Timmy shrugged and sipped at the strong liquid laced with prison hooch. ‘I hope he’s dead and all. I hate that bastard. It’s funny, you know, but as frightened as I was of him, I felt as if I’d just about taken all I could. Then seeing my old Sadie here . . .’

‘Not so much of the old, Timmy, if you don’t mind.’

Georgio shook his head in wonderment. ‘Chopper’s been keeping a wary eye out. We’d all better watch our backs anyway. Lewis looked dead to me, but I’ve a feeling he’s a hard bloke to get rid of, know what I mean?’

The cell was quiet once more, each deep in their own thoughts when Mr Marvello, a neutral screw, came into the tiny room.

‘There’s murders going on, if you’ll excuse the pun. The Governor’s like a teenage virgin on a date with Casanova. He wants to know why no one saw nothing. I have to laugh, you know, chaps. I often wonder where they gets these pricks from. Never been in a fucking nick in his life, then comes in here on a large wage and starts telling us what to do. It’s laughable. Anyway, all that aside, lads, Lewis has had his kidney removed. He’s in intensive care at the civvy hospital. Hopefully, he’ll kick the bucket then we can all get back to normal.’

Sadie looked into the screw’s face. ‘What’s normal, Mr Marvello? I’ve forgot.’

Marvello grinned. ‘With respect, Sadie, it ain’t something I’d have thought you was familiar with. Keep your fingers crossed anyway.’ He slipped from the cell.

Timmy drank his tea in three large gulps. ‘I’m a fucking dead man, I know it.’

Georgio shook his head. ‘Wait and see what happens, Timmy. If Lewis snuffs it, you saw the reaction from the other cons. Most of them are hoping he’s out of the ballgame. Either way, Lewis is out of our road for a while. We can all breathe easier now.’

Sadie stood up. ‘I’m going down the reccy room, see what the buzz is in there. Coming?’

Timmy shook his head. ‘I can’t believe I done that. Not to Lewis anyway. Oh Sadie, I’m shitting meself.’

Sadie stroked Timmy’s head. ‘Well, it’s done now, as my old mum used to say. I’ll nip down and see what the general consensus is. I won’t be long.’

As usual the recreation room was loud, with a TV blaring and a cassette recorder playing. Men shouted to be heard above the din. Sadie went inside hesitantly.

‘All right, Sade? How’s your old man?’

Benjamin’s mouth was wide with laughter. ‘That right they removed his kidney? Keep away from the meat pie, lads!’