Читать книгу The Rules: A gripping crime thriller that will have you hooked - Kerry Barnes - Страница 9

CHAPTER ONE

Detective Lowry hurried down the corridor to the end room of the burns unit. Panting furiously, he impatiently moved aside the two police officers who were on guard duty. He stopped in his tracks as he entered the sterile-looking room. The silence sent his senses alive. He wanted to gasp but quickly put his hand to his mouth. He peered closely at what looked like clingfilm over the girl’s face and shuddered at the horrific sight. Was she once pretty? he wondered. It was so hard to tell. Her face looked like a mask of melted pizza. While one eye was entirely covered with wadding, the other was peeping out through the mangled mess. He jumped when he saw she was awake and looking his way. She must have known that he was staring with morbid curiosity. But, sadly, it would be something she would have to get used to. Her face would never look the same again.

Breathless, he stepped closer. A sheen of sweat covered his brow, his mouth became dry, and his hands trembled. He’d seen many injuries in his thirty years on the force, but this was the worst one ever.

‘Sonya, I’m Detective Lowry. Are you okay to talk? I mean . . . ’

Sonya Richards could barely move her lips with the swelling, but she’d been given a seriously massive number of painkillers to numb the pain. Only a small part of her face could feel intense throbbing. The rest was almost completely burned down to the bone, killing all the nerves.

‘Yes,’ she murmured.

It was hard to take his eyes away from her face, but he had a job to do. Pulling up a chair, he sat close to her bed. His pot belly hung over his suit trousers, and his wheezing increased; he needed to cough to clear his throat.

‘Can you tell me who did this to you?’

She closed her eye and tried to swallow. The acid had not only managed to rip the insides of her mouth but also the larynx. ‘Is my husband dead?’ she croaked, her voice barely audible.

Lowry fidgeted in his seat. The raw flesh around her swollen mouth crinkled, and he winced, almost feeling her pain. ‘Um, have the doctors spoken with you about . . . er . . . ?’

‘No, they said you would talk to me.’ Her voice was a gruff whisper.

He guessed she already knew the answer.

‘I’m sorry. Yes, he died at the scene.’

She nodded, still with her eye closed. ‘Do you think it was quick?’

‘Um, yes, it was. Do you know who did this?’

‘He was selling that drug.’ She paused to take a breath. ‘You know the one. Flakka, it’s called. He changed after that, you know. I never really knew him anymore.’

Lowry took out his pocketbook and began scribbling notes, allowing her time to get her words together; he could sense she was struggling. ‘Did he know the man who did this? Was he a dealer? Or perhaps a user?’

She shook her head again. ‘All I know is he’s called the Governor. He’s an evil man.’

‘The Governor? What does he look like?’

‘He’s a big man, a huge man . . . but he had a balaclava on his face, and so did the others, including the girl.’ She stopped and took a laboured gasp for air.

Lowry held his pen poised. ‘The girl?’

‘Yes, the girl. She was the one who did this.’ She slowly lifted her arm and pointed to her face.

‘Do you remember anything about this girl? Can you recall her age, her name, anything at all?’ He knew he was pushing her, but he had to get answers, in case she didn’t make it.

The drugs were obviously taking control as she began to talk more slowly. ‘No. You see as well as the balaclava, she wore a Mickey Mouse mask, and it was very dark. But I remember two things. She had long dark hair and she was young. She laughed at me, like a kid would, and then the men put a bag or a sack over my husband’s head. He didn’t stand a chance, they were so big . . . They were so big . . . so cruel . . . Why me?’ Her words were now slow and drawn-out. The drugs were taking hold.

Lowry stopped writing. The poor woman was asleep. He sat and stared at her and then studied his notes. This attack shocked him more than anything, and it wasn’t the first case. The whole world was going mad. Had the Devil come down to earth? he wondered.

