‘It’s my mum’s, but she’s ill and I look after her. She bought it from the council for fourteen grand. It’s worth four times that if we ever wanted to sell. She’s left it to me, so yeah, I guess it’s mine.’

‘Nice profit. People pay for postcodes these days.’

‘So, what do I do now Alex? You said I was going to die…?’

‘Just keep your head down. Look after your mother and do some healing. How are you going to stash all these plants without your mother noticing she lives in Kew Gardens?’ Alex laughed.

‘There’s a basement. She never goes down there. Plus, it’s always warm in the house because Mum is always cold, and the heating is always on full. That and the heaters should keep them going.’

‘Good luck Luke.’ Alex held out his hand to shake his.

‘Thanks Alex, erm I mean both of you,’ Luke stammered.

Alex yawned. ‘Come on then, let’s unload this van so I can get home. There will be hell to pay if my wife has turned over in bed and I’m not there.’ Alex got out of the van, prompting Deana and Luke to do likewise.

‘Just put the plants in the hallway, I can see to them now. You had better get off.’

‘Yes, and I need to get rid of this van.’

Letting out a huge sigh, Deana turned towards Alex. ‘Does that mean we’re walking home?’ she asked.

‘Part of the way Deana. We’ll torch the van. That way, it will get rid of any soil, leaves and fingerprints. Neither you nor Luke are wearing gloves and there is too much evidence to clean up, so yes, in answer to your question, we’re walking.’

A mile or so from home, Alex turned into a side road. ‘Is this close enough for you? Look, there’s the answer to your prayers,’ Alex laughed.

‘What, where? Are we going to hot-wire a car?’ she asked excitedly, not wanting to brave the cold after the warmth of the heater in the van.

‘Nope, but someone has left two push bikes over there. We’re going to pedal home. That will warm you up. Come on.’

Alex found an old spanner and used it to break the petrol tank. He watched the petrol start to flood out just as Deana came towards him with the bicycles. He held up his hand to stop her. ‘That’s enough, we’ll need to pedal like hell, when this goes up.’

Nodding, Deana waited while he lit a cigarette and threw it on the ground. It burst into flames and led a trail to the main petrol tank. Alex ran towards Deana and they rode the bikes as quickly as they could as they heard and felt the blast of the explosion. They could hear a shattering of glass and see smoke in the air as they turned off the main road towards home. As they turned to each other, the wind blowing through their hair, they both smiled and burst out laughing. Alex had to admit, tonight had been the adrenalin boost he’d needed.

Leaving the bikes at the top of the street, they walked home and carefully opened the door. Everything was in darkness and there was no sound. He was glad of that. Creeping up the stairs, Alex blew Deana a kiss as she entered her bedroom. Once in his own bedroom, he looked at Maggie, who was still fast asleep. Walking towards the window, he noticed Percy’s house was still intact. It confused him. He wondered if he had sorted out the gas pipe correctly. Maybe not, he mused to himself. It had been dark, and his visibility had been limited.

Leaving the bedroom, he went into the bathroom and discarded his clothing, leaving his usual T-shirt and boxer shorts on. Creeping into bed, he lay back on his pillow and thought about the evening’s events. After everything that had happened, he was shattered and found himself drifting off to sleep.

‘Alex! Alex, wake up love!’ Bleary eyed, Alex tried to stir as Maggie shook him vigorously. ‘For God’s sake Alex, wake up!’ Maggie shouted in his face. Sitting up with a start, he looked at her.

‘Listen, outside there’s shouting and police sirens. Have they found us Alex?’ Frightened and almost crying, Maggie shook him again. Jumping out of bed, Alex went to the window and looked further up the street. Looking at the clock he saw that it was nearly 5 a.m.; he’d been asleep for a couple of hours, but it only seemed like minutes. Police cars were parked outside Percy’s house and police, all geared up in helmets and bullet-proof jackets, were shouting to each other and banging on Percy’s door.

‘It’s Percy’s house Maggie. Come and see.’ He beckoned. Maggie ran her hands through her hair and jumped out of bed to join him at the window.

‘Oh my God, what’s going on? Come on, let’s go down and see.’

Alex quickly stopped her. ‘No, there’s a better view here.’ His heart was pounding in his chest as he thought about the gas pipe and mentally, he was counting down as he saw the police with battering rams at Percy’s door. Everyone in the neighbourhood was coming out and standing at their gates to watch the scene. As Alex predicted, once the police entered the hallway someone must have turned on a light. With one vast explosion, the police officers standing at the door seemed to fly into the air backwards. Alex closed his eyes and winced. Percy’s house became an inferno as another blast followed. Alex held up his arms to his face and shouted for Maggie to get down as glass from shattered windows flew into their bedroom. Alex could hear shouts and cries from people outside running up and down the street.

Deana and Dante came running into the bedroom. ‘Wait kids, stay there, there’s glass everywhere.’ Alex bent down to Maggie who was lying face down on the floor. ‘Stay there Maggie, don’t move. Deana, get me a pair of her shoes, any will do.’

Doing as she was told, Deana brought a pair back and threw them towards Alex. Bending down, he put the shoes on Maggie’s feet. ‘Take my hands Maggie, close your eyes and stand up. Your hair and nightie are covered in glass and you need to stand up and let it fall,’ he instructed. Maggie was shaking, and tears brimmed in her eyes as she held out her hands and let Alex take the weight of her as she stood up, letting the glass fall to her feet. ‘Are you two okay? How are the windows in your rooms?’ Alex shouted.

