Jonny laughed nastily then. ‘Well, whoever it is, I wouldn’t want to fucking be in their boots when it all comes floating to the top. And it will. You can’t get away with that for any length of time. Someone will stumble eventually, that’s the law of the streets.’

Trevor Carling, a small, dark-haired man, with eyes that were a deep violet-blue, leant forward and said conversationally, ‘I hope I get first fucking refusal on the cunt. I’d keep him screaming for days – within the hour I’d have the ponce praying for a quick death.’

All the men laughed now, and Jonny grinned as he said, ‘Fucking hell, Trevor, you’d glass your own granny if she owed you a fiver!’

Trevor laughed good-naturedly then, lightening the mood once more as he said, ‘Nah, I love me granny and she’s too intelligent to borrow money from me in the first place!’

Jimmy sat back in the chair, shocked at the conversation around him, and frightened now of the men who had welcomed him into their company and who he had liked and admired only a few minutes before.

Jonny saw the way Jimmy was reacting to their banter and he put an arm around his shoulders. Then, winking at the men around him, he said loudly, ‘Enough! This is my soon-to-be brother-in-law, and he’s straighter than a copper’s parting.’

Trevor leant towards Jimmy and said with a chuckle, ‘Oi, son, remember the old wartime slogan, careless talk costs lives!’

It was a serious warning, and Jimmy knew it.

‘He won’t say a word, he’s sound is Jimmy.’

Jimmy saw that, with those few words from Jonny, he was accepted without a murmur. And he also thought he understood now why Cynthia had such a problem with her sister’s intended. Jonny Parker was going places, and even Jimmy, who was as green as the proverbial grass where the criminal life was concerned, could see that much. It was also obvious that Celeste would be going with him, and that must be what was really causing Cynthia sleepless nights.

Jimmy knew then that Jonny Parker wouldn’t be getting an eighteen any time soon. He was too shrewd for that. Jimmy also knew that he liked him, even if those last few moments had surprised him. Still, whatever he might be, Jonny Parker was a nice bloke.

Chapter Seventeen

‘You all right, Jimmy Boy?’

Jonny Parker was laughing as Jimmy emptied his stomach into the lay-by. He rubbed Jimmy’s back and, when the retching eased off, he opened the boot of his Mercedes and got out a bottle of water.

‘Here y’are, mate, get that down you, you’ll feel better.’

Jimmy drank the cool water gratefully. ‘I don’t drink that much normally.’

Jonny laughed delightedly. ‘I should fucking hope not and all, your liver must be praying for a transplant.’