Ed’s scrapyard was just off the A13 and because of where it was situated, he immediately shook his head. ‘Too dodgy. If they’re behind us they’ll definitely see you get out. I think we’re just gonna have to hope they ain’t armed, and three of us can distract ’em with our knives and bats while the other makes a dash for the guns. Who’s the fastest runner?’ he asked jokingly. Eddie knew that if the O’Haras were armed, they could all be in shit street, and part of him now wished he’d got the handgun from Joey. The reason he hadn’t was that protecting Frankie and Brett was top of his agenda and once Stuart and Terry were on home turf, he knew they would be absolutely fine. He dialled Stu’s number again.

‘Where are you now?’ he asked hopefully.

‘Just leaving Newport Pagnall services. We needed juice,’ Stuart explained.

‘Put your foot down as far as it will go. We’ve temporarily lost one of the bastards,’ Ed explained.

‘Where did you lose ’em?’ Stuart asked, dreading the answer.

‘The Brentwood turn-off, but don’t worry ’cause Joey’s got you-know-what and he should be at Frankie’s about now.’

Stuart felt sick as Ed ended the call. As much as he liked Joey, in a situation such as this Joey was going to be about as much use as a chocolate teapot. He turned to Terry. ‘We need to hurry. I think Frankie might be in danger.’

The nearer Joey got to Frankie’s house, the more worried about how the children were going to adapt to their new life he became. ‘We’re nearly home now,’ he explained kindly.

‘But this ain’t our home,’ Harry spat.

‘Is our mum gonna be there waiting for us?’ Georgie asked, genuinely interested. She had no intention of ever living with her mother again, but still had a strange urge to meet her and see what she was like.

‘Of course she is. Your mum’s waited for ages for this moment.’

‘Well we ain’t! We don’t love her. We love our Dad, Nan and Grandad Jimmy,’ Harry said nastily.

With his sister’s happiness in the forefront of his mind, Joey stared at his nephew. ‘You’d better snap out of your foul mood, Harry, ’cause if you say one thing to hurt your mother, I shall fucking hurt you twice as hard, you got that?’

Aware that his uncle was giving him daggers, Harry looked away.

‘Pass me my mobile, Dom, it’s in the front somewhere,’ Joey said, as his musical ringtone came to life.

Dominic didn’t answer, but did as he was asked. Tonight’s events had absolutely petrified him and he was beginning to wonder if he and Joey now had a future together.

‘What’s up?’ Joey asked his dad.

‘You home yet?’

‘Nearly. Why? What’s wrong?’