Joe nodded. Putting a hand on Eddie’s shoulder. ‘You and me, brother. You and me. We have to be ready to go to war. Because if we don’t find out who did this, and put them on display, the other gangs are going to lose patience. See the balance of power shifting away from me. And they’ll move on us, you mark my words. So we go to a war footing, right? We have the troops mobilised, so we keep them mobilised. Get the camp beds out and operate as an army, from the arches. And when the time comes to strike, we strike first and hardest. I’m minded to show that loose-mouthed twat Albie the error of his ways. Send Rocco to take him out. Decapitate his gang, consolidate his territory into ours and face the rest down. Change the balance of power permanently.’

Eddie nodded. Ruing the day that Joe had picked up a copy of Sun Tzu. Suddenly seeing himself as a scheming warlord. Using words like decapitate and balance of power. His phone buzzed. WhatsApp. A message on his private group with Ac1d.

‘Steph’s agreed to meet tomorrow. With the weapon.’

He showed Joe the screen.

‘Good. Because that bastard is our last hope to catch the fucker that did this.’ Waving a hand at Lewis’s remains. ‘Get him out of that before it sets hard. And put him on ice. Somewhere private. No publicity at all. I want him as a threat I can use to unbalance the other gangs, when the time comes. Tell them all he’s coming to their turf for the rat. Have them all looking the other way when the hammer falls on Albie. And when this is all over we’ll have a Viking funeral and pay our respects properly. But for now I’ve got a war to plan.’

43

‘Good morning, Michael! Welcome back for your first day on the dark side!’

Mickey couldn’t help but smile at Philip Green’s cheerfulness. And bathe in the warmth of being addressed by his first name. Rather than his rank. Even if the bonhomie wasn’t likely to be replicated at any rank above Philip.

‘Thank you, sir. I presume I’m on the replacement rota for the day?’

Suited and booted, and with a Glock holstered, he was fully expecting to go straight into the pool. To be sent wherever a Prot officer wasn’t available due to holiday or sickness. More likely than reassignment to a new principal. Ministers preferring the presence of bodyguards known to them. Although the moment when whoever he ended up guarding realised that he was “that” officer had potential to be amusing.

Inspector Phil shook his head.

‘On a normal day you’d be spot on. But not today.’

Mickey guessed what was coming. Not hard to do. Given half the emails he’d read that morning had started with the same title.

‘Operation Rampage?’