Peter and Daniel were both aware of the other. They stood at the bar, no more than ten feet apart, but it might as well have been ten miles.

Tommy Barker stood beside Daniel; now they had finally established some ground rules, they actually got on very well. Tommy was surprised at how much he did like Daniel Bailey; when Daniel was alone, and relaxed, he could be very good company. He knew he was a loose cannon – Tommy had realised early on that Daniel Bailey was not what might be termed the full shilling – but that was part of Daniel’s make up. These days, however, he was also a man who was genuinely interested in other people’s lives, who listened to their opinions, and asked relevant questions so he could fully understand what he was being told.

He and Daniel had struck up a friendship of sorts, and he believed that Daniel felt that he was good for his mother.

Now that he was gradually handing his money-laundering operation over to Daniel, he was seeing how shrewd he was where money was concerned. Daniel Bailey knew his maths all right; he could work out any percentage in his head, and he could tell you down to the last halfpenny what was owed where and by whom.

Tommy had underestimated Daniel Bailey’s intelligence, and he realised that many other people had made that same mistake. Peter had always been considered as the brains of the outfit; Daniel’s rep was just as the hard man. But Daniel was more than that. He was very good at dissecting how a scam worked and, once he had thought it through, nine times out of ten, he could come up with a way of improving on it. He had already proved that by increasing their earnings almost overnight. Tommy Barker’s respect for Daniel Bailey’s acumen was without question.

‘Look at them, Tommy, drunk as skunks, and twice as fucking annoying.’

Tommy smiled. Lena, Ria and Theresa were all singing along to the Irish ballads that were now being played. It was time for the lock-in and, for many of the people there, the night was only just beginning.

‘Your little Tania will be all right, Daniel. She won’t remember the half of it tomorrow.’ Tommy guessed what was bothering Daniel the most about today’s events.

Daniel shrugged. ‘I hope not. It’s funny, you know, Tommy, I realised something today. I realised, for the first time, that I don’t want this for her. I don’t want my daughter to grow up in the Life. I want her to have a chance. I want her to do something with herself.’

‘That’s good, Daniel. That’s natural, wanting the best for your kids.’