Was Davey being sarcastic or genuine? It was hard to tell, thought Eric.

‘Eric, I’ll meet you by the car. Give me ten minutes. I’ve just remembered I need to talk about some business.’

‘I can wait.’ He smiled at Davey, but the older man’s body language was a clear indication that he wasn’t wanted. He’d been somewhat fooled by his elderly appearance, thinking that he could muscle his way in.

‘Sorry, Eric, I think it’s best you leave us now. Our business is private. I hope you understand,’ responded Davey.

The cold, frank words hit Eric like a knife to the throat; straightaway, he thought about Mike and gritted his teeth. Davey Lanigan wouldn’t have said that to him. With another fake smile, Eric nodded and walked away, fuming.

‘I get the impression, Zara, you haven’t yet joined forces with the Regans?’

She gave a heavy sigh. ‘To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure what the best way forward is. Still, the one thing I do have is my business.’ She smiled. ‘With you, that’s a constant and dead cert in my life, right now. As for the future with Mike, I’m not so sure. Hey-ho, life’s a bitch, but I intend on being the biggest of them all.’

Davey hugged her again. ‘You’re never a bitch. Maybe you’re one hard cow, yeah, but bitch – not a chance.’

Just as Zara was about to reply, a strident Irish voice could be heard down the corridor. ‘Stick your fecking visiting hours up yer arse. I’ve travelled all fecking day to see my son, and for your fecking information, I’m paying two thousand pounds a day, so don’t you tell me, Miss Hoity-Fecking-Toity, that I can’t see my son!’

Davey laughed. ‘Now, that there is a bitch.’

Zara laughed as she watched the short red-haired woman stomping along the corridor with the nurse, looking very flushed, hot on her heels. As soon as Tania reached her son’s room, her angry expression melted. She hugged Zara. ‘I fecking knew you weren’t dead. It would take more than a few Jewish amateurs to take you out!’ Her voice and manner of speaking were so hard and blunt that Zara had to laugh. Tania was always the same – swearing, hooting, and hollering – but underneath all that fierceness, she was a woman of reason and compassion.

As soon as she was in the room, she flung her arms around Neil. All Zara could hear was, ‘Mum, you’re squashing me.’

Davey turned to her, and in a mild manner, he whispered, ‘We need to meet tomorrow.’

‘I’ll be at my house. You have the address. It’s my father’s place.’

He nodded and kissed her one last time before she left.

***