‘That,’ said Tony, nodding at the box, ‘is shit. He seems to think I’m going to eat it.’

‘It stinks,’ said Jake.

‘We’ll give it to the dogs, out the back. As for him, well, he’s come to put me in my place.’

‘Do you think he’s going to cause trouble in here? Really?’ Jake looked at Tony, shocked.

‘He’s not going to get the chance. Do you still remember how to sort the cars out, if needed? If not, John does. Go and sort it while I keep him busy.’

‘You sure? That’s a bloody expensive car to waste.’

‘That, Jake, is why I pay insurance.’ Tony smiled back at him and chinked his glass against Jake’s.

As the evening drew to an end, Tony went and sat with Marlon and his men. ‘Found one you like, Marlon?’ Tony indicated to the stage, where the strippers were.

‘Bit skinny for me, Tony. Nothing like a nice Jamaican woman’s arse to make the blood hot. Believe me, white marble can be cold but amber is warm to the touch, eh?’

Ignoring the comment, Tony said, ‘How you getting home? Do you want to stay here?’ Tony was silently praying that he would refuse and, thank God, he did!

‘Gonna get my driver to come.’ Marlon took out his mobile.

‘No, that’ll take ages. Why not take my car and bring it back tomorrow? I’ve given my chauffeur the night off, but do you think one of your guys can drive you? You can take it, if one of them can.’

Marlon’s eyes lit up. The very thought of sitting in that fancy Rolls Royce of Tony’s, with its ‘Lamb 1’ number plate, made him grin. ‘My boy, here, had nothing to drink. He can drive,’ said Marlon, pointing at one of his men.

‘Wait here; I’ll just get you the keys.’ Tony stood up and walked to his office, where Jake was waiting for him.

‘Is the car ready, Jake?’ Tony’s face was set like stone.

‘Are you sure about this, Tony? Maybe the guy just came to see you for a drink. Think about what you’re doing.’

‘This is no hunch, Jake. It’s make or break time. Come on, let’s wave our friends and allies off.’

Tony passed the keys to Marlon’s driver, then walked Marlon to the door and said his goodbyes. The driver got into the front seat and Marlon got into the back, with his other two men. Tony stepped back inside the club. The driver turned on the ignition.

The explosion from the car was enormous. The walls of the club seemed to sway and there was the sound of breaking glass as the impact of the blast shattered windows in its wake. The street was lit up by the flames from the car. Another explosion sounded just after the first. It was deafening.

Knowing what was going to happen, Jake and Tony had run to the far end of the club. Fortunately, there were only a few stragglers left inside, plus the staff. People were in shock; they knelt down behind the bar and under the tables to protect themselves from the glass and dust flying through the air.