Highbridge (40 page)

‘Yeah. No worries,' he replied, trying to sound casual.

‘C'mon, what is it? Your neck muscles are like steel.'

‘My secret identity out, is it?'

‘Joe?' she pulled him round and saw a sadness in his eyes she wasn't expecting. ‘What? What's happened?'

‘Nah, I'm just being daft. Having a moment,' he said as he tapped the newspaper. ‘We might have saved the town. And I might have the town gangster as a future in-law thanks to Tanya's choice of boyfriend, but … I may have also lost my oldest friend.'

She put her arms round him and cuddled into his chest. ‘He'll be back, Joe. When he needs you again. Just as we need you, and I'm so glad you're back.' Then she smiled. ‘Especially for the lie-ins when you do the school run.' She finally felt him relax slightly, as she continued, ‘And, anyway, I thought I was your best friend.'

‘You are. My best … mate,' he said, emphasising the word mate, before adding, ‘If you don't suffocate me with your hair.'

‘Oh, I can find other ways to do that.' She pushed back and opened her dressing gown, revealing the pink and black nightdress they had bought on a weekend in Dublin, the first time they had managed to get away alone after Lucy turned five.

‘No point in you being back,' she continued with a wicked, grin, ‘if we can't take advantage of the kids being at school, eh?'

‘No point indeed,' he replied, starting to follow her to the door, just as the doorbell sounded and his phone vibrated. Typical, Joey thought as he went to the door while looking at the phone. A text from Benno.
HOW'S LIFE
? Joey smiled as he opened the door. A DHL courier offered him a package. Back in the kitchen he opened it to find a slate plaque with the words
Pro Bono Ad Populum
engraved on it. He opened the small card inside to find the translation printed: For the Good of the People. On the other side was: For Old Times' Sake, Conscience and a Better Future.

Joey knew it was from Luke. So he must be safe. Somewhere. As he heard the floorboards above creak, he went to finish the tea while looking at the sender's address on the packaging. Domino's Pizza in Birmingham. His face broke into a satisfied smile as he sent a reply back to Benno.
LIFE? INTERESTING.

There are two things every producer dreads in television and film: agreeing the billing at the beginning and the credits at the end. In many cases, at the end of a difficult shoot, you sometimes feel that instead of a list of credits, it feels more like a list of who to blame. Fortunately, this particular endeavour has not been like that, but like any creative activity it has required a great number of people to bring it to fruition ‘behind the scenes', many of who I simply do not know. But thanks to every one of you. I hope we can meet one day. Also, another wide acknowledgement to all those folk who have given me answers to questions they might not have fully understood at the time, I did it that way to keep them free from blame and protect their reputations. But I am also grateful to them all.

However, all writing is a collaborative activity that requires someone to write and someone to bounce the ideas off. Francesca Pathak at Century has coped brilliantly with being bounced off, while Susan Sandon at Penguin Random House has kept the faith and made sure I got this far.

And, finally, even if it is a bit corny or clichéd, but something learned the hard way about the power of the off switch in television, is that fiction is nothing without its readers and audiences. So, thank you to anyone reading this.
At least you showed some interest.

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Epub ISBN: 9781446493274

Version 1.0

Published by Century 2016

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Copyright © Phil Redmond 2016

Phil Redmond has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between these fictional characters and actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Century

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781846059858