‘You’ve got a soul, General, a golden, shining soul. I can see it drifting around you in a cloud of glory. You’re Tatum and Garner rolled into one. If Brubeck heard you, he’d turn his face to the wall and weep tears of pure joy, General. Tears of pure joy.’

‘Garvald,’ Nick said. ‘Ben Garvald.’

Lazer faltered, the spate of words drying momentarily. ‘Ben?’ he said. ‘My old buddy Ben? Sure, I know Ben. He was around my place earlier tonight.’ He paused, a worried frown on his face. ‘Or was it tonight? Maybe it was some other time.’

‘What did he want?’ Nick said patiently.

‘What did he want? What did old Ben want?’ Lazer’s mood changed suddenly. He reached for Nick’s glass, emptied it, then started to play a Bach prelude with exquisite skill. ‘Well, I’ll tell you, General. Old Ben wanted to know about his wife, what her new name was and where she lived.’

‘And that’s all?’

‘Then he wanted to know where he could find Sammy.’

‘Sammy?’

‘Sammy Rosco. He’s the strong-arm man at Club Eleven. Lives in Carver Street.’

‘Why did Garvald want to see him?’

Lazer changed to a Strauss waltz. ‘He didn’t mean him any good, General, that’s for sure. The Angel of Death walked at his side. The Lord have mercy on the soul of Samuel Rosco, miserable sinner.’ He laughed wildly. ‘Heh, you know what that creep did, General? Sicked a couple of cheap punks on to Ben in the fog outside Wandsworth. Did he make a mistake.’

He was at the high point of his ecstasy, knowing and yet not knowing what he was saying and Nick pushed his advantage.

‘What did he want Bella for, Chuck? Was he angry with her?’

‘With Bella? Why should he be angry?’ The waltz changed into a slow, dragging blues that brought a Negro couple in the corner to their feet to dance. ‘He loved that woman, General. He loved her and she threw him overboard and married another man.’

‘So maybe he wants to even the score a little.’

‘You mean cut her up or something?’ The fingers faltered, the melody drifted into silence. ‘General, you don’t know Ben Garvald. You sure as hell don’t know Ben Garvald.’ He leaned forward and laid a hand on Nick’s shoulder. ‘Where women are concerned, he’s the softest touch in town.’

‘You’ve made your point.’ Nick started to his feet.

Lazer held on tight. ‘Why all the interest? You think he’s going to have a go at Bella?’

‘She does.’

‘She’s made an official complaint?’

‘Something like that.’

‘The lousy bitch. After all he did for her. Nine stinking years, then she divorces him and marries an old man with a bag of gold.’

‘Life can be hell,’ Nick said.