Linford opened the car doors and, once inside, said calmly, ‘Like we’ve said before, things like what you’ve done leave a nasty taste, and thumping all and sundry ain’t going to help matters, is it?’

Jonny laughed. It was his old laugh, loud and raucous. ‘Fuck them, Linford my boy. Fuck them all. Now let’s get to Bow and be done with this lot. I’ve had enough.’

‘Whatever you say, boss.’

Linford started the car and they made their way to their meeting with Derek, neither of them saying a word, both lost in their own thoughts.

Chapter Seventy

Jack Callahan was laughing to himself as Mary watched him in amazement.

‘Are you feeling the ticket, Jack? Laughing away there all on your Jack Jones.’ She was pleased to see him happy if she was honest; it was a long time since there had been any merriment in this house.

Jack looked at his wife and said seriously, ‘I have a lot to be cheerful about, my lovely, but I can’t say too much just yet. Once it’s over you’ll know soon enough.’

Mary was nonplussed at his answer, but she kept her own counsel; there were some things you were better off not knowing, and this sounded like one of those things. Jack had not been right since he had seen young Vincent earlier in the day, and whatever they had been talking about had cheered him up no end.

She smiled to herself; young Vincent was a nice boy and now she was pleased he was seeing her granddaughter. She had revised her earlier opinion of him. She had met Jack when they were teenagers and they were still together, so she wasn’t against young lovers like Cynthia was.

She pushed thoughts of Cynthia out of her mind; she was done with her and she didn’t want her taking up any more of her time or her life. It was the shame that was the hardest to bear, although the fact that people knew she had outed her daughter permanently had helped them get over that. But it was the effect this had had on her grandchildren that really rankled. James Junior was still locked up in a secure unit. She didn’t even know what that meant until Miss Bellamy had told her, and the shock had really knocked her for six. But it was the best place for him. He wasn’t right that child; to do what he had done was not natural.