"How did I become a hit man for the state?" "It all began on the day Lenny Douglas came to take me out of prison." "Lenny offered me a new life, a new home, a new family." "John Mercer!" "I'm not staying here, the lad's an idiot." "Aren't you curious about the new recruit?" "When do I meet him?" " My name's John by the way." " I'm Rose." " What do you do for them, Calum?" " What I've always done." "Check this out!" "Bits and bobs, needles and pins." " Who do you work for?" " Officially, nobody." "What do you want from me?" "You're the specialist." "You're the killer." "The funeral is taking place in London today of Stuart Cassidy, the head of one of Britain's most notorious criminal families." "Over the years, the Cassidy family have been linked to many serious crimes, including the Gatwick Gold Heist, people-trafficking rings and drugs." "There have been allegations of collusion between the police and the Cassidy family, especially after the collapse of the trial for Mr Cassidy's son Jude for what it is alleged to have been a racially motivated murder." "You're making a target of yourself, Jude." "It's my dad's wake." "How will look when Elviss Gilroy puts a bullet it in your head?" "How would it look if the new head of the family didn't have the bollocks to go to his old man's funeral?" " Right now, I need you where I can see you." " Where's that?" "Where nobody will think of finding you." "Don't be stupid, I've got my own people to look after me." "You trust them 100%?" "What makes you think I'm afraid of a bunch of Lewisham yo-boys?" "This is Elviss Gilroy we're talking about." "I don't know why he thinks I killed his cousin." "Let's stop messing about with stupidities." "You kicked that lad to death, you and Gary Fenchurch." "Cos he was black." "And his girlfriend was white." "Don't make the mistake of thinking that I care for you." "I just need you alive." "You may be head of the family but right now, I'm the only person you can trust." "Can I have a quick word, Lenny?" " Who's that out there?" " Jude Cassidy." "Mm-hm." "And what's he doing here?" "He's just inherited the family business." "Mainly drugs, other interesting sidelines." "So, what?" "You want us to kill him here?" "No, John, that's a last resort." "Usually, our work requires less drastic, more creative solutions." "So, what's he doing here?" "Successions are always dangerous." "I want Jude out of the way until the one on his family's complete." " Protecting a drug dealer, that's creative." " The Cassidys are more than that." "Our deal with the Cassidy family has given us vital information, especially on foreign drug networks." "I just need time to take stock." "Besides, as a senior member of household, it's not you who'll lose his bed." "Very generous, but I need to know what your plans are." "My plans?" "Right now, my plans are to keep some control as to who runs the cocaine business in this country." "Jude's a snake." "But he's a weak and stupid one that we can control." "Now, please stop feeling sorry for yourself and come and make friends." "I'm back." "I want to know where Jude is." "Well, then find out." "It sticks in my throat." "The Cassidys are the biggest criminal family in the country." "With Stuart dead, we need to ensure any transition takes place on our terms." "If Jude takes over, he will respect our agreement with his dad." "He's also a racist murderer." "Our deal gets us information which saves lives." "We can't lose that." "At the price of allowing them to profit from the cocaine industry?" "Somebody has to." "I need Jude in place as head of the family before..." " Before what?" " Before other players realise how vulnerable he is." " What does Elviss Gilroy say?" " We'll see." " I've got a dinner date with him tonight." " Another one?" "Must be impatient for his dessert." "Is this you fishing for salacious details, Lenny?" "If Elviss is going to try and kill Jude, I need to know how and when." "So you be careful, Rose, however far you decide to go." "First son in my family is always called Elviss." "Anyway, that's Elviss with an s." "Another s." "Double s." "As in kiss." "Yeah." "Yeah, I know Gary Fenchurch is somewhere in Glasgow." "We need a postcode or something." "Jude, he's hiding somewhere." "But I know how to find him." "He's not untouchable." "No, not any more." "Business." "I didn't imagine you spoke to your wife like that." "So... here we are, in a nice restaurant... in a hotel... with big rooms." "Ah, and you're thinking this could be a good moment to love me tender?" " Depends if you like it tender." " Depends on who I'm with." "You're with the king now, baby." "Well, your timing's let you down because my sister's coming to stay." "OK." "Well, sisters is cool with me." "Invite her along." "She's just come out of a pretty abusive relationship, so..." "Anyway, you are married." "So, erm, let's