Frankie sucked on his fag, thinking. The big boss had left him bruised because of what had happened to Ged. Said he’d picked the wrong kid – and that getting one of his foot soldiers stabbed would get the coppers looking at their little operation. He’d smashed his face into the dashboard of his flash car to ram the point home. That hadn’t exactly left Frankie in the mood to do him any favours. And, if he was being honest, he was sick to death of working for peanuts. The main man was getting the real cash, Frankie was getting pennies and he was the one taking all the risks. It wasn’t fair, was it? Frankie sighed.

‘I’m keeping the money I have on me and the weed though. If I tell you what you want to know, how do I know you’re not going to come for me again when this is all over? You pigs are bent as fuck.’

The officer blew the smoke through the side of his mouth. ‘Listen, you can do well working for me, kid. I’ll look after you. This can be our little secret; you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. I’ll look after you, like I said.’

Frankie was thinking out loud now. If he was going to squeal he had to get everything he could. ‘The big man’s been good to me though, he helped me out when I needed someone.’

The officer let out a laboured breath. ‘You mean he helped himself to a young kid to do his dirty work for him. Who’s the one with all the cash here, you or him? Where’s your top gaff, your nice car?’

Frankie still wasn’t sure, grassing was against everything he believed in. But going to jail, no way, he couldn’t hack being banged up for years. He loved his freedom too much. There was an awkward silence before Frankie cleared his throat. ‘Right, I’ll tell you what you need to know.’

The copper nodded. ‘I want you to set up a meeting. You’ll need to hand over money or pick up more drugs. I need to catch him in the act.’

‘Fucking hell, that’s on top, he’ll know something is not right if I’m not arrested too, won’t he?’

‘No, I’ll time it so you’re out of the picture. Like I said, I’m only after that cunt, not you.’

Frankie fidgeted nervously. ‘I’ve got to drop some money off tomorrow night. I meet him at the bottom of Fernclough Road, near the Spice Cabin, in the car park.’