‘Fine, it was just the noise and the banging. We thought, well…’ Dante trailed off. For so long they had been expecting this kind of intrusion into their home and had been living on eggshells for a long time, so no wonder they were all frightened. Out of shock, Maggie burst into tears and so did Dante. Only Deana and Alex stood there staring at each other. They both knew the truth of what had happened.

‘You two go downstairs. Maggie, take your nightgown off. If you walk out of here, you’ll trail glass everywhere.’

‘What about you? You’re covered in it.’ Her lips trembled as she spoke, and her eyes were red from crying. ‘Oh, Alex, I don’t know if I can live like this any more. I thought we were doomed.’

Pulling her close to him, Alex held her. The stabbing pain he felt in his heart when he heard her anguished cries was unbearable. He had done this. His whole family lived in fear because of him and his lifestyle. ‘I’m sorry. Maybe I should leave. Walk away and not drag you and the kids into this life again. I’m sure those police can arrange it.’ Feeling his own tears brimming on his lashes, he sniffed hard to keep them at bay.

Standing back, Maggie looked at him. ‘Don’t you dare say that. Do you hear me? Never again. We all enjoyed the spoils Alex and now we all take the fallout. Don’t leave us. Nothing is worth that. Promise me,’ she begged.

‘I promise, but I hate seeing you like this. Always looking over your shoulder – afraid of your own shadow.’

‘I’m more afraid of you leaving me. I love you.’ Wiping her face with her hands, she half smiled and took a piece of glass out of Alex’s hair. ‘Glass is going to be hiding in that thick mane of yours for years.’ Picking up her brush, Maggie ran it through her long blonde hair and heard the glass fall to the floor. Taking the brush, Alex turned her away from him and brushed it for her – he hadn’t realised how long it had grown.

‘Have you had your hair dyed?’

‘Yes, about two weeks ago! And it’s taken an explosion in the street for you to notice.’ They both burst out laughing. Suddenly they heard a banging and shouting at the door. Instantly recognising the voice, Alex looked at Maggie and in unison they said, ‘Mark!’ and burst out laughing again. Alex walked downstairs to open the door.

‘Bloody hell mate, don’t tell me you slept through that.’ Mark was standing in his boxer shorts only, which to Alex’s eyes was offensive. Mark’s hairy stomach and chest facing him at this time of the morning was enough to bring Alex out of his shock.

The street was already full of fire engines, more police and ambulances. ‘Let’s hope no one wants the emergency services Mark, because they are all here!’ Alex joked. ‘What’s happened, do we know?’

‘Whispers about a gas explosion or something.’

Despite just mentioning a gas explosion, Mark took out his packet of cigarettes, lit one and offered them to Alex who gratefully accepted. ‘Is Percy okay?’ Alex enquired innocently.

‘He’s not there the lucky bastard. He’s fishing or something. Fuck knows. I think they are going to evacuate the area, which means us living with Olivia’s mum and dad. What about you? You can come with us if you want, there’s plenty of room,’ he offered.

‘Well, I don’t know about lucky. Old Percy is going to get one hell of a shock when he comes home and finds his house is not there any more! As for the offer, we’re okay, thanks. I don’t know if the brewery will let us leave the pub – anyone could break in,’ Alex lied.

Alex looked up at Percy’s house. What had been an inferno was now being dowsed by water from the hoses of the fire brigade. It looked like a charcoaled shell; there wasn’t a window left intact and the outside was black with smoke. Alex was pleased about that. Whatever evidence was in there had now gone.

Walking as closely as he was allowed to the scene, Alex saw people sat in the back of the ambulances being treated for cuts and bruises. Some were on oxygen, and some were covered in silver capes being treated for shock. Thankfully, no one was badly hurt. His thoughts turned to the police officers who had entered the building. The blast alone had blown them into the air. Thankfully, they had been wearing helmets which would have protected them. In normal circumstances he would have called it collateral damage, but mentally he cursed himself. They weren’t the ones he’d intended to hurt. It had been meant for that Liverpudlian lot who had hurt Luke and had grown cannabis in a false room in Percy’s bedroom – not innocent police officers going about their daily work.

Poor Magda next door. Alex felt almost ashamed as he looked at her shattered shell of a house. Hopefully she had insurance, he thought to himself. If nothing else, she was free of Percy and his mates stealing her electricity. It was little compensation, but it made him feel better.

As predicted by Mark, the police came round and said they were to move out for at least twenty-four hours while they made the area safe. They enquired if people had anywhere to go and if not, they would be put up in B&Bs. Olivia and Emma were already on hand coming out with trays of tea for everyone. Maggie had dressed and joined them outside Mark’s house, as daylight broke through properly.

‘Alex!’ Maggie called, waving her arms to attract his attention. He walked across to the neighbours sitting around Mark’s front gate on stools and chairs drinking tea. To Alex’s mind it was like something out of the Blitz. It was crazy. ‘The brewery has called. If possible, they would like us to stay here. They are sending someone straight away to fix the windows and sum up the damage. There is a problem with the phone lines apparently. Is that okay?’

‘I presumed as much Maggie. There’s a lot of money in there and burglars always find a way in even if they board the place up,’ Alex said. He could tell Maggie was relieved that they were staying put.

Deana squared up to Alex while he was on his own. ‘Well Dad, you have made your mark on the world – that’s for sure. What now? I suppose those protection blokes will come sniffing around, but there shouldn’t be any danger to us, should there?’

‘No, I think we’ll be okay. It’s not a revenge attack on us, it’s just one of those things. Deana,’ Alex faltered, ‘thank you for last night. I never got the chance to say before, but thanks,’ he whispered.

‘That’s what families are for. Anyway, it was fun.’ She grinned and walked away to join the others. Alex knew he couldn’t have accomplished half of what he had last night without her help. She was trusting, strong and loyal.