Eddie immediately felt his whole body stiffen. His inner sense told him that the grave that had been attacked was probably his father’s. ‘Whereabouts is the grave?’ he asked, feeling queasy.

The smaller woman pointed her finger. ‘Over the back there, on the right.’

Grabbing Joey’s arm, Eddie broke into a run.

‘You don’t think its Grandad’s, do you?’ Joey asked worriedly.

As Eddie neared his father’s grave the first thing he saw was the red and blue paint. ‘The fucking bastards, I’ll kill ’em,’ he screamed.

When they reached the actual grave, Joey spotted the diarrhoea and grabbed his father’s arm. ‘Come on, let’s go and find the others before they find us. You don’t want Auntie Vi and Joanie to see this. Me and you can come back later and clean it up.’

Eddie stared at the expensive granite headstone, that was now smashed, and felt his eyes well up for the second time that day. ‘I’ll kill the fuckers when I get hold of ’em, Joey, I’ll throttle the fucking life out of ’em.’

‘Do you think Grandad’s grave was picked on purposely? Or do you reckon it was just vandals?’ Joey asked.

Eddie’s eyes clouded over with anger. ‘This was done on purpose all right, and whoever did it is the same cunt who murdered him.’

Oblivious to their father’s gruesome discovery, Gary and Ricky were sitting in the Barge Aground in Barking having a few pints and debating what they should do next. Neither were particularly close to their mother. She was a drunk and an embarrassment, but they were still concerned for her well-being and had been unable to get in touch with her for the past week now.

‘I think we should go back round there and break in,’ Gary said. They’d already knocked at their mum’s house twice this morning to give her her Christmas presents.

Ricky was concerned, but not as much as his brother. ‘You know what muvver’s like – she’s probably on one of her benders and is dossing round some low-life’s house.’

Gary sighed anxiously. When their mum had first met their dad she’d been absolutely stunning. Gary and Ricky would never have believed it if their dad hadn’t shown him the photographs. Their mum’s decline into alcohol addiction started the minute their dad walked out the door, and Gary and Ricky had had a crappy childhood living with her, even back then. The only thing that had got them through their younger years was spending the weekends with their father.

Ricky finished his beer and stood up. ‘Come on then, if you’re that worried let’s go and break in.’