not rush things, eh?" "So, how are your family coping?" "After what happened to your cousin?" "Someone's got to pay for that." "My point is, you can't be a Londoner any more and live inside the M25." "London don't live in Whitechapel or the Old Kent Road." "So what I'm saying, you should allow the immigrants to pour in, declare it an open city, then let the sand niggers do us a favour and explode a dirty bomb." "Is that where you live then?" "Outside the M25?" "Yeah, near Cuffley." "My mum's got a place there." " What's funny about that?" " Nothing." " What are you laughing at then?" " Just..." "Cuffley, it's a funny word." "Is it?" "No, not really." "Sorry, mate, some words just make me laugh." "Cuffley, it's sounds like one of those places on kiddies' TV." "Where the Tumbleybums are." "I'm going to go and see my sister." "Why did you go away for so long?" "Well..." "Uncle John spent five whole years on the naughty step, sweetheart." "But I'm back now, eh, Abi?" "At school, they say, when it rains, it's God crying for our sins." "Children aren't sinners." "What are you doing with that?" "Give it back!" "Don't do that." "What's with the stupid costume?" "My mum made that." " Is this your mum?" " Yeah." " Just give it back." " Please." "Please." " When was it taken?" " My birthday." "My mum made that outfit as a present." "Three manky feathers on a bit of string?" "Generous!" "I'm only messing, mate." "You know, like you and Cuffley." "What, that word ain't funny any more?" "My mum's house ain't funny?" "I wasn't laughing at your mum." "Just give it back." "That was the only picture of her I had." "Ah!" "My old man had a deal with the Old Bill, now I've got that deal." "And that makes me fuckin' untouchable." "John?" "Johnny?" "You've got to come." "He's not breathing and I've hit him." "His head..." "He tore my mum's photo." "He was gonna kill me." "I just grabbed this iron and lashed out." "And kept lashing, didn't you?" "He just flipped out at me." "I was scared he might get back up." "He just tore my photo." "The only one I had of my mum and he just tore it." "Is there anywhere where you can go, Calum, anyone you can trust?" "No." "Just you." " Me?" " Yeah." "Hey..." "Go to the hardware store." "I want you to get lots of black bags and some cleaning fluid." "Change your clothes first, have a wash." "I saw this programme on TV about the baby when it's inside its mum..." "It has a heart the size of a poppy seed." "Tiny." "Even that Jude... with all that crazy, violent shit inside him... even he had the heart the size of a poppy seed once." "Shame his brain stayed the same size." "Do you not feel a bit sorry for him?" "No." "My mum and dad died when I was nine." "We were coming back from a holiday in Brittany, and me and my sister were sitting in the back." "And we hit a car head on." "It was my dad's fault because he forgot about driving on the left." "My mum was singing to us at the point of impact." "She was singing, Calum." "My dad died instantly, but my mum didn't." "Me and my sister were still in the back, not a scratch." "They had to come and cut us out." "And I had to sing the song to my sister over and over and over again... so that she couldn't hear my mum." "You killed Jude out of self defence because he's a racist psychopath, who likes hurting people when he gets pissed." "Let's get this over and done with." "Remember, nothing's changed." "What do you mean, he's gone?" "Argument about the M25 that got out of hand." "You had an argument about the M25?" "Interesting racial theory that Jude seemed to have." "Got pissed, stormed out." "Mood he was in, we'd have had to have..." "I don't know, killed him to have stopped him." "He even left his dinner." "Crispy fried beef." "I need to talk to him." "There's been some unexpected developments" " in the Cassidy family." " What's that?" "If Jude shows up, let me know." "Better still, go and find him." "Either way, I want to know he's safe." " He'll be back." " Where are you off?" " I need to talk to somebody." " You can't leave me here on my own." "This is far from over." "I don't know why you're telling me this." "Lenny will cotton on soon." "I need to know what the story is with Jude." "Why do you think I'll tell you instead of calling Lenny?" "They'll kill Calum for this, they will." "They have nearly garrotted him in front of me." "Calum's an idiot, but I don't want them fishing his body out of a canal." "I don't know who else to go to, Rose." "Honestly, I don't know anybody else who knows anything about this or about what we do." " Do you want me to beg?" " Erm... yeah, OK." "That's what this is?" "Who's after Jude and why?" "A man called Elviss Gilroy." "And Jude's Uncle Carl is back." "Set the crystals to clear stored energy and don't let anybody else touch them." " Thanks." " OK." "Daddy!" "Oh, hello!" "Mwah!" "Are you all