‘Yep, it is.’ Sylvester looked at her. ‘So you want me to advertise the position? Or you want to step in when she goes? Means more pay.’

Claire opened and closed her mouth several times. Then she smiled. ‘I’d love the job.’ But suddenly a thought hit her and the smile faltered. ‘Sylvester – you know I’m an illegal, don’t you? My visa ran out ages ago.’

‘Guessed as much.’

‘That don’t worry you?’

‘No. It don’t. Half the pot washers downstairs and all across this city are the same. We’ve never been troubled over it.’

Claire gazed at him. Sylvester might be a little strange in his ways, but he wasn’t a fool; she reckoned he must be paying the precinct’s beat cops to turn a blind eye. ‘Then I guess I’ll take the job.’

‘That’s good news. First part of it’s organizing Gina’s farewell party, OK?’

The party went with a hell of a bang. There was music, balloons, a chocolate devil’s food cake with GINA splashed across it, and all the girls and bar staff and door boys gave her a fabulous send-off. Sylvester made a stumbling speech, and everyone applauded warmly. It was a happy occasion, tinged with sadness. The end of one era, the beginning of another.

When Gina had gone home to Cyrus and the girls were clearing up the mess, Sylvester called Claire to one side.

‘So!’ he said. ‘Manageress now, yeah?’

‘Feels strange,’ she said, nodding.

‘You’ll walk it. Tomorrow we’ll have lunch and discuss it all, OK?’

‘Fine,’ said Claire, and felt for one moment something like real happiness. It was the first time she’d felt such a thing since she’d lost Josh.

44

44

Much to her surprise, Claire found that she easily managed the job of stepping into Gina’s shoes. The whole baby thing was long forgotten now, she had closed her mind to it; it had been a nightmare, but it was over. After that first lunch with Sylvester – nothing fancy, just a bite to eat in one of the local diners – they went out for lunch many more times, talked business, had a chat and a laugh.

Claire liked Sylvester. Yes, he might be awkward and a little odd, but he was gentle and he was harmless. She liked that about him and felt sorry for him because of his poor health. He seemed to be slipping more and more of those tiny pills under his tongue as time went on.