‘I’ve been privy to most of the group’s conversations in the yard and also in the mess hall,’ Jax persevered. ‘But we have two big holes. I have no idea what goes on in their prayer meetings and they have also been gathering in the Kent brothers’ cell . . .’

‘Go on . . .’ Finally, a sign a life from Clarke.

‘I haven’t been here long enough to establish whether the meetings are scheduled or organised on a whim, but I know they have congregated in that cell at least three times since I arrived. Given that they all share cells with outsiders, it does make sense for them to meet in the only cell occupied by two of their guys when they want to talk shop. I could probably push Khalil for information?’

Clarke shook his head as he reached for his briefcase. ‘No need,’ he said. ‘We’ll just listen to them instead.’ He opened his briefcase and pulled out an oversized plastic ziplock bag containing smaller ziplock bags holding what looked like electrical cords. Clarke opened the large bag and pulled out one of the smaller ones. Jax could now see it was a mobile phone. Tiny. About the size of a credit card, only thicker. The electrical cord was its charger. Jax looked back to the bigger bag and counted another six, all individually bagged: phone and charger.

‘Damn,’ Jax said as he snatched the bag from Clarke and unsnapped the ziplock. ‘It looks like a kid’s toy.’

‘All plastic, too,’ Clarke said.

‘Is it some sort of specially made spy phone? I can’t give them anything that I can’t explain. Are these on the market?

‘Yes. You can get them from eBay. In fact, we bought them on eBay. Sixty bucks each after we were given a discount for buying in bulk.’

Jax passed the phone from hand to hand, estimating its weight. About 20 grams. ‘Perfect,’ he said. ‘Give me six weeks and they will all have one. I’ll get the first one to Khalil next week, after visits day.’

Clarke was shaking his head again. ‘We need to get them all in there now,’ he said. ‘We need them speaking on them this week.’

Jax almost thought Clarke was joking, but Clarke did not tell jokes.

‘Seven phones at once?’ Jax said. ‘Are you mad? How am I supposed to explain how I all of sudden got seven phones into a maximum-security prison? How many of those things do you reckon you can fit up your arse?’ He pointed at the little phones with their not-so-little chargers. ‘How about you bend over and we will find out?’ Jax said. ‘Get all seven up there and I will deliver all of them this week.’