Jonny knew exactly where Jimmy was coming from; he could write the script. ‘Well, Jimmy Boy, you either sort the debts out, though in my experience she’ll just run up more, or you put the foot on her neck and rein her in once and for all.’

Jimmy didn’t answer him.

Then Jonny said quietly, ‘There is a third option, Jimmy.’

Jimmy looked up. ‘What’s that, Jonny?’

‘You could do a bit of moonlighting. You’re good with other people’s money, and I could do with a creative accountant, if you get my drift?’ As he said it, Jonny could have kicked himself. He blamed it on the whisky. Scotch always made him sentimental.

‘Really, Jonny, could I make decent money from it? I mean real money?’

Jonny realised he had just answered this man’s prayers. And ruined him into the bargain. ‘If you can hide a good percentage of my earnings and still make it all look legit, you’d be an asset, mate. But before you go making any quick decisions, remember that you’ll be breaking the law and if we ever get a capture you could go down for it. You’ll be expected to keep your trap shut, and do your time without a whimper to anyone, especially not the Filth. I work for some very heavy people, so think long and hard about what you’ll be getting involved in. Because if you step out of line, you’ll be wiped off the face of the earth. Family or no family connections, you fuck up and I’ll come after you meself.’ Jonny hoped this advice, delivered with a threat and a promise of trouble to come, would be the decider for Jimmy Tailor, and make him see that this wasn’t the life for someone like him.

Jimmy, though, saw this man as a saviour and saw the chance of a good earn doing what he was good at – working with money. Jimmy, in his desperation, believed that if he worked for Jonny Parker nothing bad could ever happen to him. After all, he would only be keeping the books, it wasn’t as if he would be a real part of the business. He conveniently forgot about the conversations he had heard earlier in the evening, chose to forget that those were the very people whose money he would be responsible for. All he could see was a way out of the enormous debt they were in, and the look on Cynthia’s face when she realised he had finally sorted it out.

‘Thanks, Jonny. But I don’t need to think about it. I’d be honoured to come and work for you. You won’t regret it, I’ll work my fingers to the bone . . . Twenty-four seven if needs be.’