‘Thanks Alex, I wouldn’t mind a night with the lads. No offence to your place, but I have a delivery coming later, if you know what I mean. Not something Maggie would want in the pub.’ Mark winked. Alex knew exactly what he meant.

‘It’s strange though,’ Mark whispered. ‘It’s my usual dealer guy, but suddenly the gear is so much better. Still, I’m not complaining and if you want to go out, then be my guest. I’ll pop you the details later, but it’s a scrap yard the other side of town.’

Alex was excited at the thought of going out in the van unnoticed. And to the other side of town was even better.

At nearly 5 p.m., Alex looked out of the window and spotted the workmen idly having a cigarette, wasting their time until finishing time. He had seen the cement mixer already going and even he was surprised at the amount they were pouring in. It was time to go and say goodbye to the men.

‘All finished for the day?’ he shouted as he walked towards them.

The supervisor walked up to him and took his hard hat off, wiping his brow. ‘Sure are, Mr Silva. We’ve covered the cement and it should dry in no time. Is it okay if we leave the cement mixers here? If we take them back to the yard, it’s going to take another half an hour.’

Alex rolled his eyes up to the heavens and thanked God. ‘Absolutely mate. Then you get off and I will see you bright and early in the morning.’ Alex shook their hands and watched them all pile into their trucks and leave. Looking around at the makeshift building site, he smiled to himself. There was a skip full of rubble and soil and the most wonderful sight of all: the cement mixer, with a few bags of cement nearby.

Walking over to the dustbins, Alex noted that the lid was closing on one of them, which meant the body was defrosting. It had been a warm day. Fortunately, it hadn’t yet defrosted enough to leave a scent.

Seeing no one was around, Alex worked quickly. Firstly, he pulled the wheelie bin to the side of the large rectangular hole and then pulled back the tarpaulin the workmen had put over the cement to dry. Looking down, he could see that it was still wet and fresh. His heart was pounding in his chest as he opened the lid of the bin and tipping it slightly, held on to it as the body slipped into the cement. His heart was in his mouth as he waited for the blackness of the bag to disappear. Looking around, he spotted one of the workmen’s spades and prodded the body to make it sink faster. Slowly, but surely, it disappeared from sight, making him let out a big sigh of relief. He could see the cement was disturbed and so turned on the cement mixer. There was still some readymade cement inside and he threw some water in to make it sloppier again and added a little more from the bags left behind. Watching the mixer pour more cement into the hole made him feel better, until it nearly poured over the grass, meaning it was too full. He wished he had put some of the rubble in the body bag to weigh it down more, but it was too late for that, he thought to himself as he lit a cigarette. He stared blankly at the cement and saw there was nothing in sight. Carefully, he loosely put the tarpaulin back. All he could do now was wait…

After showering, he went to see Mark and got the address for the pick-up. As usual, Mark was stood in his kitchen holding court, pouring drinks and boasting about whatever came to mind. Olivia had made her usual chilli and fussed around talking to their guests and offering food.

Alex could see they were settled for the night and that suited his plan. No one was watching the clock or cared about how long he would be. Going around the back of his pub, he took hold of the other bin and dragged it to the kerbside where Mark’s van was waiting with the doors open. Laying it on its side behind the van out of view, he dragged out the covered torso. This one wasn’t so heavy and he pushed it into the back of the van and shut the doors.

The scrap yard wasn’t too hard to find, but much further than Mark had said. Jumping out, he looked around the old scrap yard, full of broken-down cars. It was more like a car cemetery. Seeing an old man approaching, he introduced himself and told him Mark had sent him for an exhaust. Disappearing, the scrap dealer seemed to be gone for ages and a thought popped into Alex’s mind. He could easily put the body into the boot of one of these deserted cars.

No, he decided to himself. This one needed to be found in order to provide him with his cover story. It had to be known that a male body had been found, decapitated and dumped. Decapitation was Pereira’s trademark and so everyone who needed to know would believe that Pereira had had his revenge on Alex.

Taking the rusted exhaust off the scrap dealer, Alex threw it quickly in the back.

‘Tell Mark I’ll pop and see him tomorrow and collect my cash.’

Giving him the thumbs up and smiling, Alex got back into the van and drove off.

Driving further out, he looked for a secluded area, but also one where people visited.

There was a long stretch of water with what looked like some night fishermen sitting amongst the trees. The water was surrounded by grass and bushes that seemed to go on forever. This place was ideal, though what the fishermen hoped to get from there apart from water rats was beyond him. Alex parked up, away from the fishermen who were sat under their huge umbrellas and couldn’t see anything. Dumping the body quickly in the water, he jumped back in the van and drove off. Relief overwhelmed him. His nerves had been taut all day and all of this creeping around was exhausting him, but at least it was over and done with. Hopefully the cement would have set by morning with no trace of what was underneath it.