***

Rebecca Mullins stared at her brother’s white face. ‘For God’s sake, Conrad, you need to keep this quiet. Father has pushed me forward for this opening, and I cannot let him or my husband down. It’s what you’ve all been working towards. How the hell will it look if these latest events are splashed all over the news?’

‘And Brooke? What about her? She needs help!’ said Conrad in a low voice, as his eyes looked up to the ceiling of his sister’s kitchen, knowing his sweet niece was suffering somewhere upstairs.

Rebecca gave a dramatic sigh. ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, I am more than capable of looking after my daughter. She does not need a therapist or a bloody counsellor, she needs me . . . and’ – she paused as her eyes fell to the floor – ‘we don’t need any dirt dug up at this stage, do we?’

Conrad shook his head in disbelief. ‘Are those your words or Father’s? Honestly, Rebecca, is the idea of becoming a senior minister so important?’

Rebecca glared with fire in her eyes. ‘Ask Father that question.’

‘I don’t need to. I already know why you’re so cold and desperate in your quest for success. You have to prove to Father that you’re the person he wishes you to be. Making a few mistakes as a young woman doesn’t mean you have to do everything he demands to stay in his favour, you know.’

With a dismissive hand gesture, she closed the conversation and led her brother to the door.

***

Three Months Later, HM Prison Maidstone

Mike Regan had a huge grin on his face as he watched his son pot the black ball.

‘I think, my boy, when we get outta this shit pit, I’ll ’ave ta buy you a full-size table. If Ronnie O’Sullivan can make a living, then maybe you can too.’

Ricky chuckled. His face was beaming; he had just cleaned up, leaving his father with two yellow balls on the table.

Ricky placed his cue on the green baize. ‘Talking of which, Dad, will I be living with you then when we get out?’

Mike, at six foot seven, with shoulders that touched a standard doorframe, placed a meaty arm around his son’s shoulders. ‘Eleven years. I thought you were . . . er . . . well, you know. Now I’ve got you back, you ain’t going outta my sight.’ He ruffled Ricky’s floppy, wayward hair and stared into his childlike grey eyes that were laced with thick black lashes.

Their conversation was halted when Officer Patton came noisily marching towards them.

‘Fuck, I’ve only been ’ere three weeks. Surely, I ain’t getting put on report already,’ mumbled Mike, under his breath.

Patton, a slim man in his late thirties, stopped the other side of the pool table, where he looked up at Mike. ‘Regan, you have a visit.’

Mike frowned and looked at his watch. ‘Er . . . Gov, I haven’t booked a visit and it’s only ten o’clock. Are you sure you got that right?’

Patton nodded, and his eyes shot a sideways glance at Ricky. ‘They’re police officials. They want to ask you a few questions.’

Mike sighed and ran his hands through his hair. ‘Oh, fuck me. What’s going on now?’

Patton edged himself around the table and leaned closer to Mike. ‘I don’t think it’s about having you arrested. I could be wrong, but I think they just want to have a conversation with you.’

Mike screwed his face up. ‘Since when do the Filth just want a conversation? Look, d’ya think I need my lawyer?’

Patton shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t get the impression it was that sort of meeting . . . Listen, I wouldn’t normally tell you this, but a word in your shell-like.’ He edged even closer, so no one could hear. ‘It’s the Police Commissioner accompanied by a detective, and neither are dressed in uniform. You didn’t hear that from me, okay?’

With a deep frown etched on his face, Mike chewed the inside of his mouth. ‘All right. Are they here now?’

Patton smiled. ‘Yeah. Follow me.’

‘Hang on . . . My son. I don’t want to leave him on his own.’

Patton knew the score. Ricky came to the prison under the name of Richard Menaces. But when Mike arrived from Wormwood Scrubs, Ricky soon found the massive monster of a man was his father. Mike had believed his archenemy had killed Ricky, but the truth was his wife had run off with his son and pretended to Ricky that Mike was dead.

‘Ritz’s in the gym. You can join him, Ricky.’

