Michael finished his drink, enjoying the burn as the whisky went down. He was pleased with Jeffrey Palmer. He would do a good job but, more than that, everyone would know that if Patrick Costello was still in the mix, Jeffrey Palmer wouldn’t have got a look in. It was Michael’s way of letting everyone know that he was his own man. He would make any changes he thought necessary, and on his own terms. He had to make sure the people around him were all his men. Patrick Costello had taught him the importance of loyalty, and how giving certain people not just your trust, but also the chance to earn from that trust, was worth more than anything. He knew the truth of that first hand, and now he was going to use that knowledge to his advantage. In his own way, he had loved Patrick Costello; he had been like a father to him. But, like Patrick, he knew that, where business was concerned, emotions had no place. He had the capacity to overlook such trifles; he had understood that when Patrick had insisted he carry out murder for him. He knew now that if he had failed, he would still be no more than a drone, a nobody, and that was something he would always thank Patrick Costello for. He had educated him on the finer points of being a player in the Life. Without him, Michael would be nothing.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Seven

Josephine was busy; she had cleaned the house from top to bottom, and now she felt she could face the task of clearing out her overfull wardrobes. She was piling clothes up on the floor, trying to decide which to take to the charity shop, but she was finding it hard, she needed all of them. She was happy, still pregnant, feeling good, and that was what she was focusing on. Michael was so wrapped up in his new role, he didn’t have time to think about her. That suited her, she was quite happy enjoying this by herself. This time it was going to be different, she felt that in every way. She felt stronger, more in control of everything this time. It was scary and exhilarating keeping such an enormous secret to herself.