Benny Blades gingerly replaced the handset back on its stand as if it was a venomous reptile, a sudden lurch of fear in his stomach.
Crime in West Garside was small time and so was Benny Blades. He ran a few girls, handled stolen goods, especially cars, took a cut from loan sharks and illegal off-course bookmakers, received a piece of the proceeds from any robbery and ran the town’s protection racket, shaking down local businesses, especially the pubs, clubs and snooker halls. He owned the ‘Purple Spot’ nightclub, mainly as an outlet to launder money. Dirty money came in, clean money went out as takings, the books cooked to apparently legitimise the cash proceeds.
He did not yet trade in drugs, h****n was still legal in England and g***a, c******s, was handled by 4 Jamaican dealers, mos