A broad smile that showed Ricky’s dimples adorned his face. He loved Willie Ritz, who was one of his father’s best mates, and was happy enough to do a few workouts with him on the punchbag. He wanted to build up his skinny frame and be more like his father, who was probably the most prominent man in the prison.

Patton escorted Mike along the corridors and through reception before heading to a room at the back. It was similar to a police interview room. As Patton opened the door and stepped aside, Mike walked in. There, behind a long table, were two men, who quickly rose to their feet. Right away, Mike knew he wasn’t there to be arrested. No police official would have stood up in respect if that had been the case.

‘Please take a seat, Mr Regan,’ said the bigger of the two men. ‘I am Detective Simon Lowry, and this is Police Commissioner Conrad Stoneham.’

Mike politely nodded while sussing each man out in turn.

Lowry was dark-haired with pale skin and sores in the dip of his chin. His large hands also had very dry skin. Mike assumed the thickset man suffered from eczema. His other distinguishing features were his hooded eyes and the round belly that was prominent in the tight blue suit, which had seen better days. The collar on his pale-blue shirt was at least two sizes too small and was pinched by a navy-blue tie that appeared to strangle him. Mike guessed the detective was in his late fifties. The Commissioner, however, was much smarter-looking altogether. Dressed in a beige jacket, white shirt, and dark trousers, he could just as easily have stepped off a yacht. His silver hair didn’t match his dark eyebrows and wide-open green eyes. It was hard to assess his age, but he was probably in his late forties.

Lowry looked at Stoneham to start the conversation, but his boss was still eyeing over Mike and hoping he’d made the correct decision in coming to see him.

Mike was huge and unusually very self-controlled. His grey eyes were intense, and they revealed a lot about him. He was a no-nonsense, straight-up kind of person. There was no point in beating about the bush with Mike.

‘Mr Regan, I have a proposition for you. You have a parole hearing in a year’s time, and it is possible that you may be out in eighteen months, but your prison records suggest you may not get parole. The amount of time spent in solitary confinement doesn’t look good for you.’

He paused and waited for Mike to respond, but he was left feeling uncomfortable by Mike’s cold stare and tight-lipped expression.

‘So, would I be right in thinking you would like to see the back of this place sooner rather than later?’

Mike remained silent, much to the annoyance of Lowry, who felt he needed to jump in. ‘Well?’

‘Well what? You’re assuming a lot, gentlemen, and I’m still none the wiser as to your visit.’

Stoneham clasped his hands together and leaned forward. ‘This conversation is highly confidential, so whatever you decide to do after our discussion has to stay strictly between the three of us.’

Mike smirked. ‘Oh, come on. Seriously? I am in prison, so I owe you guys nothing. Therefore, don’t ask anything of me, unless I’m going to benefit from it myself!’

His words were firm and left Lowry with a positive view that Mike was the man for the job.

Stoneham nodded. ‘South-East London’s knife crime rate has hit an all-time high. We have a serious problem on our hands, and the fact of the matter is . . . ’ he sighed, ‘the gangs are growing bigger by the day. Harsher punishments to make examples of these characters aren’t a deterrent. The truth is, these kids, if you can call them that, are out of control.’

Mike’s face remained impassive. ‘So, what’s all of this got to do with me? Unless, of course, you think I can make a great therapist, in which case I charge by the hour. I just don’t get why you’re ’ere.’

Stoneham gave a short, uncertain laugh. It was a trait of his when he was at a loss what to say. It was quite clear Regan wasn’t going to make things easy for him, and he certainly wasn’t buying what he’d come to tell him.

‘Let me answer that. I know you see me as the enemy—’

‘I never said that,’ Mike interjected. ‘Don’t tell me what I think, feel, or believe. You, Mr Stoneham, can only tell me what you factually know. Please don’t assume you know anything about me.’

Stoneham had done extensive research on Regan. He’d read every statement, every file, and he knew right this minute that all the previous quashed convictions were because this man was smart and premeditated. Even the rise of his eyebrow was done with thought. He also guessed that Regan would coldly torture information out of his enemies without even flinching. What he needed to be sure of was that Regan had a moral compass and an appreciation of the rules to keep the streets safe to walk on.