right, baby?" "Yeah, I'm fine." " For you." " A mule?" "It's a donkey." " Thanks, Dad." " Look under the hat." "Go on." "Dad..." "It's beautiful." "Well, it's not every day I get to take my favourite daughter out to drink champagne and eat oysters." " Your only daughter." " Do you really like it?" "Have you seen much of your cousin lately?" " What cousin?" " Jude." "He's a creep, Dad." "It was wrong what he did to that boy." "I don't even speak to him." "Listen, I just need to take ten minutes with a business associate." "Same old, same old." "I need a few secs to get into some normal clothes anyway." "OK." " Have you found Jude yet?" " Matter of time." "Nobody can know we've spoken about this." "Jude's my nephew, so don't go to town on him." "Quick and clean." "Don't stamp the eyes out of his head?" "Don't spit on his body, like he did to my cousin?" "Fair point." "That's why Jude's the wrong person for this family now." "You're making plenty of wedge in Spain, from I've heard." "Bringing people across from Gibraltar." "As always, overheads are the key to everything - costs down, profits up." "Same story when it was my ancestors on them ships." "Well, we've done away with the leg irons, but business is business." "Everything goes through Spain nowadays - money, people, drugs." "With my brother dead, it's an ideal opportunity for a strategic merger." " Under one boss?" " Yes." "But there'll be room at the table for your people if we can bring the Jude saga to a satisfactory conclusion." "You're looking very nice, all tarted up for the boy from Tupelo." " I'm not going to sleep with Elviss." " I didn't ask you to." " Those decisions are yours." " I know." "But you didn't invite me here to talk about how good I look." " Jude's disappeared all of a sudden." " Where's he gone?" " Has Elviss said anything?" " Nah." "I'd have heard the Cristal corks popping if he'd found Jude." "No sign of him leaving Mercer's flat." "So unless he went in a helicopter, somebody's lying to me." " You'll get to the bottom of it." " Most definitely." "Thank you." "Perro." "Pe-rrrrr-o." "Perro." "No, you have to roll the r." "Rrr." "There are two words, OK?" "One is perro, that means dog." "The other one is pero, that..." "Oh, who gives a shit?" "It's not like you can speak English that good, is it?" "How come you get to laugh at me?" "Where's Mercer?" "He should be here..." "I'm in here, John!" "I'll see you later." "Calum, let's discuss Jude's disappearance again, shall we?" "It has to be Elviss, the Hummer's unmistakeable." "Why is Carl meeting a man who wants to kill his nephew?" " I have to tell Lenny about this." " No, you don't." "Then you're signing Calum's death warrant." "Wait a bit." " Wait for what?" " I can give him Elviss and Carl." "That's got to be better than just a Jude." "You won't be the first person to go after Carl." "Where have you been?" "Your mobile's off." "Massage." "Lenny's gimp likes to pay attention to the kidney area." " What exactly was Lenny saying?" " "Where's Jude?" "Where's Jude?"" ""Where's Jude?" Mate, I thought you were boring." " Thanks for not telling Lenny." " No, thank John." "He said he'd miss your stimulating conversation." "No, it's you." "You fancy me, Rosamundo, you always have." "Oh, yeah, and there's that, of course!" "I've got a feeling in my lower back that Lenny won't let this drop." "Then it's high time we gave Elviss a call, isn't it?" "That's a blinding name." "I wish I were called Elviss." "Born to be Calum, though." " Are you OK?" " I can take a beating, John." "Hello." "Do me a favour, ask your man to step off." "Who are you?" "Are you a cop?" "More the hired help." "So, what's the coup then?" "We're gonna remove you from the game, Elviss." "One way or another." " You're protecting Jude Cassidy." " Jude's dead." "Keep that to yourself for now." " Who killed him?" " You." "As far as we're concerned." "Your position isn't really a strong one." "Patrick was at college, played cricket and everything." "Last time I saw him, he was all excited cos he'd just learned how to bowl a flipper, whatever that is." "That's a trick ball from a leg-spinner." " Shane Warne was good at them." " Yeah?" "Fat Aussie fuck?" "So what's stopping you then, from fitting me up?" "I want you to keep meeting Carl Cassidy, keep track of his movements." "I want to know what's happening with this takeover bid." "So what's in this for me?" "You get to stay alive." "And out of prison." "Don't knock it." "Oh... little bonus from me." "That's Jude's mate." "Last seen stamping on your cousin's head." "I've got an address for him in Glasgow." "You're gonna need a flipper up your sleeve if you're going after Carl." "He's smart." "The clinic where I meet Carl belongs to his daughter." "He'd do anything for his little princess." " Hello?" " Yo, Gary." "You do not want to eat that greasy shit." "Give yourself