Devon glared at me. ‘Dan owns … used to own Ava’s on Habari Street in Soho. I’ve heard that Eva has set up shop there, but that’s all I know.’

A starting point. It would do.

‘Thanks, Devon,’ I said. ‘Don’t let me keep you.’

Eyes narrowed, Devon cast me one last speculative look before he headed for the door of my office. At the last moment, he turned back. ‘Mrs Ealing, I don’t know what you’re up to and it’s none of my business, but just be careful, OK? The likes of Eva Foxton and Stoats don’t play by any rules you and me have ever heard of.’

I smiled faintly. ‘Thanks for the heads-up, Devon. And sorry for what I said earlier about your brother.’

Devon nodded and left the room.

Eva Foxton and Shane Stoats.

My worst fears were confirmed. Eva’s reputation preceded her. There would be no respite from the demands for money. If anything, a bigger slice of the Specimens pie would probably become obligatory. The time to just sell up and have done with it was drawing ever closer.

There came a tentative knock at my door. Without waiting for an invitation, Amari entered my office.

‘Sephy, I … is everything all right? You didn’t look too happy when you came into the kitchen.’

I dredged up a smile. ‘Everything’s fine, Amari. I need to go out for the rest of the day and I probably won’t be back until tomorrow. You can handle anything that comes up, right?’

Amari nodded. ‘Of course.’

I didn’t doubt it for a second. Amari was a very competent manager. She and the rest of the staff were now my only reason for not wanting to give up this place. They had worked their arses off to make Specimens a success. Giving up would feel like letting them down.

But Specimens and my staff would have to wait. I had some thinking to do, some plans to make and a meeting to prepare for. Eva didn’t know it yet, but she and I had an appointment.

I straightened up and followed Amari out of my office. We both headed towards the front entrance in silence. She needed to check the late dinner bookings on the computer at the front desk, and I had places to be. I turned to her, only to find her already looking at me, her eyebrows drawn together in concern.

‘Amari, I know I don’t tell you this often enough, but thank you for being an amazing manager who always has my back. And thanks for handling Noah.’

Noah had been the deputy manager given the boot by Amari the previous month.

Amari’s eyes widened. ‘You knew about that?’

‘About him stealing from the restaurant? Yeah, I knew. I think I found out the day before you did. I also knew you’d handle it – which you did.’