Desperate to say his pre-planned speech, Ronny piped up. ‘For years we’ve lived in your shadow, Ed. You were always the old man’s favourite – you spent half your life licking his arse. Why should you dish out the orders, eh? What makes you so fucking special? Me and Paulie have had it with you. We’re setting up on our own. We’ll find our own clients and do a bit of sharking ourselves.’

Eddie looked at Ronny with contempt. As usual, his eyes were gone and his speech was slurred. Unable to stop himself, Eddie laughed in Ronny’s face. ‘Well, I wish you every success, Ronny. I’m sure people will be quaking in their boots when they’re threatened to pay up by an alcoholic cripple.’

Overcome by jealousy and hatred, Ronny picked up an empty beer bottle and aimed it at Eddie’s head. As the bottle brushed against his hair and whizzed past him, Eddie jumped up to retaliate.

‘Leave him – he ain’t worth it. Come on, Ed, let’s get out of here,’ Raymond said, holding Eddie back.

Sitting back down, Eddie looked at Paulie with pleading eyes. ‘You’re making a big mistake, bruv, you really are.’

As Paulie looked at the floor, Eddie shook his head, stood up and walked away.

Ronny called Eddie’s name. He hadn’t played his ace card yet and he was gagging to do so. ‘Oh, and by the way, big man. Your son Joey’s a fucking bum boy. Got a boyfriend, he has. Sucks cock and takes it up the arse regularly, by all accounts.’

As Eddie lunged at Ronny, the barmaid let out a piercing scream. John, the guv’nor, was on holiday, and she didn’t know how to deal with such violence.

Picking Ronny up by the neck, Eddie lifted him out of his wheelchair and threw him as hard as he could against the wall. ‘You fucking lying cunt, I’m gonna kill you!’ he shouted.

To save Ronny’s sorry arse, Paulie and Raymond joined forces. When angry, Eddie was so strong he was almost impossible to control.

Eddie bent down and held Ronny around the throat as if to strangle him. ‘How dare you fucking bring my kids into this, you cunt!’ he screamed.

‘It’s true. Ask Terry Palmer. Ask his son. I’m not lying, Ed, I’m not,’ Ronny said, choking. He was frightened now, really frightened.

Managing to pull Eddie away, Raymond dragged him outside the pub. ‘Let’s get out of here, mate. I think the barmaid’s called the filth,’ Ray told him.

Eddie said nothing. Chucking his keys at Raymond, he got in the passenger side and slammed the door. ‘Are you OK?’ Raymond asked him as they drove along in silence.