a heart attack." "You came here cos you thought a vengeful black man would stand out." "Smart thinking." "Thing is though, Gary, some of my best friends are white." "Get rid of that." " All right, Mr Douglas?" " You have to come with us, Calum." " Where to?" " What's this about?" " Can I bring my chips?" " No." "Jude's dead." " What happened?" " I killed him." "Do you mind if I ask why?" "Didn't like him." "Anything in particular?" "His manner." "John, Johnny..." "You've got to come." "He's not breathing." "I've hit him..." "His head..." "He tore my mum's photo." "Jude's dead." "Can't change that." "The threat hasn't changed though." "The threat's still Carl Cassidy, isn't it?" " How do you know about him?" " Never mind." "But I've got Elviss." "I can bring you Carl as well, if you like." "Oh, won't be a sec." "How can I help you?" " A friend recommended this place." " Always nice to hear." " How much is a consultation?" " Initially, it's £50 excluding treatment." "What are you after?" "Homeopathy, crystals, massage?" "I'm worried there might be a hole in my aura." "There's a lot of red around your torso." " Oh, is that bad?" " Anger." " Would you say you're a very angry person?" " Me?" "No." "No, not really." "Sometimes, if somebody says something that's a bit bollocks, then I can get irritated, but I think angry is a bit strong." "We'll see what my guides say after the laying-on of hands." "Great." "Who gets to lay hands on who?" "Or is it "whom"?" "Grammar was never my strong point, but it's me on you." " It's very professional." " I'm sure." "Thank you, Melrose." "And you have a lovely aura about you." "Thank you." "Any time." "Could I have a quick word, Carl?" "I was expecting this." "Come on then, let's get it over with." "Nice shoes, Carl." "I like those a lot." "How much did they cost?" "Taking one drowned immigrant as your currency." "More than you'll ever be able to afford..." "Officer." "My shabbiness is the price I pay for not working in the slave trade." "Surely police salaries haven't fallen that low?" "Strange to think that you and Jude are from the same family." " You've just met Elviss Gilroy." " Is that against the law?" "No, no." "But it might look odd to the family, meeting a guy who wants Jude dead." "Even odder to a jury when they do find Jude's body." " I didn't know were looking for it." " He's missing." "When they find him, your and Elviss's meetings might look suspicious." "Before I fell out with my brother, I used to live here, as you know." "In the '80s, they bugged my house, MI5- before they started chasing suicide bombers." "Anyway, we had some fun with that." "Then it was SOCA." "They were a joke!" "They had to get me sign in triplicate to agree to go under surveillance." " Things are different now." " They'll need to be." "Tell whoever sent you no thanks, I'll take my chances." "It's a nice try, but embarrassingly crude." "Getting in won't be a problem." "I'll go up there, across and through that window." "Why are we doing this?" "This is only way to get Carl to meet Lenny." "He thinks he's beyond our reach, so to reel him in, we're offering him an example of how far we're prepared to go." "Pay particular attention to the homeopathy stuff." "Any Old Bill come, just text me." "I'll be out before they're in." "Even if the alarm's wired up to her mobile." "Which isn't likely." "And she's still got to get here." "I won't bother with an alarm in future." "The only thing alarms are good for is annoying people." "That one has a 20-minute cut-off, bought off a shopping channel." "Peace and quiet." "Ouch!" "What's happened here?" "Just opened up and I've been broken in to." "Sorry, I'm here for my appointment, I'm a bit early." "Who'd do this?" "There's only petty cash left overnight, 50 quid or so." " Why did they...?" " Kids most likely." "Little toerags!" "I'd say phone the police, but that won't do any good." "Got a friend you can call, or family?" "Don't need the police." "I'm phoning my dad." "Good thinking." "It was you, Rose, you gave Mercer the information about Carl Cassidy." "Do you want me to say sorry?" "No." "No, it's not in your nature." "And humiliating people isn't in mine." " Could've fooled me." " Sorry?" "Sorry, what was that?" "You said something." "What was it?" "So, now you keep your trap shut?" "After the Mellor op, you were toxic, remember?" "People shuddered when they heard your name." "And then I came along, I picked you up." " I do know that." " Then don't forget it!" "Ever!" "What's given can be taken away." "Bloody kids!" "Is there anything you want?" "Money to re-stock?" "Whatever you need." "Thanks, Dad, it'll be fine." "They've left a lot of very negative colours behind." "They used the scaffolding to get in, unlocked window." "I can give you the number of a good locksmith." "Hi." "You must be the father." "Thanks." "I'll have to