Lenny placated him as best he could and finally left with Reggie to go and hunt down the Carter twins. But his heart wasn’t in it. Unlike most people, he got on with them. He was in the minority he knew, but, in all fairness, what you saw is what you got – there was no side to them. They were just a pair of naturally antisocial fuckers.

Chapter Fifty-One

Sharon was ironing when Lenny walked into the house, and he forced himself to smile at her. He saw the relief in her face and felt a moment’s sorrow. He held his arms out and, as she ran into them eagerly, he held her tightly to him. He could smell her perfume and her shampoo. She always smelled nice, did his Sharon.

‘I’m so sorry, Len. You are right. Even my dad thinks so. I will really come down on the boys, I promise you.’

He kissed her head gently, swaying as he held her to him. ‘I’m sorry for being such a hard bastard, Shaz. I know they are a handful, that’s why we have to sort them out now. Leave it much longer and they won’t have a chance.’

She saw Reggie in the doorway looking awkward, so she pulled herself free from her husband and said brightly, ‘Can I get you fellas something to eat? How about a beer?’

‘Some sandwiches and a cup of tea would be handsome, Shaz.’

She went into the kitchen and started to make the food. The men followed her out there and sat at the big, scrubbed table that was her pride and joy.

After a few minutes Lenny said to her, ‘I don’t know what time I will be finished tonight, love, so lock up properly. I am going to stay at Reggie’s. We have a lot of running about to do.’

She sighed. ‘OK, mate. I want to finish the ironing, have a bath and then get to bed. I’m shattered, if I’m honest.’

‘How have the boys been today?’

She placed a plate of sandwiches on the table and set about pouring the tea.

‘Good. I think they know that they are on their last chance. I didn’t let them have any treats whatsoever and now you have removed the portables from their bedrooms they seem to understand that this is serious.’

‘I will go and check on them.’

He went up the stairs quietly so as not to wake the boys.

‘When are you going to find yourself a nice girl, Reg? They must be lining up for you!’

Reggie smiled. This was par for the course and it irritated him but he had to play the game.

‘You know me, Sharon, love them and leave them.’

‘Typical bloody man. Good-looking fella like you should already be thinking of settling down.’

He bit into another sandwich to save having to answer her.