as she came back into the living-room.
As soon as she made eye contact with Lauren she started howling again. Dante didn’t laugh as hard as the girls until Lauren jumped up on to the coffee table and started dancing.
‘I’m James and I’m a stripper, put some money down my pants,’ she sang.
‘So are you gonna do it?’ Dante smirked. ‘I can just see you up on stage, with greasy old businessmen leering at you.’
‘I think it’s the perfect way for him to infiltrate the Brigands,’ Chloe smiled. ‘He can do it for a couple of years and if it doesn’t work out at least he’ll have a nice little nest egg.’
Lauren hopped off the table but lost her balance and bent her thumb back as she landed awkwardly on the sofa.
‘Serves you right,’ James gloated, as Lauren clutched her hand and moaned. ‘I’m going upstairs to get changed for work.’
‘Leather hat and tanga briefs?’ Dante grinned, making Lauren start laughing again.
Chloe stopped James as he stormed towards the door. ‘On a more serious note, now that we know Dirty Dave’s proposition isn’t related to weapons smuggling you’d better start preparing to leave. I want all of you to tell your friends that it looks like I’m getting back with your dad and that you’ll be going back to London this weekend. Make sure you don’t burn any bridges, in case any of us come back for a second mission.’
40. FLIP
It was Thursday, nine-thirty and James’ pancake flipping career would end in half an hour. He dropped a steaming crêpe on to the preparation surface, then laid on vanilla ice cream, tinned orange segments and chopped nuts before folding it in half and dropping it on to a cardboard plate.
‘Voilà,’ James said cheerfully, as his nine-year-old customer grabbed her food and bolted towards parents and a disabled brother sitting at one of the tables. Then he turned towards Martin and acted like he was crying. ‘I’ll miss this all so much,’ he wailed.
‘Sure you will,’ Martin said. ‘I just hope whoever Teeth sends over as a replacement is as cute as you are.’
‘What are the odds of that happening?’ James grinned. ‘Ten million to one?’
‘How’d Ashley take the news that you’re going back to London?’
James shrugged. ‘She seemed underwhelmed. I don’t think it’s gonna go down as one of my greatest romantic entanglements.’
‘You can knock off now if you like,’ Martin said. ‘Is there anyone you want to say goodbye to or anything?’
‘I’ve gotta go up and give my security pass to Teeth in the office, but that’s about it … Oh, and if Noelene’s around I might tell her that she’s a stuck-up wrinkle-faced ho.’
As James undid his apron he was surprised to see Nigel and his brother Will approaching.
‘My sister Anna’s heartbroken that your little brother’s leaving,’ Will complained. ‘When are you off ?’
‘Tomorrow,’ James said, before turning to Nigel. ‘How’s it going?’
‘My life is absolutely and completely down the shitter,’ Nigel said, faking cheerfulness.
‘I saw the story about weapons getting seized on the local news Monday night,’ James nodded. ‘There’s all sorts of rumours buzzing around college.’
‘Cops busted me Sunday morning,’ Nigel explained. ‘Hauled me in. Searched my house. They found my stash and a bunch of fish-stinking clothes that screwed up whatever chance I had of an alibi.’
‘So they’ve charged you?’ James asked.
Nigel nodded. ‘I’m out on bail. The Brigands have sorted me a decent lawyer, but even if I plead guilty she says I’ll be looking at time locked up in young offenders’.’
‘Shit,’ James said sympathetically. ‘Any idea how long?’
Will answered. ‘Lawyer reckons between eighteen months and three years. With so much publicity around gun crime she says it’s a bad time to stand in front of a judge on a weapons smuggling charge.’
‘And finding three ounces of spliff under my bed doesn’t help,’ Nigel sighed. ‘I already got a caution for possessing marijuana last year.’
James liked Nigel, but struggled to find something suitably grave to say. In the end he gave up and went with, ‘I’m sorry for you, mate.’
‘Not as sorry as me, I’d bet,’ Nigel grunted.
‘So, has anyone seen that snitching sack of shit Julian?’ Will asked.
‘Nah,’ James said. ‘Not at school or around here.’
‘He won’t show his face,’ Nigel said. ‘There’s too many bikers around and he knows he’ll get his head caved in. It’s my own stupid fault for getting Julian involved: way out of his depth. It’s no surprise that he panicked and went running to his dad.’
‘He might be