Terry knew it had been all over for him a long time ago.

‘Look on the bright side, Tel – at least this will be quick. Not like your poor brother who died in fucking agony. Small mercies, eh? You should be found on Monday morning. I understand that’s when the council crew is coming in to rip out the fireplaces and the boilers.’

Terry nodded. He felt strangely calm; he had no choice but to accept the inevitable.

Petey shot him twice – once in the belly and then, standing above him, he watched him squirm for a few seconds before he pumped the second round into his head.

The spray went everywhere; Petey had brains and bone all over his overcoat. He was annoyed because he had liked this coat – it had cost a fucking arm and a leg. He had made this look like a gangland hit, so everyone would assume that Terrence Allen had mugged someone else off; his death would, hopefully, put a line under the last few days. The Baileys would be pleased that the Allens were gone for good. They would speculate, of course, about who the Allens had been working for or with, but they could speculate all they fucking liked. They couldn’t prove a fucking thing, and that was the main objective as far as Petey was concerned.

If the plan had come off, he would have taken the Allens out anyway; all he had wanted was his father and his uncle out of the frame. He was sick and tired of them both – fucking dinosaurs, the pair of them.

He placed the gun back inside his coat and, walking from the room, he shut the front door quietly behind him. He placed his coat and the gun in the boot of his car. Then he took out a pack of wet wipes and cleaned himself up as best he could.

He was whistling light-heartedly as he pulled away from the kerb. It was a shame that Lena had got in the car that night; if she hadn’t his father would have been dead and, within days, his brother would have followed suit. Then Petey would have been able to take the reins and, finally, he could have come into his own. But best laid plans as his old dad would say. There would be other opportunities, he would make sure of that.

Until then, he would just bide his time and keep a beady eye out for the next big opportunity to come his way. He wasn’t too bothered; there was always another Terrence Allen around the corner – it was what made the Life so interesting.