‘Yes, Mr Lambrianu, sir, the agent is over there in that corner.’ He pointed, and Tony saw a man and a woman he recognised.

‘Shout them over for me, would you?’

Without any kind of discretion, the publican shouted over the bar, ‘Oi! Oi, you two, over here.’ He beckoned to them and waited for them to stand, then walked round to the side of the bar where Tony was and waited for them to come over to him.

The man was slurring his words, but the woman stood up straight and took off her paper hat when she saw Tony. ‘Mr Lambrianu, how nice to see you. I didn’t know you were coming to the party.’ She gave Tony her best smile, but seeing that he didn’t return it, straightened her face.

‘I believe you owe me some money; it’s just as well I did turn up, isn’t it.’ Tony knew he was being unreasonable, because their protection money wasn’t due for two days.

‘Mr Lambrianu,’ she stammered, ‘I don’t carry that kind of cash around with me. Anyway, it’s not due yet. It’s in the safe for when your collectors come, I assure you.’ She stuck her nose in the air, as though trying to prove a point.

‘I don’t mean that; what I mean is you’ – he pointed a finger at her – ‘expecting him’ – he pointed at the publican – ‘to short change me’ – he pointed his finger back at himself – ‘so that you can have a free bar for all this lot.’ Tony half turned and waved his hand in the air, in a gesture that took in the room full of people.

‘Everyone takes a turn, Mr Lambrianu, not just the pubs. We hold a party for all of the publicans and the strippers, too, and it’s also a free bar.’ Again, although not raising her voice, she made it stern enough to make her point. She seemed quite put out by his interrogation and alcohol was making her feel brave.

Tony nodded; he had proved his point by being there and reminding her his money was due. He knew all the pubs had this yearly party, so it came as no great surprise, but while he was there he thought he would just shake things up a bit. It was actually making him laugh inside, but he kept it to himself.

He picked up his drink and turned his back on her. This was his way of dismissing her, and she waited a couple of minutes and then walked away, no doubt telling the other agent what she thought of him. Although he wanted some kind of friendliness between them, he didn’t want familiarity. This, he felt, was when they would start asking favours about paying their dues.

The publican had disappeared while Tony was talking to the agent. He popped back up as Tony took another sip of his drink. ‘Here, Mr Lambrianu, let me top up that drink for you,’ he said. The publican took his glass, turned to the optic and refilled it. ‘Here, please take this.’ He put 500 pounds down on the bar. ‘I promise I’ll settle the rest I owe you in a couple of days, if that’s okay. You can see how I’m fixed.’ The publican looked apologetic.