‘Miles …’ Roper’s voice was almost a plea. ‘The Crew are out of our league. You must accept that.’

‘We’ll see.’ Suddenly, O’Grady seemed calmer. His expression turned crafty. ‘I told you I don’t accept no-win situations. So, instead of them cutting in on our action, how about we cut in on theirs?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘McCracken’s their shakedown merchant, right? Their taxman? He’s the one who collects from those who won’t willingly pay up.’ O’Grady shrugged. ‘We could do that.’

There was a lengthy, uncomprehending silence.

‘Don’t look so bloody gobsmacked,’ he said. ‘We collect already, handsomely.’

‘We pick soft targets,’ Roper said. ‘Daft, spoiled rich men who don’t want it to get out about their secret lives. McCracken goes after the worst of the worst. A team pulls a blag, leaves security men all over the road, walks off with five hundred grand … are you gonna be the one who confronts them in a warehouse somewhere, demanding a fifty per cent share?’

‘We can do that if we’re official,’ O’Grady argued. ‘Look, the Crew don’t give a shit who works for them as long as it pays. There’s no loyalty among these thieving bastards.’ He still sensed that they weren’t on board. ‘Look … we take McCracken out of the frame, and I’ll make a pitch. I’ll go to their top dogs and I’ll say, “I can do that for you. If I can deal with Captain Shakedown, I can deal with anyone … so long as you lot back me up.” Why would they say no?’

Stone gave it some thought, but again Roper shook his head. His long, thin hatchet-face now looked longer and thinner than ever.

‘Miles, you’re not going to take McCracken out. And even if you do, what about his outfit? For God’s sake … he’s only a subdivision of the Crew, but that subdivision’s fifty times bigger than anything we can muster. I’m sorry, mate, but –’ he stood up ‘– you’ve lost it.’

‘Where do you think you’re going?’ O’Grady demanded.

‘I’m out. I’ve had it.’

‘Wait!’ O’Grady growled. ‘Stay where you fucking are!’

Roper backed from the table. ‘I always knew you were a narcissist, Milesey. Always knew you believed this “I should be king of the world, but other people keep cheating me out of it” malarkey. And I don’t know, maybe that makes you just right for the Crew. But the problem is you’ve got to be able to back it up. And … you can’t.’

He turned and walked across the room. O’Grady jumped up and followed, catching up with him in the passage where the fruit machines stood.

‘You just going to walk out on us, Jon? You’ve got money coming in weekly. Good amounts too.’