Georgio smoked the joint for a while before passing it back to Ricky. His brain was working overtime. Eventually, he said, ‘You must not repeat any of this. We’ll be in on it together, OK?’

Ricky nodded, leaning forward on his bunk to listen better.

‘You know the two blokes brought in the other week, Tweedledum and his mate. The Olds?’

Ricky nodded.

‘Well, they’re nonces. Not just perverts, but real honest-to-goodness nonces. They are part of that paedophile ring that got sent down recently. They’re the two who made the deal. Sadie knows of them, and she tipped me the wink. Apparently, they done her over when she was a kid. I want to make sure they never forget what they did. Ever. I want to hear them screaming this fucking Wing down.’

Ricky’s face was hard. ‘The dirty bastards!’ His thick cockney accent was to the fore now, all pretence at a West Indian timbre forgotten. ‘The filthy dirty bastards! They killed those little kids, didn’t they?’

Georgio nodded. ‘Amongst other things. The big one, Hall, he’s been at it for years by all accounts. He’s the main man, like. They torture the kids first, video it and all. They made a fortune out of selling the gear. The other one, Denning, is a bit of a dimbo though. Thick as shit. But still as bad. He’s the one that lured them away.’

Ricky shook his head at what he was hearing. ‘And they’re sitting down to eat with us? I fucking accepted a fag off that Denning yesterday. Fucking hell! There’ll be murder done once this gets out.’

Georgio sighed. ‘That’s why it mustn’t get out, see? I want to do them meself. That’s why I need a weapon. Now I am willing to bring you in on it, Ricky, because I trust you. Lewis knows I want them, and he’s happy for me to do the honours. And if you decide to do Lewis on the same day . . . there’s nothing I can do about that, is there?’

Ricky smiled again. ‘So you wouldn’t feel you had to do anything to help old Donald, like?’

Georgio shook his head. ‘I wouldn’t have thought a big boy like you would have needed help with a runt like him. But his minders now, that’s a different ball game . . .’

Ricky pinched out the joint with his finger and thumb and put the roach into his tobacco tin.

‘I get what you’re saying, Georgio, and I think between us we can work something out. When’s it to be?’

‘In ten days’ time, OK?’

‘We can do it sooner. I can have a weapon in three, maybe four days.’

Georgio shook his head. ‘In ten days’ time. That’s the plan for me and I don’t want it changed. I’ve trusted you on this, Ricky. Just bear with me, OK?’