‘I wish I could,’ Alan groaned, ‘but the jump’s out of our hands now. It’s in the hands of Eric and the others. It’s Georgio’s jump, only he can cancel it. That’s the law of the criminal world. If we went and called it off now, Georgio would know about it in a matter of hours and he would have the jump rearranged in another few hours. We did all the collar, love. Now Georgio gets to name the fucking day.’

Donna was flabbergasted.

‘You’re telling me that after all you’ve seen here, he is still going to get out? The jump will still be on?’

Alan nodded.

Donna got up abruptly.

‘Well, that’s just where you’re wrong, Alan Cox! My husband will rot in that jail for this little lot, if I have to turn Queen’s evidence myself! He isn’t going anywhere. Especially not over to Ireland. I’ll see to that personally!’

She walked back into the hotel room and poured herself a large scotch. Her whole body was shaking with indignation, and her temper was on a short leash.

Alan followed her inside.

‘Listen to me, Donna. By the time we get back, the jump will be only two days away right? Now Georgio will have already lined up his disturbance. That will happen no matter what. And Eric will have Jonnie H., and the whole caboodle already in place down south waiting for the jump. We can’t stop that. Only Georgio could, and he’ll make sure it goes ahead. At this point only he can stop the men from doing what they’re paid for.’

Donna threw back the drink and pulled her dressing gown tight around her body as if hiding herself from him.

‘You’re not seriously going to tell me that you want him out still, are you?’

Alan said quietly, ‘Of course not. But what I can do is see that he has no real help. In fact, it would be better to let the jump go ahead, because if we play our cards right, he’ll be left high and dry and it won’t be down to us, not directly anyway.’

Donna looked at him as if he had developed horns in front of her eyes.

‘What are you talking about?’