reschedule you an appointment." "Mr Warne was nice enough to stay behind to wait until you came." "That was nice of him." "Problem these days is that even if they catch them, they'll only get a slapped wrist." "No justice." " Send them on holiday more like." " That's right." "Most criminals get sent to Disneyland," " rather than get what they deserve." " Thanks for waiting." "No problem." "Just hate to think what would've happened to your daughter if she'd been here." "Let's not upset her any more." "She wasn't." "The locksmith." "I'll call you to reschedule my appointment." "Make sure you do." "I hope one day I can do a similar favour for a member of your family, Mr Warne." "Hey, chicolita!" "I suspect you are carrying a kilo of cocaine in your tiny tummy." "And must insist on a body search." "What's that?" "On the spot fine?" "Let's not get carried away." "First the search..." "then the punishment." "Hey!" "Hey, whoa!" "Wait." "Don't go." "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry about before." "You don't have to always do this." "You don't have to make me laugh for me to like you." "Come here!" "Who is this?" "Me." "My mum." "Es bonita tu mama." "Si." "Bonita." "Esta bien, esta bien." " I'm tired." " Esta bien, mi niño." "I bought Abi a present." " Let's see." " It's nothing, it's..." "So she can play God with the flowers." " Are you OK?" " Yeah, fine." "A bit tired, I suppose." " How's your job going?" " All right." "What are you work mates like?" "Meet any nice people?" "They're OK." "You'll tell me if you're in trouble?" "You'll come to me if you need me?" "Thank you." " Are you the locksmith?" " I am indeed." "My name's Richard Walker." " No, it isn't." " No, it isn't." "What's in a name?" "Would you like something to eat?" "The noodles are great." "I'm a creature of habit, so I stick to the pad thai." "Let's get down to business." "If you're to be the head of the family, I want something in return." " Bye, you two!" "Bye!" " See you!" " See you soon." "Be good!" " Yeah, bye!" " What are you doing here?" " How else am I supposed to find you?" "Carl Cassidy seems an interesting chap." "Without the misfortune of being a Cassidy, he could've been a captain of industry." "Few details to sort out, but apart from that, things look... positive." "What about Calum?" "Muttley gets a pass." " And Jude?" " We'll let him be." "He can regale the fishes with his M25 theory." "You and Rose did well though." "Behind my back." "But then, I've never been afraid to delegate." "That's cos you're not a control freak." "True enough." "Like I always say to Rose, she decides how far she goes on an operation." "But then, you would know that, wouldn't you?" "You and Elviss both." "Oh, dear." "She skated over that one, did she?" " Where's Calum?" " Upstairs." "Playing customs and drug mule with his Colombian girlfriend probably." "This place could sure do with some flowers." "Sorry, why are you here?" "Well... .. I was a bit fed up and wondered if you wanted to go out somewhere." "Where?" "Dunno." "Somewhere interesting." "You choose." "I'm already going out." "Can't you cancel it?" "Change your plans?" "No." "Are you sure about that?" "Well, we could go and tell each other stories from our murky pasts, get stupidly drunk and then you could carry me home." "I'm already going out." "Sorry." "You could always try Elviss Gilroy." "Yeah, you're right, I could." "Thanks for the suggestion." "For all the good it does." "# Love, mm-mm" "# Love is strange, mm-mm" "# A lot of people, mm-mm" "# Take it for a game" "# Once you get it, mm-mm" "# You're in an awful fix, mm-mm" "# After you've had it, mm-mm" "# You'll never wanna quit" "# Many people, mm-mm... #" "It's me." "As you've been getting so close to John, I want an appraisal." "# Is money in the hand #" "John, mate!" "I've bought you a science book, a present." "To say thanks for everything you've done." "It's about the universe." "Did you know that there might not be just one universe but loads of 'em?" "Which means millions of Calums and Johns, spread all across different universes." "Crazy shit made me dizzy." "John!" "He's only gone out." "A rising star of the Albanian mafia has arrived in London." "I don't want to kill him, just his reputation." " This is payback for invading Chechnya!" " The Albanians didn't invade anyone." "How is John?" "As long as he's left alone, he's good." "A clever guy would take my obvious lack of respect" " as an indicator of something." " Such as?" "London can be a dangerous city for children." "You tell Tarek that." "I need to know who this woman is." " They've got her in the drinking club." " Just bring her back." "Move, now!" "# Love, mm-mm" "# Love is strange, mm-mm" "# A lot of people, mm-mm" "# Take it for a game" "# Once you get it, mm-mm" "# You're in an awful fix" "# Mm-mm" "# After you've had it, mm-mm... #"