‘With the world falling in on me, but not now, boy. Not with the pressure off.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Max Vernon.’ Lazer shrugged. ‘I mean he’s on the run, isn’t he? Everyone knows his betting shops have taken a hammering since the Flamingo closed and now last night’s little affair.’

‘And what little affair would that be?’ Brady put in.

‘Come off it,’ Chuck said. ‘You know what I’m talking about. That place he was running up the York Road. The cut liquor racket.’ He chuckled. ‘He was making a packet there, too.’

‘You mean Max Vernon was behind that place?’

‘Sure – everyone knows that.’ Lazer looked surprised. ‘Didn’t you?’

Miller looked at Grant. ‘See what I mean, sir?’

Grant sighed. ‘All right. So I was wrong, but just try proving it, that’s all. Just try proving it.’

Park Place was a green oasis on the fringe of the city centre surrounded by old Victorian terrace houses already scheduled for demolition to make way for an inner Ring Road.

It was much favoured by office workers during their lunch-break, but at three-thirty when Max Vernon arrived it was quite deserted except for the cars parked round the edges and the small, greying man in the camel-hair coat who sat on a bench near the fountain.

He was reading a newspaper and didn’t even bother to look up when Vernon sat beside him. ‘I hope you aren’t wasting my time?’

‘Did I ever, Joe?’

‘What about that Cable Diamonds job? I got nicked – five hard years while you sat laughing your head off in some fancy club or other.’

‘Luck of the draw.’

‘You never get involved personally, do you, Vernon? You never dirty your hands.’

‘Two hundred to two hundred and ten thousand quid, Joe. Are you in or out?’

Morgan’s jaw dropped. ‘Two hundred grand? You must be joking.’

‘I never joke. You should know that by now.’

‘What’s in it for me?’

‘Half – you provide your own team and pay them out of your cut.’

‘And what in the hell do you do?’

‘I’ve done my share.’ Vernon patted his briefcase. ‘It’s all here, Joe. Everything you could possibly need and it’ll go like clockwork – you know me. I never miss a trick.’

‘Not where you’re concerned you don’t.’ Morgan shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Fifty per cent. That’s a big slice to one man.’

‘You’ll only need three men in the team. Give them ten thousand each – contract it beforehand. That still leaves you with seventy – maybe more.’ Morgan sat there, a frown on his face, and Vernon shrugged. ‘Please yourself. I’ll get somebody else.’

He started to his feet and Morgan pulled him back. ‘All right – no need to get shirty. I’m in.’

‘On my terms?’

‘Whatever you say. When do we make the touch?’

‘Wednesday night.’