“Jett knows all about it. And he didn’t tell me to stop looking just because you’d been on the game, or on smack. He wants to talk to you. He doesn’t care what’s happened in between,” I argued as fiercely as I could.

Moira ran a hand through her short curls. “I don’t think so,” she said softly. “Too much water under the bridge.”

“You heard her,” Maggie interjected. “I really think you’d better go now before you upset her any more.”

I shrugged. “If that’s what Moira wants, I’ll go. I told Jett he might be wasting his money, asking me to find you. I told him you might not want to be found. But he’s not going to be satisfied with that. And the next private eye he hires might not do things my way.”

“Don’t you threaten us!” Maggie exploded.

“I’m not threatening you,” I flashed back. “I’m simply trying to be straight with you. Jett wants to find you. Whatever that takes. You might do a runner after tonight, but you’ve got to leave traces. Someone else will track you down, just like I did. And next time, it could be Jett knocking on your door. Don’t you think it would be better to meet him on your terms, when you’re prepared for it, rather than have him catching you by surprise?”

Moira’s head dropped into her hands. “You say he knows already?” she mumbled.

“He knows about everything except the singing.” And I don’t think that’s going to give him the screaming habdabs, I thought wryly.

Moira’s head came up and she stared at her face in the mirror. “I don’t know,” she said doubtfully, lighting up a pungent Gauloise.

Maggie crossed the room, all two paces of it, and put a protective arm round Moira. “You don’t need him any more,” she declared. “Where was he when you really needed help? If he’d been so bloody keen to find you, why didn’t he do it when you left? He’s just being selfish. His career’s a disaster area, and he wants you to get him out of the shit. You don’t owe him anything, Moira.”

“Oh, I see,” I remarked. “There’s a statute of limitations on feeling guilty now, is there? Just because Jett didn’t act right away, then he can only be out for himself? Is that it?”

Maggie glowered at me, but Moira actually smiled as she reached up to squeeze her lover’s hand. “He’s really not like that, Maggie. He’s one of the good guys. I didn’t expect him to come after me. I’d been doing his head in for so long he must have been glad of the peace.”