A couple of hours later, after Billie had had the chance to unpack and take a quick shower, the three of them were in a cab heading towards the seafront. They pulled up close to the steps that led down to The Tea Leaf. The café looked much busier now than it had been on the afternoon when Billie had first met Imelda. As Imelda paid the cab driver, Billie stood holding Mabel’s lead, listening to the voice of Marvin Gaye coming from inside The Tea Leaf, and the swoosh of waves coming from the beach.

‘Good evening, Billie In The Bowler Hat.’

Billie turned to see MI5 Clive removing elastic bands from the posts on the promenade. She was surprised that he remembered her. ‘Good evening, Clive. How are you?’

He pushed the coloured bands into his pocket. ‘I’m very much occupied with my work.’

Mabel barked, offended at being ignored. Clive bent down and patted her awkwardly on her fuzzy head. ‘Good evening, Mabel Who Nobody Wanted.’

Imelda joined them. ‘Good evening, Clive.’

‘Good evening, Madame Burova, Tarot Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant.’ Clive scuttled away, seemingly unsettled by such excessive social interaction, and Imelda led Billie and Mabel into The Tea Leaf. She had reserved a table for them, and it was the only one free as they took their seats. Music nights at the café were very popular and Amber and Kip were busy serving drinks and taking food orders. In the corner of the room there were two ‘old-school’ record decks and piles of vinyl. The shadowy figure of a tall man was searching through the records, selecting a playlist. He raised his hand in greeting to Imelda and she waved back. Amber came over to take their order.

‘Hi, Imelda. How’s Mabel settling in?’ Mabel was sitting on Imelda’s lap looking very pleased with herself. ‘Gran would love her.’

Imelda introduced Billie, and Amber went off to fetch their drinks.

‘When I first began working in my booth here, this place was run by Jack and Diamond – Amber’s grandparents,’ Imelda explained as she shrugged off her coat, trying not to dislodge Mabel in the process. ‘Diamond’s sister, Ruby, and their niece, Jeanie, both worked at Larkins. Ruby looked after the entertainment staff and Jeanie was a singer. She still is – sings at festivals all over the world now. Her two boys and her husband play in her band.’

Amber brought them a bottle of red wine and filled their glasses.

‘Some of the entertainment staff used to hang around here in the café back then,’ continued Imelda.

Billie’s ears pricked up. ‘Did Cillian Byrne come here?’

‘Sometimes.’ Imelda gazed into the depths of her wine glass, her eyes unfocused, as though she was looking into her crystal ball.

‘Did Ruby and Jeanie know him?’

‘Of course. They all worked together.’