Jonny Barber had taken no action at the time. He had enough sense to know that Dicky Boy had brought all the grief on himself. He had sought out the fight, and he had lost. There was nothing to be done. The fight had been in public, and Dicky had been the instigator. Jonny chose his battles shrewdly and he’d had a feeling that, if it ever came down to it, the Costellos would not be easy to topple. They were a bigger firm in every way, and they were well liked. It was better to retreat on this occasion, and Jonny had made sure that Dicky Boy had done exactly that. This was something Patrick Costello had known within days.

‘Rob Barber has to be thirty-five if he’s a day! “Young Rob Barber”, my arse. He’s a cunt. Even Jonny don’t trust him, and he’s his own brother! What does that tell you?’ Declan’s voice was laced with anger and disgust.

Patrick poured them a large whisky each. He stood by the windows, looking down at the empty warehouse, picturing it in his mind as it might have been many years before, packed to the brim with casks of brandy, or bolts of different coloured silks. It would have been a hive of activity then, the whole place ringing with noise.

‘It’s a piss-take all right, Declan. But I think that this is a job for Superman.’ He turned back towards his brother and Michael. ‘You want him badly, Michael, I can tell.’

Michael smiled grimly.

‘He was after you, my son. You’re the one he wanted, and you know that. He was stronging it in your club. Now, thanks to Paulie O’Keefe and his good intentions, that ponce probably thinks that you haven’t got the bottle to face him. He thinks you’ve tried to swerve him.’

Michael stood up abruptly, and Patrick and Declan Costello were both suddenly reminded of how dangerous the lad could be if provoked. Michael’s biggest asset was his ability to control his temper. Not many people could do it so well. Patrick himself could, but Michael was the only other person he had ever encountered who was able to do it so absolutely. It was a rare gift, and it showed a strength of will that was as powerful as it was unique. In the world they inhabited, the capability for violence was the norm, but very few could channel that violence and use it like a deadly weapon.