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.People are wising up to that.No-one with half a brain cell wants to associate themselves with that lethal shit.Look at our contacts.They’re willing to pay a premium for the purest cocaine on the market.And we have the best supplier going, Harry.There is no competition.’Raymond stared at his friend defiantly.If Harry walked away now, he was a fool.With his supplier in Holland providing them with a steady influx of the purest of gear and regular monthly shipments, all they had to do each month was deliver the shipment to their contact up in Manchester.Harry cut out all the middle men and made a fortune.Raymond did the drops, and the rest was history.Harry couldn’t just walk away now.The market was theirs for the taking.‘Let the Turks fucking sell to the fucking scum out on the streets.They ain’t got shit on us.We’re wholesalers, Harry, fuck being the middle man.That’s their role.’ Raymond knew that he was fighting a losing battle; once Harry made his mind up there was no room for persuasion and he knew by the way that Harry was talking that this hadn’t been an overnight decision.Even so, Raymond knew that he had to try to make Harry see sense.‘Don’t you just feel fucking tired of it all, though, Raymond?’ Harry asked.‘I am.My head’s done in.I’m going to be fifty-five this year.My kids are all grown up and I just want to sit back for a bit and enjoy my time with them.’Raymond caught the tilt to Harry’s voice as he spoke.There was something else going on here.Whatever it was, Harry wasn’t going to let on.‘In case you’re forgetting, we’re the same age.And I ain’t being funny but fifty-five is a long way off from being fucking eighty-five, Harry.What do you want to do, eh? Fucking retire? Sit watching Cash in the fucking Attic while you do the sudoku puzzles in the back of the paper? Fuck me, Harry.That ain’t you.You ain’t ready to give all this up.’Harry laughed now, despite himself.A real belly laugh.Raymond always had such a way with words.He always hit the nail on the head.‘You’re a fucking baby in the grand scheme of things.We both are.And you’re as fit as a bleeding fiddle.You could run rings around me.’‘Look, I hear you, Raymond.Really I do.But like I said to you before, this wasn’t meant to be forever and it’s time for me to take a step back.’Silence fell between them.Raymond could see by the stern look on Harry’s face that his mind was made up.‘Okay then, mate,’ Raymond sighed.Harry wasn’t budging and Raymond knew by the finality in the man’s voice that the conversation was over.‘Whatever you say.But I really hope that you don’t regret this decision a few years down the line.’‘You know me, Raymond, I don’t do regrets.’ Harry shrugged, glad that his friend was finally backing down.Life was far too short for regrets and Raymond, as much as he cared, didn’t know the half of it.‘Now come on, let’s get this shit out of here.’Chapter Twenty-ThreeWalking into the room, Cassie picked up Jacob Mulligan’s notes.‘Hey, my little man, how are you doing today?’Staring out from under his skull and crossbone bandana, the little boy shot Cassie a cheeky grin.‘Hello, Nurse Wrong.’ The three-year-old giggled loudly.‘Excuse me, little mister.’ Cassie put her hand on her hip and pouted her lips playfully.‘I think you’ll find it’s Nurse Wright.’Giggling even more now, Jacob shook his head.‘Nurse Wrong, Nurse Wrong,’ he sang.Jacob was a little star in the making.For the past couple of weeks caring for Jacob had become a highlight of Cassie’s day.He never failed to make her smile.Cassie had taken a real shine to the boy, just as he had her.Though she knew that professionally she needed to keep her distance – working on the oncology ward meant that she had long ago learned the hard way about getting too close to patients – there was something very special about Jacob, and Cassie, like the rest of the nurses on Elephant Ward, couldn’t help falling in love with the child.Smiling over at Jacob’s mother, Cassie could tell that the poor woman was out of her mind with worry.Cassie couldn’t blame her.Today was going to be one of the toughest days the poor woman had ever endured.‘You didn’t sleep again, Sally?’ Cassie asked sympathetically [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]