‘Boss,’ said a voice at Max’s shoulder.
Max glanced back. Tone was standing there, sunlight glinting off his bald pate and the crucifixes in his ears. A gurgling noise was coming from Junior.
‘He can’t breathe,’ said Tony gently, looking around, making sure his boss was secure, that no one was on hand to witness or try to interrupt proceedings. He nodded towards the back door of the house.
Max could see Kath standing there, mountainous, pallid and frozen with fright. He looked at Tone, and felt calm descend once more. He released Junior.
The boy drew in a strangled breath and slumped back against the fence, his eyes closed.
Max gave his face a slap. ‘Why’d you run, you little shit?’ he asked.
‘What?’ Junior was gasping, his colour returning to normal. He was clutching his throat. His eyes flickered open and he stared at Max in abject fear. ‘You… you fucking nearly killed me.’
‘Hey! I didn’t kill you. Don’t make me reconsider that decision. Tell me what’s going on. All this crap that keeps happening to my family, turns out you’ve been on hand every time.’
‘I can’t… I don’t…’ said Junior.
Max grabbed the front of Junior’s shirt and yanked him in close. ‘You better start talking, arsehole, because I am all out of patience with you. What’s the deal between you and Rufus Malone?’
‘Dunno what you’re on about – I’ve never heard of him!’ Junior was regaining a bit of his usual cocky belligerence.
Max stared at him. ‘Don’t bullshit me. That name rang a bell with you – I can see it in your eyes. So, Rufus Malone – tell me about him.’
‘I don’t-’
‘You’re helping him!’ Max yelled.
‘I’m not.’
Max saw red again. ‘You lying little prick,’ he said, and slapped Junior, slamming his head against the fence. A trickle of blood came out of Junior’s nose, and he started to shake.
‘You think I’m stupid?’ Max demanded. ‘Malone knew it was safe to do Precious in the VIP room because you’d told him what time Kyle took his break. You’d told him there’d be no one in the monitor room to put a stop to it. You didn’t bank on Layla stumbling in there, did you?’ He grabbed Junior by the hair. ‘And the day of the fire at Layla’s office – you were there. Did you set that for him?’
‘No! No!’
Max drew back his fist.
‘Wait! No! Don’t.’ Junior took a gasping breath. ‘Look,’ he said desperately, ‘I didn’t know he was going to put her in hospital, for Christ’s sake! I thought he was going to give her a slap, that’s all.’
‘You gutless bastard. He put that poor bitch in intensive care. What do you think he’d do to Layla, or Annie, given half a chance?’