The Family

through it.'

Phillip nodded thoughtfully. He was staring at his brother in that vacant way he had sometimes and Jamsie found he was holding his breath with nervousness. Then, offering his hand out, Phillip shook his brother's hand, squeezing it tightly as he said genuinely, 'Good luck to you, bruv, she's a nice girl. Even Christine seems to be getting on with her, she ain't stopped talking since she came in. Are you going to marry her?'

Jamsie nodded happily. 'Yeah. Be a mug not to. She's my world now, Phillip, her and them kids.'

Phillip nodded in absolute agreement. 'They are your family now, mate, and family is all that really matters. Do Mum good to have some more little ones to dote on, she needs all that.'

Jamsie was thrilled at the turn of events, and smiled happily at his brother.

'Come in to the office tomorrow, and we'll get the ball rolling. There's a nice house I own not far from here, Jamsie, four bedrooms, large semi-detached. Just needs a bit of TLC. It's yours. Call it an early wedding present. I'll have the people renting it out by the end of the week.'

Jamsie was shocked and overcome at his brother's generosity. 'Oh, Phillip, what can I say?'

Phillip waved his thanks away quickly, and went into the house. Jamsie was going to be a lynchpin for their new business, so that meant he needed to be treated as one of the family, and he now needed to be seen to be treated as an integral part of the business. Hence the new house, and the new wage. Personally, Phillip still hated him for what he had done, but he wouldn't let on about that. It wasn't going to gain him anything, whereas being nice would get him everything. As always there was an agenda and, as always, Phillip kept the real agenda to himself.

Jamsie was over the moon to be invited once more back into the fold, and he privately toasted his brother's generosity before rejoining the others inside.

That Linda was amazed they were being given a four-bedroom house, in a nice road, was an understatement. She almost fainted with the shock and, when she looked at Veronica Murphy and saw the woman's obvious pleasure at her good fortune, she burst into tears of happiness and relief. Phillip put his arm around her shoulder and said loudly, 'I think I am going to be my brother's best man, Linda, so you and the girls had better start planning the wedding. After all, that house was a wedding present.'

Linda was speechless and, when Jamsie nodded at her, she started to cry once more. Veronica was happier than she had been in years – Linda had potential, and Jamsie was back in the family proper. She saw Christine hug the girl and wish her the best, and she felt that her family was finally growing and evolving again, and that was what families were meant to do. Veronica loved her family to death, and that was not an overstatement. No matter what, you protected them, each and every one of them.

Chapter Ninety-Four

Jonnie Piper was a small man, but he was still not someone you would look at and dismiss. He had an air about him that said he could be a bit of a menace if crossed and, from what Phillip had heard, it was a reputation he had earned fair and square.

Phillip was surprised to find that he genuinely liked Jonnie. He had a good sense of humour and a catalogue of stories that were as funny as they were interesting. So he was well pleased with this initial meeting. Especially as Jonnie had come down to see him, and not vice versa. It was the little things that pleased Phillip Murphy, and the fact this man had travelled down to see him without question went a long way. If the meeting was on his turf, then he had the natural advantage. Piper also seemed impressed with the farm, and that told Phillip that he was a man of a discerning nature. He had treated Old Sammy with respect too, and listened to what he had had to say, suggesting that he was a gentleman. Scally or not, Phillip was pleased to be dealing with someone of such calibre. He saw no reason why they couldn't all earn together and enjoy the partnership, for the time being at least. So, all in all, Phillip was a very happy man.

Piper's wife had been his companion for over twenty-five years, and over the course of this first meeting she and Christine were already like bosom pals; both were first wives, and each still adored by their partners. In fact, the similarity between the two men in some respects was uncanny. They were like two peas in a pod in every way except looks. They had a natural affinity that seemed to give them a really solid understanding of each other. Both had fought to get where they were, and both had set ideas about how they conducted their private lives. Like Phillip Murphy, there was no scandal to be heard about Jonnie Piper. No little birds in the offing, or errant kids on the local housing estates. Phillip saw that kind of behaviour as disgusting; disrespecting your wife and kids was something he found anathema. Chasing skirt when you should be chasing the dollar was a mug's game and left you open to all sorts of situations decent men avoided like the fucking plague. To Phillip, it showed a weakness of character and inherent untrustworthiness: if you could swindle your own close family, then you were capable of anything.

Jonnie had his wife Mary and family and that was enough. Like Phillip, he was a good Irish Catholic boy, and he knew the importance of family. But, unlike Phillip, he didn't enjoy the violence, or feel the need to pretend every second of every day. In reality, he was the person Phillip wanted to be.

Phillip was fascinated by this man; he was observing him at close quarters, and he liked what he saw. He knew that he had the same effect on people as Jonnie and that pleased him. That Phillip also knew he could buy and sell Jonnie was even more satisfying, because he knew that he had the edge. He had seen the man's utter respect for the way they lived, he had felt his admiration. This was going to be a really good call.

Phillip was also pleased with Jamsie – he had researched the ins and outs of the cat's arse where this con was concerned and, if Phillip was honest with himself, he was pleasantly surprised. It seemed Jamsie had a natural flair for the job that was as surprising as it was welcome. He still hated him with a passion, but he could put up with him while he was bringing in such a good earn. It wasn't hard pretending; after all, he was the master at it. The thought brought a smile to his face and Jonnie, seeing it and mistaking it for bonhomie, smiled in return. Pouring them all large malt whiskies, Phillip said jovially, 'A toast, mate, to a good business partnership.'

Jonnie and the women raised their glasses, and Jonnie answered genially, 'Now you're onboard we can really make this fly. I can see that you and your brothers have put a lot of thought into this, and it can become much bigger. But what I wanted to ask you about as well is if you are interested in the money laundering? I've had a touch recently with the euro, and I'm looking for an investor.'

Phillip had heard wind of this euro scam, and he was intrigued. If Piper already wanted to talk other business, then the car fronts were basically sewn up. He had laundered money many times – it was how most people cleaned their wages. But this was seen as a necessity rather than a business deal. The tax were shit-hot on it these days and that, as always, just made the average bloke more determined to keep as much of his dosh as possible. It was a disgrace what Labour had done to the working man, more interested in the lazy cunts. Let's face it, no one who wanted a quality of life was going to vote for them. Phillip was disgusted with the country. As far as he was concerned, any man, especially someone like Tony Blair, who couldn't even admit to being a closet Catholic, who wouldn't admit to something so personal and important as his religion, wasn't worth the proverbial wank. If you couldn't stand up for your beliefs you were scum in Phillip's book. Religion taught you a way of living. It taught you that there was something bigger than you, something out there that knew the real you. It gave you a set of guidelines and, if you lived by them, you lived well. People without a good grounding didn't make the most of their lives. That was what he thought, and as much as he hated the priests at his sons' school, they had given the boys a good grounding and that was the most important thing.

'I would love to discuss the laundering further with you,

Jonnie Boy, but I think the ladies have had enough business tonight, don't you?'

Jonnie laughed in agreement, but knew he had piqued Phillip's interest. He couldn't believe his luck really; this bloke was pure class, and he knew that any association with him could only better himself. He needed someone on the ground this end, and he knew he couldn't refuse this man what he asked without a war, so he was willing to compromise. That he had every intention of leaving him out of the main earn though he wasn't about to admit.

Jonnie, as much as he liked Phillip Murphy, knew in his heart of hearts that the next step Phillip would make could only be towards taking complete control. But he kept his own counsel; after all, as the Bible said, sufficient to