Jimmy was Ozzy's boy now, and Freddie had been rowed out over the years. It was like he had never existed for Ozzy, like he was the younger man, the kid who had been taken under the wing, except this kid had cut his teeth under his wing and had since bitten it off and spat it out.

He was Freddie Jackson, he was the one who had started this off, and he was now like the fucking gofer.

But for all his anger, and his jealousy, Freddie was also aware that he could never run the different businesses. He had never bothered to listen to the ins and outs of them, he had no interest in minutiae, but Jimmy thrived on it. He should have made himself take more of an active part in the day-to-day running of everything, but he had never needed to. Jimmy had taken to it like a duck to water and he had been stupid enough to believe that he would never go against him. That Jimmy would run things in his own way, but that he, Freddie, the reason they had the fucking work in the first place, would be the key player. The main man, the overseer, the fucking plantation owner. But instead he had gradually been replaced.

He had expected gratitude, he had expected his little Jimmy to be grateful for their good fortune, he had expected his fucking due! Well, he knew different now and he would learn from that.

He had already started his revenge, but he could wait until he was back in the fold. He had plenty of practice at waiting. Plus, he now had something to use against Jimmy and, one day, when the time was right, he would use it. Jimmy would fuck up eventually, he would see to that personally, and when he did it would be of catastrophic proportions. He would see to that as well.

For now, though, he needed to stay in Ozzy's good books and get back on side with Jimmy. He had to help him dispose of Lenny, who was going to be crushed by a farm implement in, of all places, Guernsey. They owned a doctor there who was happy to write out a death certificate and who would make sure the body was cremated sooner rather than later. The main problem was getting the body over there, which is why they were in Sussex going to see a bloke with a boat and a penchant for doing literally anything for money and a decent bit of gear.

Right now, Freddie had to make like he was sorry for his little outburst. But Jimmy would regret taking what was his. Freddie was the taker, he was the one who'd given them the means to take in the first place.

Jimmy, sitting beside him silently, sighed heavily. Then he got out a small packet and cut a couple of lines on the dashboard. He snorted his quickly, aware that Freddie was trying to hide his amazement at what he was witnessing.

'I need this. I am knackered, Fred, and I have to go and visit Ozzy tomorrow, remember.'

Freddie had forgotten that and now he knew it was imperative that he made some kind of peace.

'I am sorry, Jimmy, I could fucking cut me hands off. I lost it, mate, the gear, the drink and fucking Jackie, she's off her tree again…' He left the sentence unfinished, then continued after a few seconds, his voice all pain-filled and sorrowful. 'Little Freddie, well, he's off his fucking trolley, you know that. I have to deal with it on a daily basis. He's out of hand, Jimmy. I can't fucking cope with it all.'

He snorted the line quickly and watched as Jimmy started to cut them another two.

'Are things that bad then, Freddie?'

Jimmy was trying to understand, trying to think the best of him, trying to make some sense out of it all. He loved Freddie, but for a long time he had not liked him. Since Stephanie's death and Freddie's utter disregard for what he had done there had been a wall between them, and now everything they had achieved was at risk.

'Oh, Jimmy, you don't know the half of it. He is seeing a fucking shrink. My little boy is seeing a fucking Looney Tunes expert and the geezer reckons he is borderline fucking psychotic. Jackie is drunk all the time, the girls avoid her like the plague, and poor Little Freddie is on course for the nut house. I can't cope with it any more. I was telling your Maggie about it all the other day and she understood what I was going through because she ain't all that great herself, is she?'

Jimmy stopped cutting the coke and turned to look at Freddie. 'What do you mean? What did she say?'

Freddie could hear the want in his voice, could feel the man's need to know what was wrong with his wife, and he said quietly, 'I don't know, mate. She is down, depressed, but you know that yourself, don't you? I ain't said nothing out of respect like, but it makes you wonder, don't it?'

Jimmy frowned. 'Wonder what?'

Freddie lit another cigarette from the butt of the previous one and then he shrugged, looking all concerned and innocent. 'Well, you know, if it runs in the family. Jackie with her drinking and everything, your Maggie with everything a woman could want, the looks, the nous and the house of her dreams, yet she is still not happy. Then my Little Freddie-'

'What the fuck are you trying to say?'

Freddie had him now, and he knew it. 'Don't get annoyed. I am just saying, she ain't right and you know she ain't. Jackie was telling me a while ago that she had been off the pill for yonks and that you were trying for a kiddie, so maybe that's what is wrong with her.'

It was obvious to Freddie that Jimmy knew nothing about any of this.

'Fuck off, Freddie, you talk out of your arse. We have a fucking dead body in the boot and you are talking about things you know nothing about. Let's concentrate on the job in hand, eh?'

But the damage was done, the seed was planted.

Freddie was contrite now, embarrassed. He held up his hands in supplication, his whole demeanour was now one of abject sorrow and remorse.

'I was only saying, mate, that was all. Just trying to let you know I understand what's going on. Women talk, they tell other birds what they would never dream of telling us. I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn, and you are right. I made a major fuck-up tonight and it has to be sorted, so let's snort this and get this show on the road.'

Jimmy nodded, but he was troubled. He was already worried out of his mind and this new revelation had not helped allay any of his fears.

Chapter Seventeen

Ozzy was frowning, and Jimmy was trying to make the news he had to impart as palatable as possible. This was not the easiest task he had ever undertaken but at the end of the day, Freddie was his closest male blood relative, and the person who had given him the opportunity to work and earn for Ozzy in the first place. Freddie had explained that much on the journey down to the Isle of Wight, and Jimmy had to agree with him.

Freddie was outside the nick asleep in the car. He had promised to drive them home so that Jimmy could get a few hours' shuteye himself.

'So Freddie has killed my mate, is that what you are fucking rambling on about?'

Jimmy nodded. For the first time in years he seemed nervous, and Ozzy was reminded of the young man who had walked in all those years ago. A young man who Ozzy had educated and then watched grow in stature and in confidence. He guessed, in fact he had no doubt, that the death of Lenny was not a lawful, or indeed a righteous act. If it had been, Jimmy would have reported it with the minimum of fuss and with the facts all in place, confident that it would be understood and forgotten about in minutes.

'Lenny Brewster was my old mucker. He was a wanker at times, but then we are all guilty of that as you know. But what I want to ascertain is why he was wiped out. If it was for a good cause then I am with you. If it was because that mad cunt Freddie lost that famous temper of his then I want to know that, Jimmy. The truth, so they say, is good for the soul. Now stop fucking about and tell me what actually happened.'