‘No, quite right. It’s probably a habit of mine, being in the police force since I left school.’

Stoneham knew he needed to come off his perch, lower his own guard, and be honest with the man, for Regan to trust him.

‘I know one thing about you, Mr Regan, and that is this. You’ve never been arrested for anything other than a few heists, and, of course, the murder of Scottie Harman, but I also understand you believed he had kidnapped your son.’

Stoneham watched Mike’s chest rhythmically move up and down as he breathed evenly.

‘I may have done the same if I had believed that he had kidnapped my daughter.’

Mike sniggered. ‘Come on. Don’t fuck with me. You’re the Filth, and I’m not. In your tiny mind, you would want whoever kidnapped your daughter, God forbid, dead. But would you do it yourself? Nah, not in a million fucking years. Why? Because the law runs through your veins and you would believe that your boys in blue would have the power to catch the person who did your family wrong. Me, all I have is my own blood running through my veins. You don’t believe in an eye for an eye, but I fucking do.’

‘And so, it appears, does your mother!’ exclaimed Stoneham, with a sharp tongue. He stared straight into Mike’s eyes and looked for just a hint of anxiety, but, again, there was nothing.

‘We have a good enough reason to suspect she was responsible for Tracey Harman’s murder.’ He hoped that would stir some emotion and he could then barter Regan’s mother’s liberty.

‘If you suspected my muvver, you’d have had her down the nick, but, as far as I’m aware, she’s at home pruning her roses. Now, I suggest you get to the point or fuck off.’

Stoneham could see that there was no point in trying to use emotional blackmail with Regan. ‘I need you and your men back on the outside working for me, and before you laugh it off, take note. Last week in Bromley, we had two knifings. One was an old lady, who was attacked as she stepped off the bus, and the other was a twelve-year-old kid, who was similarly attacked on his way home from school. Seventeen pensioners were held at knifepoint – robbed and battered in their own homes. Luckily, none were killed. And a baby in a pram was snatched and held with a knife to his throat, all for eleven pounds fifty. These are just a few examples of what I’ve come to talk to you about, and, believe me, they are off the top of my head. Crimes like these are soaring.’

Stoneham clocked Mike’s lips turn down at the corners. He thought he may have hit a nerve, so he paused and waited.

‘And this meeting between us is your idea, is it?’

Lowry coughed and wiped his brow: the room was stifling.

Stoneham turned to Lowry. ‘Could you wait outside? I think Mr Regan may feel more comfortable with just myself present . . . and before you question my safety. . . ’ – he turned to Mike – ‘I think I am pretty safe. Do we agree, Mr Regan?’

Mike held up his huge hands and sighed. ‘Of course you are. I’m not a fucking caged bear, ya know!’

Lowry looked somewhat miffed by his boss’s request.

‘And, Lowry, ask one of the officers to bring us some coffee, please.’ He watched as the detective begrudgingly rose from his chair and left the room.

‘Right, yes, you surmised correctly. The initiative isn’t mine, and I won’t pretend otherwise because you’re a clever sod, and I won’t waste your time or mine.’

Mike suddenly smiled. ‘Good. I was wondering when the fuck you’d get to the point.’

‘Mr Regan, I need you on the outside. This gang contains real low-life, total scum. Muggings, shoplifting, and even the odd bit of drug dealing is pretty normal on a day-to-day basis, but what’s going on now is a whole new ballgame. I’ve got kids, and I mean kiddies, on a new drug called Flakka, old ladies are being murdered for their pensions, and gang-rapes of young girls are prevalent as well.’

For a moment, Mike seemed unfazed. ‘I want to know who initiated this meeting.’

Stoneham was quickly gauging the influence of the man. ‘The local MP, Rebecca Mullins.’

