Shutting his front door gently behind him, he decided that he was going to upgrade his living accommodation and his transport. He would also accept the boys’ advice on getting new offices – though he would still keep his scrapyard. He would never relinquish those premises for anybody; not only were they ideal for certain types of meetings, but he also knew that he would need a bolt hole from time to time.

As he sat in his car, he looked up at his house, his home, where he had been very happy and contented, and he wondered at how he had never noticed before just how scruffy and unkempt it actually was. No wonder people didn’t see him like they did his brother Peter – he must have looked like the poor relation, even though he had earned just as much as his brother.

It had never bothered him before; like Lena, he had never craved the trappings of wealth. Now, though, he finally understood the psychological advantage of being seen as a person who earned a good living. People saw what you had and they then saw you as successful and, because of that, they believed that they could earn through you; they trusted you because you already had what they wanted.

He sighed, wondering why it had taken him so fucking long to understand the Life he was involved in. He was annoyed with himself; he didn’t have the nous to see things in the same way other people did – he accepted that, and now he was willing to listen to other people. He was determined to address the problem even though, in all honesty, he was finding it very hard.

He started the car and, as he pulled away from his house, he hoped against hope that he could keep a lid on his temper, and that he could keep up with this new way of life. He was certain of only one thing – that his little Tania would grow up in a home that befitted her, and his Lena was going to have to get onboard, whether she liked it or not.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

‘I’m telling you, Petey, it’s like he’s had a personality transplant. You can assure your dad that we are keeping him sweet.’ Danny could hardly believe it himself.

Petey laughed. ‘It’s mad, ain’t it? I keep hearing good things about you all! My old man is amazed at your dad’s transformation. He’s pleased, obviously, but he is also a bit sceptical, you know.’

Danny swallowed his anger; he could see first hand that his father was really trying to work with them, and he knew just how hard it was for him.