‘You need to think about yourself and nobody else. They will kill you if need be. Do you know a bloke called Brendan Jones?’

‘Yeah, he was found murdered last week.’

‘Well, he was digging up dirt on Peterson’s activities and look what happened to him.’

‘Do you know why he was thinking of spilling the beans on them? I mean, he worked with John McCoy, and from what I can tell was right in the middle of it all.’

‘I’ve heard a few different explanations. I was told that he wanted to become a partner in McCoy’s company but McCoy refused. I’ve also heard that McCoy’s sidekick Tommy Briggs was hooking up with Brendan’s ex and he wanted to give him a kick in the balls. Maybe he just got a conscience, a bit like you. Either way it hasn’t worked out how Brendan expected. Don’t do a Brendan. I wouldn’t want Wayne to be without his legal beaver.’

‘Beagle.’

‘If you insist.’

‘Have the police been in touch with you about the drugs charge? It’s getting close to the first court appearance.’

‘Not yet. They like to keep me sweating. Maybe this time they will go through with it. To be honest, I can’t say I’m bothered either way. Main thing is to keep Wayne clear of it. If they go ahead, I’ll plead guilty so long as they drop the charges against Wayne. They will do that, no problem. I’ll serve my time, probably five years, and like I say, I might as well be in prison, so what’s the worry?’ He gave his lips a good licking and got up to leave. ‘Right, I’m done. I might as well get off back to my cell.’

‘Nice meeting you. Have a good day,’ I said with a good amount of sincerity.

‘If you insist.’

I didn’t want my life to be like Wayne’s dad’s. I felt a certain lightness from the thought of handing the dongle over to Peterson or McCoy.

24

When I returned to my flat, a note had been pushed through the letterbox.

‘We need to talk. I’m at my office.’

It was from John McCoy. I called out Emily’s name but there was no response. I assumed she was still next door with Grace. I ate my slice of Battenberg and took the other slice next door in the certain knowledge that it would end up in the mouths of Grace and Lassoo and not Emily. When Grace answered the door, she had obviously been asleep and was in the process of shaking off her nap haze. ‘Hi, Grace, sorry to wake you up.’

‘I wasn’t asleep. Why do you always think I’ve been sleeping?’

‘Is Emily there?’

‘No, she left just after you did. Has she done a runner or something?’