Realising they were getting nowhere fast, Jimmy urged Jed to follow him outside the building. ‘Look, boy, this technique ain’t working and we can’t go home without them chavvies, ’cause your mother will lose the fucking plot. What I suggest we do is kill one of ’em. That should then give the others a kick up the arse to start talking,’ Jimmy suggested.

Jed spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. His tongue was still throbbing, but the pain was bearable.

‘Let’s kill Gary first. Can you imagine how Mitchell will feel, seeing his trappy cunting son die in front of him?’ Jed replied.

‘Nah, let’s kill the other son. He’s virtually out for the count, so can’t give us no answers anyway. We need to keep the ones alive that can still talk, Jed.’

‘Can’t you drive over to Pat Murphy’s and see if he knows Ed or Frankie’s addresses? He’s only ten minutes down the road and I can take care of these dinlos until you get back.’

‘Sonny Tyler told me that Murphy sold up a year or so back. Moved to Norfolk somewhere, he did. We’ll get the info we need once we start pulling that trigger, boy. The mouthy one ain’t gonna tell us nought, neither is that shitcunt Raymond, so what I suggest we do is blow Ricky’s brains out, then see if Eddie falters. If we’ve killed one of his boys, then he knows we’re capable of killing the others, so he might just start blabbing.’

Jed smirked. ‘I’ve got something to tell him that’s gonna really get his goat.’

‘What?’ Jimmy asked intrigued.

Jed chuckled. ‘You’ll soon find out. Call it an early birthday present.’

‘Be brave and say nothing, boys. If we’re gonna die, let’s do it with our heads held high. I know it’s hard, but let’s try not to think of our families. We know they’re well provided for and we know they’ll never forget us. We’re fucking legends, always remember that,’ Eddie said, trying to keep everybody’s spirits up, even though he knew deep down they were all goners. Eddie had always lived his life with a certain style and if he was going to croak it tonight, then he would die with style as well.

‘What yous cunts whispering about?’ Jed asked, as he walked back into the warehouse with a sadistic expression plastered on his face.

‘We were just saying what fucking knob-ends you and your father are,’ Ed replied smirking.