Raymond walked in five minutes later with a face like thunder. ‘This better be fuckin’ important, as it’s probably just cost me me marriage,’ he groaned, plonking himself on a chair.

‘Of course it’s fucking important, and you really need to tell that old woman of yours that it’s what we do for a living that keeps her in designer shoes and handbags,’ Ed replied cynically.

‘Spit it out, then. What’s happened?’ Gary asked his father.

Glancing around to make sure there were no unwanted ears listening in, Eddie leaned forward. ‘Nothing’s happened, that’s the problem. Something’s gone tits-up, I can feel it in me bones. There ain’t been a mention of it anywhere and nobody could have kept it this quiet.’

‘I don’t wanna say I told you so, but you should never have trusted Baldwin in the first place. You don’t even really know the geezer and we should have just gone ahead with our original plan,’ Gary said knowingly.

‘Baldwin’s meeting us ’ere at one. Stu’s gonna wait outside for him. I’m positive he never fucked up, he was too certain that Jed was a goner. We’ll take him for a drive and go over it again with him. He can explain what happened, and you see what you and Rick think. I can’t believe Pat Murphy or Joycie ain’t rang me. I know I said none of us should go anywhere near O’Hara’s gaff, but I want you to pop in and see your mother, Raymondo. Just say you was passing or something and stay for a quick cuppa. Stu can go with ya and he can have a butcher’s at O’Hara’s gaff as you drive past it.’

‘I’d better go outside. It’s quarter to,’ Stuart said, standing up.

Gary and Ricky spent the next five minutes trying to convince their father that Terry Baldwin had messed up, big style. ‘He probably shot the horse in the back of the poxy box,’ Ricky said, sniggering at his own wit.

‘He’s ’ere,’ Eddie said as his mobile rang. ‘You and Stu pop round to Joycie now, Ray, while me and the boys take Baldwin for a little drive.’

Terry Baldwin was already sitting in the passenger seat of his Range Rover, so Ed walked over to the driver’s side. ‘You’re goin’ with Raymondo, Stu. I’ll meet yous back at the Albion. We can’t come back ’ere, it’ll look fishy.’

‘Have you heard something?’ Terry asked, as Gary and Ricky got in the back and Ed zoomed out of the car park.

‘Not a fucking dickie. Now, Tel, I’m only gonna ask you this once and I expect you to be truthful with me. Are you sure that you never dropped a bollock?’