Leon James was a man with a mission. According to him, he was about to pull off the biggest heist since the great train robbery. He sat talking to Nathan in the darkest corner of the Rose and Crown. It was a quiet night and the pub was nearly empty. Anyone thinking of sitting near them would give them a wide berth anyway, once they saw Leon and his two sons. The only time the three of them were seen together was when there was trouble brewing. They cut imposing figures. Always dressed entirely in black. Their long dreadlocks hung loose around their shoulders and they rarely smiled. Leon junior and Jerome rarely spoke, although Leon certainly talked enough for the three of them.

Nathan had brought Ben and John with him. They were the two men he trusted more than anyone else to have his back should anything kick off. Not that he expected it to. Leon knew that Nathan didn’t fuck about either, and together with Ben and John, they were more than a match for Leon and his sons.

Leon was an expert in his field, and he was not a man to be messed with. Unfortunately for Kevin Mitchell, but opportunely for Nathan, Leon was very upset with him. Mitchell had supplied him with some guns for his upcoming job. Nathan pretended to be surprised by this revelation. His little talk with Nudge Richards had obviously paid off. As Leon told it, Mitchell swore the guns were the real deal.

‘One hundred per cent clean and reliable, that’s what the fucker told me.’ The big man’s jowls wobbled as he shook his head in anger and disbelief. ‘Good job I fucking tested them, Nathan. The triggers jammed on two of them, and one misfired. Nearly shot my fucking knob off.’ He winced.

Professionals like Leon did not use restored replicas or converted antiques. They couldn’t afford to.

‘Well, I can guarantee that what I get you will be the dogs bollocks, Leon. Scouts’ honour.’ Nathan smiled, taking a sip of his drink. ‘But obviously, it’ll cost you. Quality doesn’t come cheap.’

‘Of course.’ Leon smiled. ‘I’m sure we can come to an arrangement that suits us both.’

‘And what about Mitchell?’ Nathan asked.

‘He will rue the day he ever fucked me over,’ Leon said calmly.

Nathan winked. ‘Well, make sure you tell him I said hello.’

They were finishing off their drinks and smoking some of the excellent weed Leon junior had brought with him when Nathan noticed Kayleigh out of the corner of his eye. She was talking to Grace and gesticulating wildly. He couldn’t hear what she was saying but he would bet it was nothing pleasant. All he needed was her and Grace becoming mates; that would be a truly unholy alliance. She followed Grace through to the back and he decided he’d better get her out of there.