And Ty Leach. Ten years younger again than Ellis. The driver who had collected Ferris from HMP Wandsworth that morning. A kid who wanted to be a gangster. Leach had found the right company.

Ferris was in no hurry to speak as he studied his men thoughtfully. He took another mouthful of whisky, savouring its welcome burn. For longer this time. Like all good whiskies, the second mouthful beat the first.

Leach, standing by the room’s single door, shifted his weight. He was too young to have experienced Ferris’s way of doing things. The other two men seemed more comfortable. They had been here before.

‘So is that it?’ Ferris finally spoke. He indicated towards the door with a tilt of his head. To give his question meaning.

‘No one else expected,’ replied Ellis. The organisation of the day had been his responsibility.

‘And what about who we should have expected? Do we know who should have arranged to see me but didn’t?’

‘Not yet.’ Ellis hesitated only slightly, but it told Ferris that he had expected the question. There were a few gaps in the appointment diary. Individuals who should have attended to pay tribute. Failing to do so was a statement; that they had parted ways with Ferris. And that was a statement that could not – that would not – go unpunished. ‘I’ll have a list by midday tomorrow.’

‘Sooner. A message needs to be sent.’ Ferris turned to Tennant. ‘Any of the no-shows strike you as strange?’

‘None.’ Tennant was and had always been a blunt man. ‘All of ’em predictable. All with Burrell.’

Ferris reacted with just a nod of the head. He understood Tennant’s meaning. Ed Burrell – a man based less than a quarter of a mile from this office – was the latest pretender to Ferris’s throne.

Just another in a long line, Ferris thought.

New gangs would always appear. And the bigger ones would get ambitious. They would try to compete. Sometimes Ferris would lose people to them; the grass often seems greener, especially when the boss is in prison. But so far Ferris had seen off every new face. Burrell would be no different.

Ferris turned back to Ellis.

‘That right?’

‘I think so, yeah. Didn’t want to jump, though. Just in case.’

‘Fuck “just in case”.’ Ferris spoke without any loss of temper. This was business. ‘We’re gonna jump. Get the list done and get every fucker on it dealt with. No excuses.’

‘What about Burrell?’ Tennant again.

‘He can wait. Let him stew when he sees his new people lost. He’ll be in touch soon enough.’

‘And when he does that?’

‘Do I need to answer that?’

As loyal as Tennant was, Ferris sometimes lost patience with his friend’s need for instruction. He did not let it show. Tennant deserved at least that much respect. Instead he changed the subject.

‘Moving on. Tell me about the Taylor boy I saw today. He seems switched on.’

‘He is, Leon.’ This time it was Leach who spoke. ‘He’s a friend of mine and—’