Danny,’ Maurice said. ‘I'm in. Does that still go for the rest of you?’
George grinned as one by one his brothers nodded. It had been too quiet lately. The business had been chugging along nicely so it had been a while since he'd had a chance to use his fists. Now, though, things were looking up.
One by one they left, until just he and Danny remained in the office.
There was still something puzzling George. ‘I still don't get it, Danny. Why did they veto child porn?Was I right about the Vice Squad? Is that why they turned you down?’
‘No, you silly sod. They don't like the idea of using kids.’
‘But you said there's a lot of money in it.’
‘Yeah, there is. Never mind. I'll bide my time. Dad's going soft, getting past it, and the sooner he retires the better.’ Danny's smile was assured. ‘When he does, who do you think will be running the show?’
George scratched his head, but then the answer dawned on him. ‘You, Danny, you'll be the boss.’
‘Yeah, that's right – with you as my right-hand man.’
‘What about Bob? Surely he's next in line to you.’
‘No, I don't trust the two-faced bastard. When I run the show there'll be changes – big ones – and I'll need you to back me up.’
‘What sort of changes, Danny?’
‘For one, what I say goes. There'll be no more bloody votes, and if anyone doesn't like it, they'll be out.’
‘You won't be able to do that. The others won't stand for it.’
‘Can you really see Bob, Maurice or Chris going up against me?’
‘Well, I dunno. Chris might.’
‘Not if I've got you on my side, George. He wouldn't fucking dare – none of them would. Now are you with me or not?’
George floundered. There was too much to process and his brain couldn't take it in. Yeah, Dad was sure to retire soon with Danny next in line, but surely it would still be a family business? ‘I don't see how you'll be able to make these changes, Danny.’
‘I'll make them, you can be sure of that. Be warned, though. If you ain't for me, you're against me.’ His eyes narrowed menacingly. ‘Do you really fancy taking me on?’
‘No, Danny, I'm with you,’ George said. He might not be the brainbox of the family, but he knew better than to go up against Danny.
‘Good, now come on, let's get out of here. One more thing, George, keep this conversation to yourself. As I said, we've got to bide our time until Dad retires, but when he does …’ Danny tailed off.
‘Don't worry, I know when to keep my mouth shut,’ said George as he followed Danny outside. ‘I'm off to have a pint. What about you?’
‘No, I've got things to do.’
‘Oh, right, do you want me to come with you?’
‘Sorry, mate, but what I've got in mind only takes two.’
Confused, George said, ‘But if I come with you, there'd only be the pair of us.’
Danny chuckled. ‘You daft bugger. Yeah, what I've got in mind takes two, but one of them is female.’
‘Oh … oh, right, I get it.’ But as Danny locked the gates, George added, ‘What about Yvonne?’
With a wink, Danny said, ‘What the eye doesn't see, as the saying goes.’
‘You jammy bastard,’ George grinned.
He watched as his brother walked away, struck by a thought. If Danny could have a bit on the side, then so could he. Yeah, why not? The next time Linda was too ill, or when her belly was too swollen for a bit of nooky, he'd go on the pull.
Chapter Six
Ivy Rawlings, formerly Draper, scowled as she looked around her living room. This was number six, the last house in the row, and she hated the interior. Money was tight and her battered furniture was second-hand, the surface of her sideboard badly scratched. Unlike her Uncle Dan and Aunt Joan, Ivy had few luxuries and resented it. She
did
have a bathroom, so felt superior to George and Linda, who lived next door in number five, but Ivy had waited over three years to get it. No doubt George, being a precious son who'd been married less than a year, would get
George grinned as one by one his brothers nodded. It had been too quiet lately. The business had been chugging along nicely so it had been a while since he'd had a chance to use his fists. Now, though, things were looking up.
One by one they left, until just he and Danny remained in the office.
There was still something puzzling George. ‘I still don't get it, Danny. Why did they veto child porn?Was I right about the Vice Squad? Is that why they turned you down?’
‘No, you silly sod. They don't like the idea of using kids.’
‘But you said there's a lot of money in it.’
‘Yeah, there is. Never mind. I'll bide my time. Dad's going soft, getting past it, and the sooner he retires the better.’ Danny's smile was assured. ‘When he does, who do you think will be running the show?’
George scratched his head, but then the answer dawned on him. ‘You, Danny, you'll be the boss.’
‘Yeah, that's right – with you as my right-hand man.’
‘What about Bob? Surely he's next in line to you.’
‘No, I don't trust the two-faced bastard. When I run the show there'll be changes – big ones – and I'll need you to back me up.’
‘What sort of changes, Danny?’
‘For one, what I say goes. There'll be no more bloody votes, and if anyone doesn't like it, they'll be out.’
‘You won't be able to do that. The others won't stand for it.’
‘Can you really see Bob, Maurice or Chris going up against me?’
‘Well, I dunno. Chris might.’
‘Not if I've got you on my side, George. He wouldn't fucking dare – none of them would. Now are you with me or not?’
George floundered. There was too much to process and his brain couldn't take it in. Yeah, Dad was sure to retire soon with Danny next in line, but surely it would still be a family business? ‘I don't see how you'll be able to make these changes, Danny.’
‘I'll make them, you can be sure of that. Be warned, though. If you ain't for me, you're against me.’ His eyes narrowed menacingly. ‘Do you really fancy taking me on?’
‘No, Danny, I'm with you,’ George said. He might not be the brainbox of the family, but he knew better than to go up against Danny.
‘Good, now come on, let's get out of here. One more thing, George, keep this conversation to yourself. As I said, we've got to bide our time until Dad retires, but when he does …’ Danny tailed off.
‘Don't worry, I know when to keep my mouth shut,’ said George as he followed Danny outside. ‘I'm off to have a pint. What about you?’
‘No, I've got things to do.’
‘Oh, right, do you want me to come with you?’
‘Sorry, mate, but what I've got in mind only takes two.’
Confused, George said, ‘But if I come with you, there'd only be the pair of us.’
Danny chuckled. ‘You daft bugger. Yeah, what I've got in mind takes two, but one of them is female.’
‘Oh … oh, right, I get it.’ But as Danny locked the gates, George added, ‘What about Yvonne?’
With a wink, Danny said, ‘What the eye doesn't see, as the saying goes.’
‘You jammy bastard,’ George grinned.
He watched as his brother walked away, struck by a thought. If Danny could have a bit on the side, then so could he. Yeah, why not? The next time Linda was too ill, or when her belly was too swollen for a bit of nooky, he'd go on the pull.
Chapter Six
Ivy Rawlings, formerly Draper, scowled as she looked around her living room. This was number six, the last house in the row, and she hated the interior. Money was tight and her battered furniture was second-hand, the surface of her sideboard badly scratched. Unlike her Uncle Dan and Aunt Joan, Ivy had few luxuries and resented it. She
did
have a bathroom, so felt superior to George and Linda, who lived next door in number five, but Ivy had waited over three years to get it. No doubt George, being a precious son who'd been married less than a year, would get
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