‘I’m fine, babe. Just ain’t been sleeping that well and it’s making me agitated,’ Eddie replied.

Gina laid her head on his shoulder. She knew something had happened that Ed didn’t want to tell her about and she just hoped he wasn’t in any kind of trouble.

Feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof, Eddie knew he had to do something. ‘I need to pop out for a bit, babe. Dunno how long I’ll be, but I doubt I’ll be back before late afternoon.’

Gina stared into his worried eyes. Usually on a Sunday they ate out and spent the whole day together but, not wanting to kick up a fuss, she smiled and nodded. ‘No probs. I’ll pop across to Asda and make sure there’s a nice roast dinner on the table for you when you get back. Give me a ring when you’re ten minutes away.’

Eddie kissed her goodbye, got into his Range Rover and immediately rang Raymond. ‘Get your arse in gear and meet me at the Leonard Arms in an hour,’ he ordered.

‘Ed, I can’t. I’m going out for a meal with Polly and her parents and I’ve booked the restaurant for twelve.’

‘Well, best you fucking unbook it then, or let Polly do lunch with ’em on her own. This is important, Raymond, comprendes?’

Ending the phone call before Raymond had a chance to argue, Eddie rang his two eldest sons and told them to head to Rainham as well. Stuart hadn’t come home all night and Ed knew that he’d taken his new bird out.

‘Where are ya?’ he asked, as Stuart groggily answered the phone.

‘I’m round Emma’s flat.’

‘Yes, I know that, but what’s her address?’ Ed asked. Stu gave it to him and he wrote it down on the back of his hand. ‘Get your skates on and I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.’

Joycie Smith opened the front door with a silly big grin on her face. It had been Dominic’s birthday the previous day and she was so pleased when he and Joey had agreed to spend today with her and Stanley. It would be the first time they’d been over for a meal since her wanderer of a husband had returned.

‘Mmm, the meat smells nice. What are we having for dinner?’ Dominic asked.

‘I’ve cooked roast beef, leg of lamb and all the trimmings, and for dessert we’ve got homemade apple crumble or sticky toffee pudding.’

Joey handed his nan a gift bag that contained a bottle of Baileys and a box of Thornton’s chocolates. ‘Dom bought you these,’ he said.

‘Oh, you are silly. You don’t have to buy me bleedin’ presents. I’ll put the Baileys away for my birthday,’ Joycie said gratefully.