What Reggie didn’t like was the ‘we’ part of what was said. The ‘we’ meant Ray and Elton, and it was another fucking way of saying he was being gradually rowed out. He had seen this was coming – he wasn’t a fool.

‘So you think that Jack will just retire, do you?’

The sarcasm was not lost on either of the men and he looked at them both with open hostility. It was a fucking diabolical liberty to spring this on him like this, especially as they had clearly already discussed it between them and made up their fucking minds. All they wanted was for him to go along with their plan and probably do the fucking shit work – like mentioning it to the man he looked on almost like a father.

Ray Donovan held a hand up in a gesture of peace. ‘Hey, come on, Reg. You know this makes sense. He’s nearly fucking eighty, for fuck’s sake. Let him spend his last years with his old cronies. He is about as much use as a fucking pork chop in a mosque. Barton agrees with us about that.’

Reggie felt a real anger now, a white-hot fury that seemed to be consuming him. ‘So, even Barton has been brought in on these talks about Jack, has he? How about young Lenny and Liam? They in on this too?’

Ray realised he had just put his big foot in it and he would have to try to placate Reggie as best he could. But Reggie was determined to have his say.

‘I’m amazed that you have discussed this outside the firm, even with fucking Barton! Jack Johnson always said keep your fucking trap shut – only talk to those in your know. I wasn’t aware that Barton was on our fucking payroll.’

‘Look, listen to me, Reggie . . .’ Ray was getting angry himself now but he was still trying to talk Reggie round as best he could. He needed him onside and he knew that Reggie was as aware of that fact as he was.

Reggie stood up and, looking at Ray like he was a piece of shit, he said, loudly enough to be heard by the other people in the small bar area, ‘No, Ray. You fucking listen to me for once. You are making a big mistake because Jack might be nearly eighty, but he ain’t a cunt. My advice to you would be to remember that.’

He left them then. He was so angry he felt capable of anything. He was burning up inside with it. Ray had his rep, but Reggie wasn’t exactly a fucking moron where the criminal underworld was concerned. He had his own fucking creds, and Ray Donovan needed to remember that. Reggie was shaking with anger as he got into his Mercedes and he was still seething when he arrived at Jack’s house. Jack needed to hear about this, sooner rather than later.