‘Two o’clock in the morning and raining cats and dogs.’

‘And we’d both had enough, so I took you back to my place.’ She laughed. ‘You thought I was the original scarlet woman.’

He shook his head. ‘Never that, Molly. Never that.’

She lit a cigarette and leaned back in her chair. ‘What do you want, Nick?’

‘Ben Garvald for a start. Have you seen him tonight?’

She seemed genuinely amazed. ‘Have I seen Ben? As far as I know, he’s still doing time.’

‘Not any more. Got out yesterday. The word is he’s back and looking for Bella.’

Molly laughed harshly. ‘Then I hope he finds her.’

‘You don’t like her much?’

‘She isn’t fit to clean his shoes. In my book, he’s the tops. Oh, he’s hard – hard as steel, but where women are concerned …

She sighed, her face softening, and Nick said: ‘So you’re on his side?’

‘I should say so. When I first came over from Ireland, I was a green kid of eighteen. Didn’t know the form. Before I knew where I was, the wrong mob had me under their thumb and I was being squeezed dry. Ben Garvald got me out of that, free, gratis and for nothing. That’s his one weakness – he can’t resist helping a woman in trouble.’

‘All right,’ Nick said. ‘So you haven’t seen him tonight?’

‘All it happens, I haven’t. Has Bella made a complaint?’

‘Something like that.’

‘The cow. I know where I’d like to see her.’

Nick decided to try another line. ‘Is Sammy Rosco here by any chance?’

She nodded. ‘He’s on duty upstairs. Don’t tell me you’re looking for him as well?’

‘Just a couple of questions. Routine mainly. Can we go up?’

She shrugged. ‘I don’t see why not.’

They left the office, moved along the passage and paused outside a door which carried the legend Health Club Section – Members Only.

‘A new name for it,’ Nick said, but she ignored the remark, opened the door and led the way in.

They moved along a quiet corridor, passed through a swing door and entered a long tiled room thick with steam. A fat and rather ugly middle-aged man came towards them, swathed in Turkish towels, a young woman in a white nylon smock helping him along. They moved into a cubicle and she pulled the curtain.

The room was lined with such cubicles and one of them didn’t have its curtain properly drawn. As Nick passed, he glanced in and saw another fat and ageing specimen lying on a couch while a young woman massaged him. She seemed to find a pair of black knickers sufficient garment in the great heat.

As Molly held open the door at the end for him, she smiled. ‘Strictly legal, Nick. They’ve all got diplomas from an institute of physical culture and massage I know in London.’