‘The truck belongs to Sammy and me and we’re dressed like this ’cause we’ve been grafting,’ Jed explained. The truck was actually a ringer that couldn’t be traced to either him or Sammy. Neither lad had wanted to use their own motor this time, in case there was a repeat of the Mr Franks fiasco.

‘Now, don’t have a go at me, but I’ve taken Georgie out of that school, boy.’

‘You’ve done what?’ Jed spat angrily. Part of his custody conditions was that Georgie returned to school and then Harry would also go as soon as he was old enough.

‘Daddy!’ Harry screamed, as he got out of his little car and ran towards him.

Jed picked his son up and turned back to his mother. ‘So, what happened, then?’

‘The headmaster rang me up and asked me to go up and see him. He reckons that Georgie ain’t settling in and needs to go to one of them special units. I was fucking livid, Jed, so I told him where to go, and brought Georgie girl home with me. I ain’t having her go to one of them divvy places! Bright as a button she is and I ain’t having her mix with a load of dinlos.’

Jed sighed. He needed to find Georgie another school double quick, or else Frankie’s solicitor would start creating havoc for him again. ‘You should have left this for me to deal with, Mum. I’ll shoot up and have a chat with the headmaster, see if I can sort it out. What exactly did you say to him?’

‘I told the four-eyed old shitcunt to go fuck his grandmother.’

Jed felt his face redden with fury. ‘You stupid woman! If Frankie gets visiting rights because of this, I will never forgive you, Mum, and I truly fucking mean that.’

* * *

Eddie Mitchell asked the taxi driver to drop him and Gina off at the entrance of Brentwood Registry Office. Years ago, his pal Dougie had surprised his wife Vicki in exactly the same manner and Ed had admired his cavalier style.

‘I didn’t realise all your family were going to be here today as well. How did you say you know these people that are getting married?’ Gina asked innocently.

Eddie paid the driver, got out the car and opened the door for Gina. She looked an absolute picture in the cream pencil skirt suit she had bought especially for the occasion. She’d moaned like hell because she’d had to buy a size twelve instead of a ten, but considering she was now fifteen weeks pregnant, she still looked amazing in it.

‘The groom’s dad was one of my dad’s best pals. That’s why all my mob are ’ere. Now, I need to have a quick chat with the boys. You’ll be OK with Joanie and Vi for five minutes, won’t ya?’