He looked at Daniel, and saw hate mingled with pity. He was grateful to him for that; knowing his brother still had the capacity to feel his pain was a small measure of how much he really did care for him.

‘Does Liam know anything about this?’

Danny shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. What I do know, though, is that he has been cleaning up his brother’s messes for a long time now. Petey owes money everywhere; he has been skimming the takes since day one. But that is just him, ain’t it? We accepted his so-called foibles, his inability to see the big picture, his need to find that extra con, earn what he felt was his private wage. He always needed to feel he was getting more than the rest of us lads. The sad thing is there would never be enough in the pot for him. He is a fucking shyster, a common fucking thief.’

Peter could hear the deep bitterness in Danny’s voice. His son should have been fucking put down long ago. He should have followed his instincts but, after Jack, he had not wanted to believe he had another son devoid of decency and strength. He had not wanted his Ria to have to live with the knowledge that another of her children was gone from her. He had seen how hard Jack’s death had been on her. He had been so amazed at how strong she had been for him then; she had hidden her real feelings because she had known that he would never have done what he had without good reason. But it had taken its toll; she was a mother, first and foremost. Women loved their babies from the second they pushed them into the world; they were programmed to love them, feed them, and protect them, no matter what. Poor Ria. She would be heartbroken at Petey’s death. She couldn’t know the circumstances though – she would never forgive herself if she thought a son of hers was capable of anything like this.

He was pulled out of his reverie by his brother’s voice.

‘I’m sorry, Pete, but you do know that he’s got to go, don’t you?’

Peter nodded; he accepted this was inevitable. ‘Of course. Can I ask you one last favour?’

Daniel shrugged. ‘Sure.’

‘Make it look like a fucking hit, like he was ironed out by strangers. Ria can’t know the truth, she couldn’t live with it.’

Daniel nodded.

Danny could see the logic in that; no one wanted the women upset. ‘Liam might know more than he’s letting on, Uncle Pete – he’s been carrying him for a while. Shall I bring him up to speed or what?’