Mike laughed. ‘So, then, some toff has asked you to clean up the streets by using me as a vigilante?’

Feeling uncomfortable with those words, the Commissioner swallowed hard. Whichever way he dressed this up, the plain fact was that Regan would clearly spot bullshit a mile off. He knew he would have to speak Regan’s language for him to get anywhere. ‘Yes!’

Mike raised his brow and smirked. He hadn’t expected that reply. ‘So why would I put myself on the line for you or this Mullins bird?’

Stoneham knew he was getting somewhere at last. ‘Your freedom for starters. We will turn a blind eye to your own business in exchange for cleaning up the streets.’

As Mike chewed the inside of his mouth, he calculated the risks and whether he could even contemplate working for the Filth.

Stoneham read his mind. ‘I know it goes against the grain, I get that, but I also believe that you and I are on the same page when it comes to these sorts of crimes. Old-school gangsters have a moral code I believe. It’s thou shall not hurt women, children, and pensioners. Am I right?’

Mike laughed louder this time. ‘Jesus, you’ve been watching that film The Krays.’

‘No, actually, Mr Regan, I listened to my father. He was a detective in South-East London, and he learned the code from the likes of your father, Arthur Regan. So, like you, I’m also not what you assume.’

‘Fair play, Mr Stoneham.’

Mike’s shoulders visibly relaxed, and Stoneham could almost see the sternness in his eyes melt away.

‘I don’t want an answer now. Please think about it before you make a decision. But the deal is this. You, your son, and your firm – and, yes, of course, I know your associates are tight, as I’ve done my homework – will be released within a week. Your businesses will not be watched, the deaths of all the Harmans will be placed in the solved case file, and all I want in return is for my streets to be cleaned up. I would prefer the scare tactic and not more bloodshed, but we will cross that bridge when necessary. I will give you everything I have on these gangs and the rest is up to you. Now, I will be back next week for an answer, and, as I said, please would you keep this confidential? I mean, between us and your firm.’

Mike nodded. ‘Of course. I can see your problem, and I’ll keep schtum, so don’t worry on that score.’

Stoneham sat back, surprised that Regan was not playing games. He really was a straight-up person.

Lowry opened the door, holding two hot coffees on a tray. He watched in amazement as the Commissioner and Regan rose to their feet.

‘Sorry, Lowry. Our meeting is over.’

***

Brooke Mullins pulled the bed cover over her head as soon as she heard her mother entering the room.

‘Come on, sweet pea, you have to eat something. Hettie has made a wonderful chocolate cake with sprinkles on it.’

Just the shrill tone of her mother’s sickly, over-the-top voice grated on Brooke. At nineteen, she was annoyed with life in general, but the last three weeks had been sheer purgatory. The normal emotional teenager–parent issues had been well and truly put to one side. They were replaced by feelings of devastating anger, humiliation, and – worse than anything – pure fear.

In one fluid movement, she threw the pink daisy-print duvet off her head and sat upright. Her hair was sticking out in all directions, and her once fresh cherry blossom-coloured cheeks were now a wishy-washy grey colour and covered in a layer of grease.

Rebecca tried to stroke her daughter’s arm but was instantly shrugged off.

‘Sweetheart, I know what you’ve been through is so difficult, but you need to eat and . . . ’ she sniffed the air, ‘take a shower. Come on. Please get out of this bed. You will feel so much better.’

Like a deranged young woman, with brown rings under her eyes and the intense hate casting doom, Brooke spat at her mother, ‘Don’t you ever tell me that I will feel better. You have no idea what I’ve been through. And don’t you dare try to tell me it will be okay, because, Mother, it won’t. Now, leave me alone!’

Rebecca backed away. Of course, she didn’t know how her daughter felt, or what on earth was going through her mind. She felt her tears well up and her heart was heavy. ‘I know, darling, I know, but I am just trying to help. I will leave you alone then.’

