Again, Raymond hugged Eddie. What could he say? No one would know what to say in a situation like this, there were just no words of comfort.

Pulling away, Raymond looked him in the eye. ‘Who do you think’s responsible?’

Eddie shook his head. ‘I really don’t know. It’s a novice’s job, but my guess would be that Jimmy O’Hara ordered it. I swear, Ray, if I find out it’s him, I’ll skin the pikey cunt alive. My poor dad. Gutted I am, Ray, fucking heartbroken.’

Raymond nodded. ‘If it is O’Hara, I’ll help you get revenge, Ed.’

Seeing Ronny hurtling towards him like a paraplegic Speedy Gonzales, Eddie sighed. ‘Talk to this cunt for me, Ray. He’s pissed out of his brains, been spouting all sorts in front of the filth, he has. I can’t be doing with him right now, I really can’t.’

Leaving Raymond with his brother, Eddie walked over to his Uncle Reg. ‘Is Albert not with you?’ he asked him.

Reggie shook his head. Albert was his and Harry’s younger brother. Albert was a nice enough geezer, but had never been involved in the family firm and instead had spent his life working as a greengrocer. ‘He wanted to come, but I told him to wait at home. You know our Albert, he’s about as useful as a one-legged fucking donkey in situations like these.’

Eddie nodded. He was desperate to get home to Jessica. He needed her arms around him and her soothing voice telling him everything was going to be OK. Seeing Ronny was now annoying the life out of the neighbours, Eddie walked back over to Raymond. ‘Why don’t you, Paulie and Reg come back to mine? There’s no point us standing here, is there? We can’t do anything, can we?’

Raymond agreed and pointed to a house across the street. ‘The old boy opposite, Mr Miller, wants a word with you.’

Eddie strolled across the road and knocked on the door. He hadn’t seen old Cyril Miller for years and was surprised by how frail he had become. He used to be a hefty lump, but had lost so much weight that he was virtually unrecognisable.

‘Sorry to hear about your dad, son, he was a good neighbour. The Old Bill knocked earlier and I told ’em what I saw. There was three lads out here last night, about ten o’clock it were, ’cause I was watching the news. They were kicking up a din, I saw your old man come out, have a go at ’em. He chased ’em and they ran off down the road. I didn’t see their faces, but they looked like young ’uns – I’d say about thirteen, at a guess.’