‘I’ve always looked after my girls. I resent the implication that I’m doing you down, Maybelline.’

Violet spoke. ‘I was out of order, Pat. I admit it.’

Maybelline smiled at her and Kelly shook his head. These women amazed him. One minute they were at each other’s throats. The next they were best friends again.

‘I don’t like my girls carrying weapons. If I find out you’ve brought a knife or anything in again, Maybelline, there’ll be trouble. Big trouble. Get it?’

‘Yes, Mr Kelly.’

‘Now then, Violet, I want you to get your priorities right in future because if anything like this happens again, I’m gonna out the lot of you. Now fuck off the pair of you and leave me alone.’

The two women left the room.

‘Pour me out a brandy, Willy, a large one.’

Willy went to the drinks cabinet and opened it. He held up an empty bottle of Remy Martin.

‘Only got Scotch left, I’m afraid.’

Patrick clenched his fists. ‘That’ll do.’ He got up from the desk and went to the door. ‘Violet!’ His voice was so loud the girls jumped in their seats. Violet rushed from the kitchen, her face white.

‘What, Mr Kelly?’

‘Stop drinking my fucking booze! No wonder this place is like a madhouse. You’re all either drunk or drugged!’

He slammed the office door.

He took the large Scotch from Willy and drank it straight down, handing the glass back for an immediate refill. Then, sitting at the desk, he opened the drawer and took out the ledgers. If Violet was skanking off the other girls to subsidise this little bird there was a good chance she was skanking off him too.

Bloody Violet! He would have laid money on her being the most dependable of all the girls working for him. They had been friends for years.

‘Willy, go out and get me a bottle of Rémy Martin and give the bill to Violet. OK?’

Willy nodded and left the room. Patrick began to study the ledgers. The phone rang and he picked it up.

‘Yeah? Kelly.’

‘Pat, thank God you’re there, I’ve been trying to trace you. You’d better get your arse over here, mate.’

‘What is it, Karen?’

‘Trouble, Pat. Big trouble.’

The phone went dead.

Kelly closed his eyes. If one more woman put the phone down on him today he would throw a paddy. He put the ledgers away and waited for Willy’s return.

‘Come on, you, we’re off to Barking. Karen’s been on the blower, there’s hag over there.’

He walked from the office. As he passed Violet with the girls, he pointed at her.

‘Don’t touch me booze, and don’t touch the ledgers, Vi.’