Now all her fears of that happening were gone. All her worries were gone, and she felt as if she had just thrown off the weight of the world from her shoulders.

She was glad he was dead, because dead meant that she could finally love the rotten bastard in peace.

Kimberley and her two sisters were outside the police station having a cigarette with a very subdued Dicky.

They had brought their aunt something to eat. She had accepted it gratefully, and they were pleased to see that she was not treating them any differently than she had before this awful day.

The fact their father was dead had not really sunk in yet. They were still trying to get their heads around the knowledge that it was Jimmy who had murdered him.

They had all been questioned and had all said the same thing, that they had no idea what could have happened. Until they were given the nod, that was all they were prepared to say on the subject.

'Poor Dad.'

Dianna sounded so sad, and Kimberley hugged her younger sister tightly. 'Yeah, as you say, poor Dad.'

She looked at Rox and they exchanged glances that told Dicky they were not going to be mourning the man they called father for very long.

'Let's get back to Mum, eh? Look, Glenford has just pulled up in a black cab.'

Dicky walked over to him and the two men shook hands.

'It all being taken care of. Get the girls home now, OK?'

Dicky nodded. 'The brief's here at last, and she ain't half got some trap. We could hear her bollocking them all from out here.'

Glenford grinned. 'She good all right. They been looking for me all over me work places, so I am going in voluntarily now and get it over with. From what I can gather from a friend in the Met, they are pulling in all his known associates.'

Glenford threw his joint away carelessly and said on a laugh, as he walked off, 'Better not bring that in with me, eh?'

Dicky laughed with him. He was absolutely thrilled to be a part of something this big, and he knew that this was important to his standing in the future. He would be watched and judged by them all to see how he handled this event.

Well, like most people he had never been Freddie Jackson's biggest fan. He had to deal with him because he loved his daughter, and she was being a blinder.

She was upset but not surprised by the news her father had been found in Epping Forest naked, beaten and partially burned. He was still smouldering when a man out dogging had tripped over him while walking back to his car after an enjoyable time watching couples having sex on their back seats. A fitting end for Freddie Jackson, when you thought about it.

Melanie was still crying, and Liselle, who loved her niece dearly, was on the verge of smacking her one.

This was her own fault, and Liselle was bloody annoyed that her niece was at the centre of this mayhem. If Mel had not chased the bloody glamour of criminals and all they entailed, she would not be in this predicament now. She was a nice girl, and she had a lovely nature, but she was only ever going to be bird material. She had too much trap and too much flesh hanging out to ever be anything else.

She only hoped that this had taught Mel a lesson on life, and about fully comprehending the world you chose to live in, both the good bits, and the bad. You had to be a certain type of woman to survive in their world, and she knew that from personal experience. You had to understand the men, and you had to understand what they did, and what drove them to do it. If you didn't grow up in their world, or know the unwritten laws, you were no good to them. You had to have complete acceptance of how they lived their lives, so no matter what they did, or what they were accused of, you only cared about them getting off with it. Nothing else mattered.

You also needed to be able to keep your mouth shut, and never, ever volunteer information about any part of your husband's life to anyone, no matter who they were.

It was a good life if you knew how to play the game. She had been doing just that for many happy years with her Paul, and she wouldn't change a second of it.

Now that Melanie had an insight into what could happen when you were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person, she might have a serious rethink about what she actually wanted out of life.

Paul sighed, and said to the distraught girl in as calm a voice as he could, 'Stop this, and listen to what I am telling you.'

Liselle went to the girl and slapped her across her face with all the force she could muster. 'For fuck's sake, will you stop fucking crying and listen to us. Do you understand how much shit you are in, girl?'

Melanie stared at her aunt with terrified eyes, and she finally stopped crying. Paul turned her to face him. 'Jimmy Jackson is a bad man. I would lay money on him being the baddest man in London, and you might be Liselle's niece, but that won't cut no fucking ice with him if you ever breathe one word of what you heard in the pub. This is serious, Melanie. You have to forget everything about what happened, right? It never happened. You are going on a long trip to Spain with Liselle tonight, and you will use the time there to empty your fucking brain. But I warn you, if you ever even hint that you saw or heard anything…'

He didn't finish what he was saying, because he could see from the utter terror in her big blue eyes that she would not repeat a thing to anyone. He only hoped she never forgot the fear she was feeling now, because she was in a very dangerous position. It was only the bit of blood she shared with his wife that had allowed her to pass go and collect two hundred.

Jimmy had not asked him to do anything, he didn't need to, Paul was a clearer-upper of unavoidable messes. That was what he was paid extremely well for and in the normal scheme of things he would have got someone to take care of this girl to guarantee her silence.

Liselle, bless her, was very tolerant of his work, but he knew she would draw the line at her niece going on the missing list.

Still, the girl had learned a valuable lesson. He hoped so, anyway. Liselle would talk her round over the next few weeks and reiterate the danger she would place herself in with a careless remark or a drunken statement.

It was late and he was tired. It had been a long old day.

Lena and Jackie were sitting together in Jackie's house, and for once Jackie was almost rational. The girls were in the kitchen making tea and sandwiches, and they were trying to digest the events of the last couple of days. They all knew that they had to keep any thoughts they might have to themselves. It was better for everyone that way.

It was nearly morning now. The light was creeping across the sky, and Jackie was pissed, but she was happy pissed. Lena said to her quietly, 'Tell me the truth, did you speak to Jimmy about you know what?'

Jackie looked at the woman she loved, and whom she had always felt treated her as second best and she said, scornfully, 'You know what?'

Lena closed her eyes in distress. 'Listen to me, and listen good, Jackie. You and the girls have to forget about what was said, do you hear me?'

Jackie sighed heavily and slumped down in the chair, her ample breasts suddenly lying on her belly.

Lena saw that she looked older than her years, that in itself was nothing new. But she also seemed a lot more relaxed somehow.

'Don't worry, Mum. I won't cause any trouble, I promise you.'

Lena was surprised at her daughter's answer and this showed on her face.

'I know he did it, Mum, I know what he was better than anyone, but it didn't matter to me. I loved him, see.'

Lena grabbed her daughter's hand and squeezed it tightly. 'I know you did, love.' She didn't add, God knows why, but the thought was in her head just the same.