‘Oh, no, Mr Vernon,’ Craig said softly. ‘Not in a thousand years. I’ll see you in hell first and that’s a very definite promise.’

‘That’s all I wanted to know.’ Far from being angry Vernon now smiled amiably. ‘You’re being very silly, old man. I mean it isn’t as if you’ve only got yourself to consider, is it? There’s Harriet here …’

He got no further. There was an ominous click and the barrel of the shotgun swung round to touch his chest. Craig’s eyes seemed to look right through him and the voice was cold and hard.

‘If you even try, Vernon, I’ll shoot you down like a dog. In your own home, in the street – you’ll never know when it’s coming – never feel safe again.’

For a long moment Vernon held his gaze and then quite suddenly he nodded to Carver. ‘Let’s go.’

They walked across the lawn and disappeared round the side of the house. Harriet moved to her father’s side. ‘Why did he come?’

‘For another look at the opposition I think. Nothing like knowing the enemy – a cardinal rule of war and Vernon was a good officer, make no mistake about that.’

‘But what was the point of all that business about selling out and asking you to lay off?’

‘Who knows? It might have worked – perhaps that’s what he was hoping. He may even be up to something.’ Duncan Craig smiled. ‘We’ll have to find out, won’t we?’

‘What now, Mr Vernon?’ Ben Carver said as he turned the Rolls into the main road.

‘We’ll go back to the club,’ Vernon told him. ‘After lunch I want you to drive down to Doncaster to pick up Joe Morgan. I told him to leave the London train there just in case.’

‘Do I bring him back to the Flamingo?’

Vernon shook his head. ‘No more indoor meetings – too risky. I’ll be waiting on one of those benches next to the fountain in Park Place.’

‘Thinking of Craig?’

Vernon nodded. ‘There’s always the odd chance that he has more of those gadgets of his planted around the place.’

‘When are we going to do something about him?’

‘Thursday morning,’ Vernon said. ‘Right after the job and just before we leave.’ He leaned forward and his voice was cold. ‘And you can forget about the we part right now. I settle with Craig personally – understand?’

It was cold in the mortuary and when Jack Brady lifted the sheet to reveal Billy Stratton’s face it was pale and bloodless.

‘But there isn’t a mark on him,’ Grant said.

‘I wouldn’t look any lower if I were you,’ Miller told him.

‘What a way to go. You’re satisfied with the circumstances?’