Ray Donovan as he once had. These were trying times, especially for Reggie whose allegiance obviously lay with Jack Johnson, his mentor. In truth, Reggie could see things from Ray’s point of view as well. They had to fucking get with the times and that meant great changes. Thanks to Ray, they were now undisputed kings. People asked their permission before they did certain things, and even the northern Faces were offering allegiance.