‘Now we’ve got a lot of furniture snatchbacks today, you know the score. Council flats with leather settee suites and solid oak dining tables, mainly catalogue collection, so look after the gear right. There’s a list outside for each of you, with a route map. Take the big removal vans. It’s the after Christmas rush at the moment so there’s plenty of work. Don’t hassle the occupants of the places unless you have to. I heard through the grapevine that Dinny Morris’s lot slapped a young bird the other week, I don’t like that kind of behaviour. You’d throw a paddy if someone came to take your furniture away, try and remember that. Have a bit of sympathy for them.’

The men looked at Jimmy again.

‘I don’t know why you’re all looking at me! I’d never slap a bird.’

‘Not unless you was living with her anyway.’

Ronald Baker’s voice was hard and the men looked uneasy. Jimmy lived with Ronald’s youngest sister.

‘All right, keep your family feuds outside this office and this company. Lastly, I want you to tell your teams that when they are debt collecting I want all the money paid in pronto. I keep hearing how the men are keeping the Saturday collections at home until the Monday morning. That’s got to stop from now on. I know every scam in the book, and a couple of the collectors have pissed money up the wall by Monday then sworn black was blue they never collected it. Any more stories like that and they’re out, along with their team leader which will be one of you.’

He lit himself a cigarette slowly to let his words sink in. ‘Other than that, I don’t think I’ve got anything else to say.’

The men stood up and began making their way to the door.

‘Can you stay behind for a minute, Ronnie?’

He resumed his seat and waited for the room to empty.

‘I’ve got a special job for you.’

‘What kind of job?’ Ronnie’s voice was neutral.

‘A very lucrative job. Are you game?’

Ronnie nodded his head. His thin-lipped mouth had a tight roll-up stuck in the corner. It moved up and down as he spoke. Kelly could never remember seeing it lit.

‘In Spain there’s a certain old lag who owes a considerable amount of money to a friend of mine. He wants the debt collected this week.’

Ronnie nodded again. ‘How much is my bunce?’

‘Your take will be ten per cent as is usual in these cases. The amount to be collected is eighty grand.’

Ronnie nodded again.

‘Who’s the lag?’

Patrick took a deep breath. ‘William Carlton.’

Ronnie’s taciturn expression never wavered. ‘Tell the bloke I want twenty per cent and he supplies the shooter. I’ll bring the money back by boat.’