Brooke heard the door close, and she pulled the duvet back over her head. Her mother and father were the last people she wanted to console her now. They’d never shown any real interest in her or her sisters. She and her siblings were more like a by-product or an accessory. Talking to her mother was like conversing with her former headmistress – cold, stiff, and stilted.

She didn’t care if she needed a bath, and she certainly didn’t need to fill herself with food – that would only result in vomiting it back up. The windows had to be kept locked, no matter how hot it was, and her door closed. The light was permanently on and a kitchen knife lay under her pillow. She trusted no one and probably never would, ever again. She hated herself and the world around her. Things would never be the same, ever. The vision of those wide-eyed men clawing at her like they were devouring a hog roast would be with her for the rest of her life. She couldn’t cry anymore; the tears had dried up, and now she was angry, but also terrified. Her dreams were gone, and she felt her life was over.

Rebecca crept down the stairs, her eyes filling up once more, recalling the moment the police had brought Brooke home. It wasn’t so much the ripped clothes and exposed breast covered by a police blanket, or even the claw marks down her face: it was the dead look in her once bright, shiny eyes that would forever haunt her. Her daughter hadn’t stood a chance. The little bookworm, with her oversized glasses perched on her button nose and her sweetness as she gracefully wandered about, almost on tiptoes, seemed to be a distant memory. A well-liked, clear-headed teenager, who had so many dreams for the future. She worked hard at uni and still ensured she had time to have fun with her friends.

As Rebecca entered the kitchen, she found Kendall, her daughter from her previous marriage, perched on a stool devouring Nutella on toast. Dressed in black leggings and a T-shirt with a derogatory logo on the front, Kendall ignored her mother and swayed to the music streaming through her Beats by Dre headphones.

‘Kendall, do you think you could try to get Brooke at least to eat something? I am so worried about her. The poor little thing, she won’t listen to me . . . ’

Rebecca watched as her daughter continued to stuff her face and sway her head. Suddenly, Rebecca slammed her hands down on the table, which made Kendall jump.

‘Take those headphones off!’

Slowly, Kendall did as she was told, but with a sneering, disapproving look. ‘What now, Mother?’

‘I said, would you talk to Brooke? She won’t come out of her room, and I am so worried. She won’t eat, she is so . . . Look, please try to talk to her. Would you?’

‘For fuck’s sake, she’s your kid, it’s your job. Anyway, I think she needs professional help, or she will carry on like this and just end up milking it.’

No sooner were those words out of her mouth than Rebecca snatched her daughter’s arm and pulled her awkwardly to face her. ‘How dare you say such a cruel thing! That poor girl was raped by three lads! Jesus. And you have the audacity to say she will milk it? You, Kendall Mullins, should be totally ashamed of yourself.’

Kendall shrugged her mother off. Her younger sister was no concern of hers. ‘Well, for your information, Mother, I am not ashamed of myself. And all the bloody time you and Alastair fuss over her, but deny her proper help as well, she’s never going to get her fucking shit together, is she?’

Rebecca looked at her daughter long and hard and shook her head. Her once charming child was now a rebellious twenty-year-old with a lousy attitude. ‘Your language, Kendall, is absolutely disgusting and it’s hurtful to hear, I have to say. And calling your father Alastair is so disrespectful, and after all he has done for you . . . ’

Instantly, Kendall hopped down from the kitchen stool, and squarely stood in her mother’s face, in defiance. ‘What he’s done for me? Hello! He’s a creep! I never asked to be taken away from my father and dumped into your so-called happy family, did I? I was fine where I was. Just because you felt guilty about leaving me behind and—’

Bam. Rebecca slapped Kendall’s face, and then she immediately regretted it. ‘I am sorry. Look, I didn’t mean . . . ’

Kendall didn’t even hold her cheek, although it bloody well stung; instead, she glared back with a glacial expression. If looks could kill . . . ‘Fuck off, Mother. You’re so pathetic, weak, and fucking stupid. Seriously, take a look at yourself. On the surface, the perfect wife and mother. Then strip back the facade.’

