Ivy Conway looked at her beautiful daughter and realised that she had lost her. Her beautiful baby was as caught up in Lenny Scott’s world as he was. She also knew that no good could come from it; everyone had to pay the price for their sins one day. Sharon looked into her mum’s eyes as she said seriously, ‘I mean it, Mum. Lenny is my family now. I will not have a word said against him.’

Chapter Seventeen

Lenny Scott’s standing in his community had only grown since the incident with Billy Mason. He felt himself how everyone he came into contact with treated him with respect. But Lenny, being Lenny, didn’t let it go to his head and that too was noticed and appreciated. He still gave people their due, and that was something the men in his world really did respect. Too many had made enemies when they had gained their reputations. It was a pleasure when a person remembered that good manners cost fuck-all, and it went a long way.

Lenny was at the betting office picking up his wife, and Isaac was all smiles as he invited him into the office for a chat. Lenny was only too pleased to accommodate the old man – he had been very good to his Sharon.

‘You know I am selling up?’

Lenny nodded. ‘Yeah, Sharon said. Nice little earner. I wouldn’t mind it myself.’

Isaac grinned. ‘Good. Because it’s yours, son.’

Lenny looked bewildered. ‘Sorry?’

Isaac grinned again, and he was genuinely pleased as he said, ‘It is a gift, from Jack Johnson. It will be all yours by the end of the month.’

‘Fucking hell!’

Isaac laughed delightedly as he said, ‘I hope they do, son. I ain’t had much fucking luck up here.’

Chapter Eighteen

Big Lenny Scott was made up for his son. He was so young and he already had the world by its balls. Big Lenny was as proud as punch. Lesley, on the other hand, was, as usual, the prophet of doom.

‘I can’t believe it, Dad, it’s all in my name. It’s mine – well, mine and Sharon’s, obviously. She will run it, you know, do the day-to-day. It’s a fucking right little earner. I reckon we will be able to start looking at houses within the year.’

Lesley looked at this son of hers who she loved with all her heart, and feared that she’d lost him to the Life. ‘So, you get this betting office for nearly killing a man, is that it?’