day. They’re going to record the calls for a couple of days, then they’re going to pull Simeon in and threaten to drop him in it with Major Dee if he doesn’t play ball.’
James thought for a second. ‘What about our cover?’
‘Chloe thinks we’ll be fine,’ Michael said. ‘There’s several different ways that the cops might have tracked the calls, and while Sasha’s been changing his phone regularly, Simeon’s had the same one for over six months. It’s even registered in his own name.’
James shook his head. ‘Unbelievable!’
‘Yeah, but it’s about time we had some luck on this mission,’ Bruce said.
*
While Mad Dogs FC had all but disappeared, Sasha continued to meet his crew regularly in his basement. James and Bruce were invited and Junior came along too. With his pocket money suspended and Sasha not letting him earn, the basement was the only place where Junior could afford to socialise.
By nine the three boys had played pool and downed a few cans of beer. The poker game was lively, but the atmosphere was jovial because a lot of people had made money that morning and Sasha wasn’t at the table. He’d been holding a series of meetings upstairs in his office and James and Bruce were amongst the last to be called up.
‘Boys,’ Sasha smiled, as they pulled open the door. ‘Savvas tells me that you two did a blinding job. Did you do like I said and dump the clothes and everything?’
‘Of course,’ James said.
‘And you,’ Sasha said, pointing at Bruce. ‘That dude you threw over the balcony broke a shoulder, an arm and both legs. My mate at the hospital reckons it’s a miracle he wasn’t paralysed.’
James couldn’t fail to be impressed by Sasha’s contacts. The Mad Dogs might not have been the biggest gang in town, but they had friends in all the right places.
‘I said a grand apiece, but we made out big so I’m putting your shares up to fifteen hundred. Now that’s a lot of money for kids your age. I don’t want you getting flash, because the cops have always got an eye on the Zoo.’
‘Don’t worry,’ James assured him. ‘We’ll buy some clothes to replace what we threw out, but we’ll spend the rest gradually.’
‘Have you got somewhere to stash it?’ Sasha asked.
James nodded. ‘The lockers at the Zoo are crap, but I’ve got a spot behind the skirting board where I keep what’s left from the hotel robbery.’
‘If you’re sure,’ Sasha said, as he reached into a briefcase and pulled six slim bundles of £500 in twenty-pound notes. ‘That’s all good money,’ he added. ‘Totally untraceable. Now go off and enjoy yourselves.’
‘We’re always up for anything,’ James said. ‘Just let us know.’
‘I’ll do that,’ Sasha smiled. ‘There’s always money to be made for a couple of smart lads like you.’
As they headed out along the hallway, Lois yelled James’ name from the living-room. The entrance was an archway, and she sat on the couch with her legs tucked under her bum and a box of chocolates in her lap.
‘How’s your leg doing?’ she asked.
‘Seems to be healing up nicely,’ James said, feeling awkward. ‘Thanks for your help.’
There was no way to acknowledge what had happened the night before with Bruce standing next to him and Sasha down the hall.
‘That’s good,’ Lois said icily. ‘But don’t bother coming back with my dad’s clothes. He’s got plenty of others.’
Lois’ tone and her body language made it clear that it wasn’t just the clothes she didn’t want to come back.
‘Tossed away like rotten fruit,’ Bruce gloated, as they headed back towards the basement. ‘That’s gotta hurt!’
In a way James was relieved. Having Lois after him was bad for the mission and his personal safety. But on a human level, he’d been rejected and it hurt. He didn’t know if it was something he’d done, or maybe Lois always treated men like that. Either way, she was older and more experienced, and while James didn’t regret what had happened, he felt like a little kid who’d been invited to the big boys’ party, only to have everyone laugh at him.
Feeling sore as he headed down into the smoke-filled basement, James couldn’t resist turning his anger into spite by grabbing the money out of his tracksuit top and waving it in front of Junior, who was slumped in the corner waiting for his turn at the pool table. He’d downed at least four beers and looked wasted.
‘Check my wad out,’ James grinned.
Junior’s mouth dropped. ‘This