‘I gave him an ultimatum, so to speak, while he was getting a blow job in the front of his car from a fifteen-year-old Asian kid – not that I have told any of my brothers that, and I expect you to keep it to yourself as well. It will come out eventually, that kind of thing always does, and it is best we have nothing to do with it whatsoever. I have given him my word that I’ll keep schtum, and I will honour that.’

Petey Bailey was still reeling. Colin Farmer was a ladies’ man – he played the part of the womaniser with gusto. Peter had never had an inkling that the man might be an iron hoof. ‘That is fucking unbelievable! How did you find out? His old man would go fucking spare.’

Danny shrugged. ‘A little bird told me!’ He had no intention of letting on that he had a network of people on his payroll whose only job was to find out anything and everything about anyone and everyone in their world, including his close family, and their cohorts. Knowledge was power, and he knew the value of secrets. He also knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that one day the knowledge he was so patiently gathering would be worth more to him than money alone.

Petey was thrilled that his cousin had got them such a bargain. Like his brothers and his cousins, he was weary of the situation between their fathers, but they knew they had to work around it, and they were doing a pretty good job. They had the family businesses, and they had their separate businesses; somehow they made it all work.

Danny poured them both a large brandy and, saluting his cousin, he said happily, ‘To us, cuz, onwards and upwards.’

Petey clinked glasses with him. ‘That sounds fucking good to me, mate!’ Then he laughed again, his huge head shaking with mirth. ‘I can’t get over it! Colin Farmer, a fucking shirt lifter!’

Daniel looked at his cousin then and said seriously, ‘Petey, he’s a fucking nonce. The boy was a fucking schoolkid, he was barely fifteen.’

Petey digested that information slowly before saying, ‘Fuck me, you’re right. That’s fucking gross.’