25 ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

Alex didn’t feel like going straight home. All in all, it had been a long day and he wanted to compose himself before Maggie fired her questions at him. Instead, he found himself driving towards Luke’s house. He’d had numerous updates on his mobile from Luke about how his plans were working out and Luke had also messaged him about a surprise he had for Alex. Now, driving along, curiosity got the better of him. What could Luke come up with now that would surprise him? Surely there was nothing left in Luke’s skeleton cupboard?

Alex knocked on the door and hoped Luke was in because he didn’t want to disturb his mother. Seeing the blinds at the window move, Alex felt better. His mother wouldn’t be looking out of the window now, would she?

The door opened slightly and then he heard Luke’s voice. ‘Good to see you Alex! Now close your eyes, you’re going to love this.’ Suddenly the door flew open and Luke stood there in all of his glory. ‘What do you think? Do you like it?’ he laughed and did a twirl for good measure. ‘I knew my message would make you come.’

Wide eyed and astonished, Alex stood there and marvelled at the new Luke. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Before him stood the Luke he half recognised, with the lopsided grin and cheeky glint in his eye, but the bright peroxide blond shaved hair, he definitely didn’t.

‘What the hell!’ Alex burst out laughing. After the day he’d had this was just the tonic he needed. ‘Blond, shaven head, oh my God, I’ve just noticed your eyebrows have gone ginger. Bloody hell Luke, you tried bleaching your eyebrows?’ Alex let out a belly laugh as Luke pulled him inside by his coat sleeve.

‘It’s my disguise, Alex. Those Liverpudlians aren’t looking for a blond, are they? They will expect me, dark-haired Luke. Even if I walked up the high street, they wouldn’t give me a second glance.’

Trying to compose himself and brushing a tear from his eye, Alex followed Luke into the lounge and sat down. ‘It’s a good disguise Luke, but I don’t know what to say. It’s a bit drastic, but you have a point. No one is looking for those ginger eyebrows.’ Again Alex laughed and reaching forward, he rubbed his hand along Luke’s shaved head, which felt more like a scrubbing brush. ‘So, what’s all of this for Marilyn Monroe?’

‘Business is about to begin Alex. Are you in?’ Luke asked hopefully.

Alex shook his head. ‘No, Luke. This is your project and you’ve worked bloody hard. You don’t need my help any more. And we are even – you saved me when I needed medication. We’re quits Luke, and I wish you well.’

Looking at Luke, Alex sensed that behind the laughter and his jokey ways, Luke was actually quite lonely. He could see why; he was a young man who looked after his mum, who was nearly at the end of her days. His brother, Kev, wasn’t a lot of back-up. Luke, it seemed, was the only person Luke had.

Luke carried on talking. ‘No Alex. Like I keep saying, we’re partners. I need your knowhow and your back-up. I need a wing man who doesn’t dabble in drugs. This operation is too big for me and some of those seedlings are yours. We stole them together. Those bastards are going to come looking for me Alex, I’m not that stupid. Sooner or later, they will want to finish what they started. I want you to promise me, if that ever happens, you will look after Mum…’

Alex hadn’t expected this bombshell and for a moment there was a silent pause between them. ‘I have my own demons Luke and I can’t promise anything. But I promise whatever the future holds me or my family will keep an eye on your mum and you, you bloody numbskull.’ Alex laughed. For a moment, Alex had a feeling of déjà vu. He and Luke were more alike than he had first realised. Luke was on the run, and someone wanted to see him dead. That sounded very familiar. Luke also wanted someone to look after his family in case his enemies caught up with him. That also sounded familiar. Apart from the badly bleached hair, Alex felt like he was looking in the mirror at some parallel world.

‘I know you’re in some kind of shit Alex, why else would someone shoot you? I’m not asking questions; I know you will tell me when you’re ready. And you’re a great drop-off guy too, using your mate’s disguise.’ He grinned. ‘You could make drops too.’

Alex looked down at his coat with Mark’s logo on it. ‘This is my neighbour’s. If I do the drops he’ll get known as the dealer. Sooner or later, someone will say something to him and although he’s stupid, he’s not that stupid.’

‘But that van lets you go anywhere, anytime. No one is paying attention to you, Alex. If the worst comes to the worst, we could get our own van and put our own logo on it. What do you think?’ Taking a breath, Luke waited.

It felt good talking to another male adult, Alex mused to himself, even someone as young as Luke. He liked Mark a lot, but he had to be careful what he said with him. With Luke he didn’t and he felt more relaxed in his company. Seeing Luke had been just what he’d needed, but looking at his watch Alex saw that he needed to get back. He knew Maggie would be worried but that she would be behind the bar rushed off her feet.

