case. If they didn’t get the hundred grand he owed by the end of the week, he’d be taking a dip in the Mersey with some lead in his head and his pockets.
A poor choice of business associate had left Patrick on the wrong side of a dangerous moneylender in the East End. A twenty-five grand debt had quadrupled in the eight weeks since he’d left London. Grace had offered him the money and he’d gratefully accepted. His cockney counterparts had left Liverpool a lot happier and richer than when they’d arrived.
‘I’ll pay you back with interest, of course,’ Patrick said.
‘I know you will.’
‘And I’m forever in your debt, Grace. I’d hate to think what would have happened if I hadn’t been able to get that money together. Anything you ever need, just call me.’
‘Thanks, Pat,’ she said, hopeful she would never need anything from him but his companionship.
As she continued making the tea she thought about Patrick’s comments earlier. Imagine her the boss of some criminal empire? Dressing in power suits and barking orders at her minions. A small laugh escaped her lips as she contemplated the absurdity of the notion. But what if? She’d have her own, personal army at her disposal. Nathan would never be able to get to her again. She’d be untouchable. It was certainly something worth fantasizing about at least.
Glancing at the entrance to the pub, Grace checked her watch. It was a little after nine, and Patrick was usually always there by eight on a Monday. She had grown used to his presence in the bar most nights, but particularly on Mondays when she finished early and they would share a takeaway and a bottle of wine after hours. She enjoyed talking to him. He could regale her for hours with his tales.
Grace was beginning to feel anxious. What if something had happened to him? It reminded her of all the nights she’d sat waiting for Nathan to come home, worrying about what he was up to. At least that was until she could no longer bear the sight of him. Why did she invest so much of her time in men who were clearly up to no good?
Just as she was contemplating phoning Patrick’s mobile, he came bounding through the double doors. Despite her annoyance at him for making her worry, she felt herself instantly relax. The tension in her shoulders and chest slipping away as he made his way over.
‘Grace,’ he said excitedly. ‘I’ve got a very interesting business opportunity for you.’
‘Oh?’
‘Can’t talk in here. But I’ll tell you all about it. Shall I nip out and get us an Indian?’
‘Yeah, okay.’ She nodded. Intrigued and bemused. What possible business proposition could he have that might involve her?
Once the pub was locked up and Grace had checked on Jake, she and Patrick sat down with their curries while he poured two glasses of wine.
‘So, what’s this about a business opportunity, Pat?’
‘Well,’ he cleared his throat and smoothed back his hair – looking very pleased with himself, ‘do you remember that guy in Manchester I told you about? The one I used to work for? Solomon Shepherd?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, he told me he’d been hearing whispers of a massive upset with the dealers in Liverpool and he asked me to look into it. It’s not good for his business either. Well, it turns out that they’ve all been under surveillance for a massive police operation. The biggest in Liverpool for years, Grace. Even bigger than when Nathan and my lads went down. So, there is basically a massive gap in the market for someone to take control of things and everyone who’s anyone, is or has been, under surveillance, so none of them can fill it.’
‘Yet?’
Patrick nodded. ‘Exactly. So, we have to move fast.’
‘What?’ Grace laughed. ‘Us? Are you serious? What the hell do I know about drugs?’
‘I can teach you the basics. And you don’t need to know everything straight away. That’s what you’ve got me for. You can learn the business as you go. You’d have to provide the capital, obviously, but this will make you a very rich woman. You’d make more in a week than this place takes in a year. I’ll take all the risks, Grace. You won’t have to get your hands dirty if you don’t want to. And with Sol’s backing we’re already off to a great start.’
Grace shook her head. ‘You’re talking crazy, Pat. Me and you drug kingpins? You’re almost a pensioner and I’m a pub landlady!’
‘Hey, you cheeky mare,’ he laughed. ‘There’s still life in this old fella, you know. And don’t sell yourself short either. You might not realize it, but you’ve picked up a hell of a lot from Nathan about this business. Mostly, how not to do things. The lads that come in here all listen to you. They respect you. Partly because you’re your dad’s daughter and Nathan’s ex-wife, but mostly because there’s something about you, Grace. People trust you.’
Grace took a sip of her wine. ‘How would I sleep at night, Pat? Besides the obvious fact that drugs are a mugs game, and are responsible for far too much misery in this world, it’s just too dangerous. I have Jake to think about?’
‘If we don’t step in, Grace, someone else will. Besides, we won’t be at the coal face doing the grunt work. That’s the beauty of being the boss, you can pay other people to do that for you. And what better way to be able to protect Jake? You would be one of the most powerful players in Liverpool. Come on, Grace. What do you say?’
Grace considered his proposal. Was there a better way to protect Jake? Or herself? Particularly from Nathan. Was the only way to defeat the monster to become one yourself?
‘I’ll think about it, Pat,’ she said. ‘About funding you, at least. I wouldn’t want any part in the actual day-to-day operations.’
‘That’s all I ask, boss.’ He grinned at her.
Present Day
It was midday when Grace heard Jake emerge from the crypt that was his bedroom.
‘Do you want anything to eat, son?’ she shouted up the stairs.
‘A fry-up, Mum. The full works,’ he called back jovially.
She envied him his cast-iron constitution, and his body’s ability to burn off all that alcohol and avoid a hangover. She supposed that was what came from being eighteen. She remembered her life as an eighteen-year-old and how different it was to Jake’s. She’d had so much responsibility, yet so little experience of the world. It had been a dangerous combination. One that had left her open to the likes of Nathan – who’d seen her as the perfect target.
How easily she had allowed herself to be taken in by him. How quickly she had given up everything
