Tiger had managed to placate Erica. She had not minded that he needed a couple of hours with his mates, but she wondered why he was so distracted. Perhaps he was just preoccupied with the break-in.

Gary went through the introductions, then asked, ‘Well, are we playing?’

Tiger and Christopher pulled themselves together. Tiger went for the drinks while Christopher emptied out the dominoes onto the table. It wasn’t until they had played a couple of games, both of which Sarah managed to win, that the conversation began to flow.

‘So how did you two meet?’ Tiger asked, attempting to break the ice. Gary seemed temporarily lost for words so Sarah cut in. ‘At a club. The usual sort of place.’

‘So you saw him across a crowded room?’ asked Christopher.

‘Something like that.’

‘He has a terrible reputation you know.’

Gary cut in. ‘Do you mind not running me down? I brought Sarah here for a pleasant evening out, not for a replay of the Spanish Inquisition or a bit of character assassination.’

‘Sorry,’ said Christopher. ‘We’ll try to be on our best behaviour.’ And then, to Sarah, ‘It’s just that we’ve never been allowed to meet any of the others.’

Sarah smiled mischievously. ‘Oh, so there have been others have there?’

‘Well,’ said Tiger, ‘he’s not a young man. He’s very experienced.’

‘No. I’m sorry. This conversation has got to stop,’ said Gary.

Christopher looked contrite. ‘Yes. How very rude.’ He turned to Sarah, ‘It’s just nice to see him suffer for a change. He’s so much younger than we are, you see, and he usually reminds us of that.’

‘Really?’ countered Sarah. ‘He doesn’t look it.’

Gary shot her a look, then got up and went over to the bar for another round.

Geoff, the barman, grinned at him. ‘Wishing you’d not brought her now? Giving you a bit of stick are they?’

‘Just a bit,’ murmured Gary. ‘Just a bit.’

Sarah turned to Tiger, ‘I’m sorry to hear about the shop.’

‘Yes, bit of a shock,’ confirmed Tiger.

‘And you think it’s some sort of protection racket?’

Tiger looked a little alarmed.

‘Oh, it’s all right. Gary told me. But he told me not to tell anyone else.’

Tiger relaxed a little. ‘Yes. Well, we’ve no proof as yet. But I want to ask a few questions in the High Street–of the shopkeepers–and see if I can make any sense of it.’

‘So you’ve no idea where he came from? No clue as to who’s behind it?’

‘None. But I just think that it’s too much of a coincidence that our shop window and the one next door were broken just after we’d declined the offer of his help.’

Sarah nodded, then decided to let the subject go. Gary returned with the drinks and handed them round.