‘May my Sally and Lukey rot in hell if I’m lying; I swear I killed Jed O’Hara. He had a baseball cap on and as I aimed the gun at it, I saw half his skull splatter everywhere. No one can survive that, Ed, and I shot him twice more after that.’

‘Well, how comes there’s been nothing on the news or in the papers then? We ain’t even had a phone call from anyone who lives nearby,’ Gary said accusingly.

‘I dunno why you ain’t heard nothing, all I know is that I killed him. I ain’t gonna lie to you, am I? And if I had cocked up, don’t you think I’d be lying on a beach in Spain somewhere by now? You made the consequences clear what would happen if I messed up and that’s why I made sure I did the job properly. I ain’t bloody stupid.’

Eddie went past the Circus Tavern, turned the Range Rover around and headed back towards Rainham. He could spot a liar a mile off and he was absolutely positive that Baldwin was telling the truth.

‘I’ll be in touch,’ he said as he dropped Baldwin off at the road next to the Leonard Arms.

As soon as Baldwin walked off, Eddie turned around to face his sons. ‘He ain’t lying,’ he said bluntly.

Gary and Ricky both shrugged. Neither knew what to say any more – the whole episode was a complete and utter mystery.

Joey pushed his dish away and undid the button on his jeans. His nan’s dinners were always delicious, but he should never have had the sticky toffee pudding as well as a slice of apple crumble.

‘Who fancies a Baileys?’ Joycie asked.

‘I’ll have one, love,’ Stanley replied.

‘I wasn’t asking you, I was talking to the boys. You can have another bitter, Stanley, a classy drink like Baileys is wasted on a man of your ilk.’

Joey and Dominic both wanted to laugh but didn’t. ‘So how have you and Nan been getting on Grandad?’ Joey asked, when Joycie left the room.

‘How do you think? Been leading me a bleedin’ dog’s life she has. I’m surprised she ain’t built a kennel and made me sleep in the poxy garden.’

‘I’m sure she’ll mellow in time,’ Dominic said, kindly.

‘You’re having a laugh, ain’t ya? The old witch ain’t mellowed since the day I bleedin’ well married her,’ Stanley said, chuckling.

‘You’re not talking about me in there, are you, Stanley?’ Joycie shouted out.

‘No, dear,’ Stanley shouted back, winking at the boys.

Joyce put the flowers in a vase that Raymond had brought round, then giggled as she lit the candles on the cake. Her mate Rita’s sister baked them to order and Joycie had ordered a very special one indeed.