Letting Luke know he would be in touch, Alex drove home. As he approached, he could see a police car in the distance outside of Mark’s house with the blue light flashing away. Peering closer to the windscreen, he could see Mark’s house guests were stood on the pavement and a hysterical Olivia was being comforted by Emma and Maggie. Parking the van further up the street, Alex got out, took off Mark’s coat and slowly made his way towards them all. His heart was in his mouth, but he couldn’t understand what had happened. Maggie, Deana and Dante all looked okay and they were comforting Olivia, so it was clearly nothing to do with the pub.

The closer he got, he could see people stood in the pub doorway looking out as another police car approached. Sidling up to Maggie, he could see the relief in her eyes when she saw him. She shook her head slightly, warning him not to say anything.

Looking towards Mark’s doorway, he could see Mark talking to the police, but a trickle of blood was pouring down the side of his face and nose. He had definitely been in a fight, Alex thought to himself. Had something at his party got out of hand?

‘It’s awful, isn’t it Alex?’ Maggie blurted out, trying to bring him up to speed. ‘People just running into your house with baseball bats smashing your house up and then leaving.’ Giving him a knowing look, she felt she had filled him in on the details as quickly as possible.

‘Mark!’ Alex shouted towards him. ‘You okay mate?’ People were so busy looking around and gossiping they wouldn’t realise how long he had been there. As for Mark, well, at least he knew Alex had been out on his mission.

An ambulance was parked further up the street, which Alex had failed to notice and two paramedics were advising Mark to go with them and get his wounds checked out.

Mark beckoned him over. ‘I’m fine, Alex.’ Lifting up his T-shirt, he mopped the blood from the side of his face. ‘Some bastards ran in and just started smashing the place up. Of course, I fought back. You know me Alex, but I didn’t stand a chance. Got a punch in though,’ he boasted.

Escorted to the back of the ambulance, Mark declined going to the hospital, but let them check his wounds over and patch him up. The police were milling around asking all of Mark’s friends questions, which seemed pointless because they all said the same thing. They were having something to eat and drink when the front door was kicked in and three men wearing balaclavas ran in with baseball bats. Mark had run forward to defend Olivia, but they had grabbed him, punched him and shouted they would be back for their money.

Alex had a suspicion that he knew who was behind all of this. Suddenly everything fitted into place as Alex recalled the conversation he’d had with Percy at the bar. Percy had suspected Mark had something to do with the cannabis plants and had mentioned that the Liverpudlian gangsters wanted their money back: the money they’d paid for their own plants. A twinge of guilt passed through Alex. He had brought this on his friend. Mark was being blamed for his actions and Alex knew that it was Percy who had passed this information on to those men. He was sure of it.

Looking around the crowd, Alex couldn’t see Percy anywhere, which was odd, considering he was always in the thick of it like some nosey old woman. His gut instinct told him Percy was up to his neck in all of this and anger rose in him. Without thinking, he pushed past everyone standing in the pub doorway and got his gun. Screwing the silencer on, he pushed it inside his jacket pocket and went out again and made his way around the back of Percy’s house. Trying the door handle, he discovered it wasn’t locked and quietly opened it. True enough, Percy was sat there drinking mugs of tea with three men who, Alex was sure, had been the ones who had just ransacked Mark’s house.

Hearing the door, the men stood up and picked up their baseball bats menacingly, as Alex faced them. ‘After everything Mark does for you old man, you let this lot beat him up?’ Percy looked down sheepishly and blushed. ‘Don’t bother explaining yourself to me, you low life.’

‘Don’t come at us with that shit. We’ve done our homework. You’re Alex Silva, ex-hitman and now a grass in witness protection. By all accounts you’re worth a lot of money. Maybe we should take you with us and let your old friends know where you are?’ one of the men spat out as two of them walked towards him with their baseball bats.

The oldest member of the three shouted, ‘Don’t kill him, let his old friends do that. He’s worth more alive than dead.’

Glancing at him, Alex recognised him as the man in the BMW he had spoken to – Mr Gold Teeth and Luke’s enemy. ‘I remember you Silva,’ he sneered. ‘I should have run you over properly when I had the chance. But at least now I am going to make a huge profit by turning you over to your enemies.’ He spat in Alex’s face and grinned, showing his gold front teeth as they glinted in the light.

Glaring at him, Alex wiped the spit away as it dribbled down his face. ‘Good, because I remember you too and that smile of yours doesn’t do you any favours.’ Alex looked up at the other men. Just as they were about to raise their bats to hit him, Alex quickly felt for his gun and fired three shots in quick succession. Each shot was accurate and the three of them fell to the floor in an instant, a bullet hole in each of their foreheads. The blood was minimal, almost a trickle. Alex held up his gun. ‘Are you next, Percy?’