Nick tapped JoJo’s face gently with his fingers. ‘Never underestimate a queer, JoJo. You of all people should know that. Now what do you want?’

‘I want to know everything you have on Georgio Brunos and Alan Cox. Your little mute friend don’t scare me, Nick.’

He smiled lazily then nodded at Albie, who walked a few feet into the room and opened up two shots into the carpet by JoJo’s feet.

‘You should be scared, JoJo, you should be very scared, because I know everything that’s going down with you and Coyne and I think it stinks, personally. Albie, let him have one in the hand to teach him a lesson.’

Albie shot JoJo’s hand. Three fingers were severed with the first shot. Two more shots hit him in the thighs.

JoJo’s henchmen were silent and wary. All were armed and all were too intelligent to go for their equipment. Albie looked the nutter he was and they automatically respected that.

Nick tutted loudly. ‘Listen to me carefully, boys. I want you to take this piece of shite out of my home, then I want you all back in Liverpool as soon as possible. If ever I get wind that any of you is within shitting distance of me again, there’ll be big trouble. Now take JoJo home. He’s bleeding all over me carpet and bedspread.’

Five minutes later the flat was clear and Nick was sipping his tea in silence while Albie started to clear away the remains of the front door.

Sandy shook her head sadly. ‘He’ll be back, Nick, with Jack Coyne in tow.’

‘No he won’t, love,’ Nick grinned. ‘He’s found out what he wanted to know, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Now I’d better get me make-up on, I have people to see today.’

The conversation was closed.

As she watched Nick fluttering around the flat she reasoned with herself about her feelings for him. No one, her mother especially, could understand her fascination with him. But they didn’t know the Nick she knew, the man in the dark of the night when he was himself. When he loved her body and her mind. He was more of a man than most of the so-called macho types.

But only she knew that, and if she wanted to keep him, she had to keep the information to herself.

And Sandy wanted to keep him.

‘Why did you let Albie shoot him?’ she asked.

Nick smiled. ‘Because he’s a nonce, love, the same kind of nonce who cut out Albie’s tongue. Don’t feel any pity for JoJo O’Neil. I only wish Albie had shot his fucking balls off!’

Sandy stilled the beating of her heart. ‘Shall I make you more tea?’