“Thanks,” she said.

Walli was on the couch, playing the guitar. “Evie’s a bit upset,” Dave told him. “She broke up with Hank.” He went into the kitchen and put the kettle on.

Walli said: “In English, the phrase ‘a bit upset’ means very unhappy. If you were only a little unhappy, say because I forgot your birthday, you would say you were ‘terribly upset,’ wouldn’t you?”

Evie smiled. “Bless you, Walli, you’re so logical.”

“Creative, too,” said Walli. “I’ll cheer you up. Listen to this.” He started to play, then he sang: “I miss ya, Alicia.”

Dave came in from the kitchen to listen. Walli sang a sad ballad in D minor, with a couple of chords Dave did not recognize.

When it ended, Dave said: “It’s a beautiful song. Did you hear it on the radio? Who’s it by?”

“It’s by me,” Walli said. “I made it up.”

“Wow,” said Dave. “Play it again.”

This time, Dave improvised a harmony.

Evie said: “You two are great. You didn’t need that bastard Hank.”

Dave said: “I want to sing this song to Mark Batchelor.” He looked at his watch. It was half past five. He picked up the phone and called International Stars. Batchelor was still at his desk. “We have a song,” Dave said. “Can we come to your office and play it to you?”

“I’d love to hear it, but I was just leaving for the day.”

“Can you drop in at Henrietta Street on your way home?”

There was a hesitation, then Batchelor said: “Yes, I could, it’s near my train station.”

“What’s your drink?”

“Gin and tonic, please.”

Twenty minutes later Batchelor was on the sofa with a glass in his hand, and Dave and Walli were playing the song on two guitars and singing in harmony, with Evie joining in on the chorus.

When the song ended he said: “Play it again.”

After the second time they looked at him expectantly. There was a pause. Then he said: “I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t know a hit when I heard it. This is a hit.”

Dave and Walli grinned. Dave said: “That’s what I thought.”

“I love it,” Batchelor said. “With this, I can get you a recording contract.”

Dave put down his guitar, stood up, and shook hands with Batchelor to seal the deal. “We’re in business,” he said.

Mark took a long sip of his drink. “Did Hank just write the song on the spot, or did he have it in a drawer somewhere?”

Dave grinned. Now that they had shaken hands, he could level with Batchelor. “It’s not a Hank Remington song,” he said.

Batchelor raised his eyebrows.

Dave said: “You assumed it was, and I apologize for not correcting you, but I wanted you to have an open mind.”

“It’s a good song, and that’s all that matters. But where did you get it?”

“Walli wrote it,” said Dave. “This afternoon, while I was in your office.”