‘Well done, mate,’ Slack said. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

‘You’d be in trouble,’ Danny said. ‘Right now I’m the only friend you’ve got.’

‘And I appreciate it, Danny boy. I knew I could trust you, which was why I got you involved. And it’s why I want you to leave the country as soon as you can get yourself sorted. This’ll be over in a little while and I don’t want you around to take any of the flak. I’ll be transferring the other half million I promised into your offshore account tomorrow.’

‘Are you sure about that, boss?’

‘One hundred per cent. We can talk about it over lunch. But first there’s one final message I want you to send out. Have you got a pen.’

After dictating the message to Danny, Slack went out onto the balcony while waiting for Mike to arrive in the car.

It was a beautiful day. The air was cold and thin, sharp in his lungs, but the sun was shining with a vengeance.

He knew he wouldn’t see many more days like this. But that was OK because he was ready to close the curtains on his life before his deteriorating health made it insufferable.

As he looked out over London, he thought about the contents of his hidden safe. The suicide note and the gun. Ready and waiting for him to make his move.

He was quietly confident that when the time came he wouldn’t hesitate to put the pistol to his head and pull the trigger. It’d be quick and painless and would add to the mess he was going to leave behind.

It was a shame he wasn’t going to live to a ripe old age so that he could continue to enjoy the fruits of his labours – the fucking, drinking, gambling and lording it over his empire.

But fate had conspired against him and he’d been put on notice. Fortunately he still had control over the time and manner of his exit from the world. And at least that was something to be grateful for.

He started making a mental list of the things he wanted to do in the days ahead, such as visit his son’s grave and the park where his wife’s ashes were scattered. Shag Jasmine at least one more time. Have a final drink with Danny at one of the clubs. Write a letter in which he’d reveal that he killed Hugh Wallis in revenge for what he did to Terry.

That was as far as he’d got before Mike phoned him to say he was waiting downstairs.