The three of them watched as an older man walked up to her, kissed her on the cheek and sat at her side. He was dressed in a tuxedo and had an air of authority about him. Everyone seemed to know him and Tony wondered who the man was. One of the waitresses walked up to Jake.

‘Mr Sinclair,’ she said, ‘that woman over there keeps ordering champagne, but she isn’t paying for it. She keeps telling the bar staff to put it on her account. Do you know her? Does she have an account?’ She looked worried.

Tony and Jake peered over at the woman, and the man that had joined her. They were now circling the room, stopping to talk to people and shaking hands with them. Tony and Jake’s curiosity was roused. The woman got louder and louder as she drank more champagne, then she started moving in time to the music.

Tony was just about to call the bouncers to escort her out when her male companion was suddenly at their side. He held out his hand towards them. ‘Ralph Gold,’ he said, ‘and that lady over there, encouraging your customers to buy champagne and have a good time, is my wife, Julie.’

Ralph Gold? Tony looked at Jake, and then back at the man. This was Ralph’s club. He owned it. Tony, for the time being, was only the manager. But this was the man he was hoping to buy it off, in a year’s time. Tony’s heart sank. They had both obviously come to see what he had done with the place, and to keep an eye on him. He felt almost embarrassed; this man and his wife were, effectively, his bosses!

Tony held out his hand to shake Ralph’s. ‘Tony Lambrianu, and this is my brother, Jake Sinclair,’ he said.

The man smiled and looked over at his wife, who was now encouraging everyone on to the dance floor. ‘It seems to me that you two gentlemen are shirking your hosting duties,’ Ralph said. ‘People want to know who the man is whose name is in pink neon above the door, and to meet the owner.’

Tony nodded and he and Jake walked towards the centre of the bar with Ralph Gold. People instantly recognised Ralph and walked up to him.

‘This is Tony Lambrianu and this is Jake Sinclair,’ said Ralph, introducing them to the people gathered around him. A sea of hands came out to shake theirs.

Julie walked up to them. ‘Come on, we need to show them how to dance.’ She pulled Tony forward, and into the midst of people.

Sharon nudged Jake with her elbow. ‘Isn’t he the owner of this place?’ she said.

Jake nodded, but he also found it strange that Ralph was not introducing himself as such.

The Golds were telling the party of people they were with that they had seen the place being renovated and, being a ‘family friend’ of Tony Lambrianu, just had to dance the night away at his new club.