Rebecca wanted nothing more than to shut Kendall up, but she’d already gone too far with the slap.

‘Running around like everything is wonderful, when, really, you know fuck all about what your husband is up to. Then there’s Brooke going out of her mind, and Poppy . . . well, do you even know anything about the jumped-up secret squirrel? The truth be told, Mother, I am probably the most normal person in this shambles of a family. And just a warning: don’t you ever hit me again, or, next time, I’ll forget you’re my mother.’

Pushing past her mother, she reached the door and looked back. ‘Oh, and by the way, I am going to be moving in with my father next week. I am twenty, and I’m sick of you telling me I can’t go anywhere until I pay you back the university fees. I don’t want to be a lawyer, I just want to be a hairdresser. I’m done with you telling me I owe you. You’ll get all the money back from my tips.’

Rebecca gasped. ‘What? No, you mustn’t. I mean, look, please, Kendall, don’t do that, you will—’

‘Ruin my future and blot your social standing? Yes, I know, Mother, and does this fucking face look like it’s bothered? No! Fuck you and fuck your career as well. That’s all you care about. God forbid, I should be a hairdresser! Well, I’m not going into law, and I don’t give a shit about your precious career either.’

Standing in shock, Rebecca jolted as the front door slammed shut. Kendall was right, though. No matter how much she pretended that her eldest daughter was a rebellious, spiteful young woman, she also knew that every word coming out of the girl’s mouth was the sodding truth. Pushing Kendall into a professional career in law – demanding she take a post in chambers – had obviously run its course, and there was no way she could stop her leaving now. The family was falling apart, and, even worse, she was powerless to stop it.

***

Willie Ritz was holding the punchbag while Ricky was tearing into it. His T-shirt and hairline were dripping in sweat.

‘Cor, son, you can hammer this all right,’ said Willie, using all his strength to hold the punchbag still.

As they swapped positions and Willie began throwing punches, Ricky noticed how the scar that ran down the man’s face reddened. He was right when he said the quack had basically made a pig’s ear of it. Still, as much as Willie was frighteningly ugly, he was, as far as Ricky was concerned, kind on the inside.

Ricky was just strong enough to hold the bag, but as soon as his father walked into the gym, he let go.

Willie held his hands up. ‘No way I’m gonna be holding the bag for that fucker.’ He pointed to Mike, who, in turn, laughed.

‘Listen, Willie, can you meet me in me cell with Staffie and Lou? We need to talk.’

‘Er . . . and me, Dad?’

Mike gave Ricky a full cheek-lifting smile. ‘Goes without saying, my boy.’

‘What’s up, Mikey? Everything okay?’

Mike surveyed who was in the room and then looked back at Willie. ‘Yeah, of course.’

Willie knew then that it was serious. Between the lads, they understood every wink, nod, and expression – it was like an unspoken code. Growing up together from babies, they were as close as brothers.

***

An hour later, they were gathered inside Mike and Ricky’s cell. Ted Stafford and Lou Baker sat on Ricky’s bed, while Willie and Ricky sat on Mike’s. Mike shut the door and remained standing as if he was about to give a lecture. They all waited for the announcement.

‘So, I had a visit from the Police Commissioner, no fucking less.’

Willie licked his fag paper and raised his brow. ‘Oh yeah? What the ’ell’s that all about, then?’

‘Well, lads, he wants our help—’

Lou jumped in. ‘Since when do we ’elp the Filth?’ It was unusual for Lou to interrupt; he was usually the quieter one, who generally chose his words carefully. He was the man who could pull off acting like royalty, if need be.

‘My thoughts exactly, Lou, but here’s the thing. They have been overrun with crimes that not even the likes of us would condone, and it’s rife out there. The police haven’t got the manpower they used to have. It’s to do with politics and cuts or something like that, so there ain’t enough of the Ol’ Bill to bring these gangs to their knees.’

