Petey nodded understandingly. He poured himself a drink. Danny was still out cold and, shaking his head with mock severity, he said, ‘What the fuck was that all about today?’

Davey shook his head sadly. ‘Fuck knows, Pete, but it ain’t like him. He is usually a sensible head, my brother. But he is out of his fucking box. Look at him.’

Petey shrugged. ‘He was already well gone when I saw him. I knew it was pointless taking him to the meet with the Allens, he could barely fucking talk. All I can think is that he got something off one of the girls here. You know what he’s like. That redhead he has his eye on – what’s her name? Stephanie, is it? She has been warned about dancing while boxed out on ecstasy. I’m sorry, Davey, but there was no way he was fit to work.’

Davey saw the truth of that. ‘My old man will go fucking ballistic.’

Petey took a large sip of his brandy. ‘Well I think the best thing we can do now, right, is not tell him, or my dad come to that. Keep it between us lot. Even Delroy can’t know – you know what he’s like; he’ll feel honour-bound to let the proverbial cat out. This is a fucking abortion, but if we use our heads we can salvage the situation.’

‘What about the Allens?’

Petey grinned nastily. ‘Think about it, Davey, they are hardly going to broadcast to the nation that I went round there on my lonesome and put the hard word on them, are they?’

Davey could see the logic in that. ‘I don’t know, Pete, the old boys have a knack for sniffing out trouble.’

Petey shrugged again. ‘Well, personally, I think this is best forgotten, but I’ll leave the final word on it up to you.’

‘How did it go?’

Petey laughed. ‘I let them think Danny was outside with the rest of you, and that he was too wound up to come inside for the actual meet. That put the wind up them, I can tell you. But they were suitably contrite. I don’t think they will be showing off any time in the near future, put it that way.’

Davey was quiet; he was in a quandary. His loyalty to his brother eventually won out. ‘I’ll make sure my brothers know the score, Pete. You’re right – this would just cause unnecessary aggro. Fucking Danny, what was he thinking?’

Petey sighed. ‘I’m telling you, it was that ponce Stephanie. She was all over him like a fucking rash earlier – the sooner we out that fucking whore the better. Imagine if this was a paying customer! We could end up in the dock. I’ll take oath that he’s given her all his cash and, let’s face it, Davey, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?’