She was wearing her best clothes and her hair was freshly dyed and backcombed to within an inch of its life. Her make-up had been applied with exaggerated care.

Georgio grinned. ‘I take it you’ve seen the new bloke then?’

Sadie grinned impishly. ‘Isn’t he a darlin’? And I hear he’s as queer as a fish.’

Georgio laughed. ‘What’s the word on the Wing, Sade?’

She sat down sedately on a chair. ‘You’d better be careful, Georgio. From what I’ve read off Lewis’s lips, he’s really arming his blokes up. Is there going to be a showdown, do you know? Only I’ve seen the way Big Ricky looks at him sometimes. He’s also taken to staring at Beavis and Butthead as well. What’s going on?’

‘Nothing is going on as far as I know. Just you keep your eyes peeled and read any info you can. That’s all you need to do, love.’

‘So what’s happening with Beavis and Butthead then? I’m telling you now, Georgio, if something ain’t done about them soon, I’m going to do something myself.’

Georgio closed his eyes in annoyance. ‘It will all be sorted soon, all right? Fucking hell, Sadie, what’s got into you, eh? Fuck me, I feel sorry for the bloke you finally take up with, you’re worse than a woman!’

Sadie grinned. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’

‘Take it any way you like, just give me a break from all this. I’ve got a lot on me mind.’

Sadie knew when to change the subject. ‘I love the way your wife dresses,’ she confided. ‘Very understated, but sexy.’

Georgio laughed in delight. ‘That’s Donna all right. The understated bit anyway. The sexy bit I ain’t so sure of at times.’

‘You’re a right slag, Brunos, but then you know that.’

Georgio laughed again, coarsely. ‘Listen, Sadie, I ain’t a man who can be tied down, my old woman knows that. She keeps her mouth shut and her head down. That’s how I like my wife. Now my girlfriends are a different ballgame . . . I like ’em to be a bit sassy, like. Have a bit of a spark, you know. But me wife, I like her to be “understated”.’

‘Who was the girl who visited today?’

Georgio rolled his eyes to the ceiling. ‘Fucking hell’s bells! It didn’t take you long to find out about that, did it? What is this? Top security or Gossips’ Corner? That, my little munchkin, is my future wife. Only don’t mention it to the old one, as she don’t know yet!’

Georgio laughed at his own wit and Sadie tutted in distress.

‘You’ve been on the prison hooch, ain’t you? It takes the lining off the stomach, you know.’