Staffie, who was Mike’s closest friend, scratched his bald head. ‘I dunno, I don’t get it, Mike. What’s it got to do with us, anyway?’

‘Listen up. We’ll be released early, all of us, in return for throwing our weight around and looking like we’re helping them, when, really, we ain’t. I don’t know the exact details. The Commissioner will be back to visit me in a few days to discuss it a bit further. But, whatever, I ain’t said yeah to it. You know me. No fucking way would I help the Filth. But what if we agree to their deal, and then, once we’re out, we treat it like a game to our advantage? What d’ya say if we rough up a few scallies that we would anyway, and, in the meantime, we use their blind eye to make a fucking mint?’

Willie puffed on the end of his roll-up, and then he let out a smoke ring. ‘We ain’t grasses, and we ain’t the Ol’ Bill.’

Mike nodded in agreement. He’d expected this reaction. It was who they were. Grassing to the Filth was a no-no in their line of work. ‘Yep, mate, you’re right, but these little firms have not only been mugging pensioners but they’re into killing kids as well. A twelve-year-old boy was murdered on his way home from school. And, oh yeah, they’ve been gang raping young girls.’

Staffie sat up straight. ‘Shit! Fucking bastards.’

‘Yep. So, they may be villains, but, really, they ain’t like us, or like the real Faces in London. If these two-bit gangs think they can muscle in on my manor, then they’ll get a shock, and whatever happens, we won’t get nicked. See what I’m saying? We won’t be helping the law, we’ll be helping ourselves to take back our turf and run the little shites out of town. Let’s face it, we would do that anyway. I’ve been away a long time, and I wanna get back out there and take back what’s mine, as ya know.’

‘If we were to agree, how far will they let us go? And what’s really in it for us? I mean, what about our own business? Are they gonna turn a blind eye, or, after they get what they want, will we find ourselves back in the slammer?’ asked Lou.

Mike shrugged his shoulders. ‘The finer details, I don’t know, but, before I get another visit, I need to know what you guys want. Let’s face it, we could make a lot of money out of this. Think about it. We ain’t being informants, are we? And besides, we won’t be working for the Filth, ’cos if we’re clever enough about it, they’ll be working for us. They’ll give us tip-offs, and if I push ’em, they could give us information that’d work in our favour.’

Willie chuckled. ‘Sounds like a fucking plan, mate.’

Staffie’s face was loaded with disapproval. ‘I don’t know about this. It ain’t what we’re about, is it? And what do we really have that’ll guarantee we’ll stay outta jail?’

‘Fuck off, Staffie, you’re always unsure these bleedin’ days,’ spat Willie.

‘No, Willie, Staffie has as much say as any of us.’

Staffie’s narrowed eyes widened. ‘Are you sure you’re gonna be one step ahead of the law?’

Mike grinned. ‘Haven’t I always been – well, in the past, before I was banged up?’

Staffie chewed his top lip and sighed. ‘S’pose so.’

Mike grinned. ‘If we’re all in agreement, I’ll need to work out how to guarantee our continued liberty.’

Ricky watched the dynamics and how the men looked up to his father, hanging on his every word. He felt proud, but, also, he wanted to be a part of the firm and not just ‘Mikey’s son’. Although he and his dad had been apart for twelve years, it didn’t matter. He wanted to be by his side, no matter what that looked like.

‘Can I say something?’

Mike’s stern face lit up when he looked at his son. ‘Of course you can, my boy.’

Ricky nervously looked at the other men. ‘Um, your lawyer. Couldn’t he have a contract drawn up, or, better still, be present as a witness when the judge signs your release papers?’

Willie patted Ricky on the back. ‘Good idea, Ricky. See, up there for thinking, down there for dancing.’

Mike nodded, encouraging his son. ‘Yep, he may well be the brains of the outfit,’ he laughed, as he looked over at Willie.

Staffie jumped in. ‘And the fucking brawn. Ya should’ve seen him bash the fuck outta Tit and Tat.’

All four men laughed while Ricky blushed.