Edward and Joseph had ended up in a Costello establishment, a spieler in one of the back doubles near Holborn. A motley collection of gamblers were ranged around a bare wooden table: a couple of faces from the Costello organisation, local businessmen with too much money and too little sense. The talk was of Jack Spot and Lennie Masters, and of what the Costellos would do about it. One of the participants noticed Joseph and the conversation stalled, an awkward silence falling upon the room until a fresh subject was proposed. Edward knew what they had been debating: they had been questioning the lack of response, perhaps even doubting that there would be one. Violet and George had continued to ignore his advice, which, while foolish, need not have been calamitous. Striking back hard and fast was the alternative, but they seemed unable to do that, either. Edward had heard speculation that the Costello soldiers were afraid of Spot’s brawny gypsies and their reputation for shocking violence.Days had passed and still they had done nothing.
