Pearly found it difficult to understand how people ended up in such circumstances, but he was aware that in his own life as well as stern endeavour there was an element of luck, especially in regard to health, and he was usually sympathetic. It was the guy’s assumption of entitlement that rather put Pearly off.

‘Could you spare a few bucks?’ asked the conquistador. He had turned to face David again, having made his appraisal of Pearly.

‘What is it you’ve got?’ Pearly spoke before David had an answer.

‘Chronic disc rupture. It’s almost constant pain, mate. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Fucken agony.’ He continued to face David, who took out his wallet without enthusiasm.

Thinking about it afterwards, Pearly was angry with himself for not realising what would happen and not forestalling it. The guy snatched the wallet and was up and away through the mall before David and Pearly rose from their seats, only their baffled ‘Hey! Hey!’ in pursuit. The conquistador was quick and sudden, the dark leather jacket agitating about his lithe frame. No indication of any back problem that he wouldn’t wish on them. Thirty years earlier and Pearly would have been after him, maybe even caught him after a chase along the night street in the rainbow drizzle, but instead Pearly was left ineffectual at the mall entrance, looking left and right in the gloom, swearing, breathing heavily, with no sign of the thief.

There was little point in reporting a crime of that sort to the police, but they did so on their return to the hotel, and David attempted to notify his bank regarding the credit cards despite the time. He felt sick again, he said, and seemed close to tears. ‘I don’t know if I’ll be up to the sessions tomorrow,’ he told Pearly. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘See how you are in the morning, but there’s no pressure. No point in going if you’re crook.’ David seemed to have aged further in just one night. His lips trembled slightly, his hayrick eyebrows twitched and he held the rail going up in the lift. How old was he? Late sixties?

In David’s room, Pearly made coffee for them both. The CEO sat with the cup in his hand for a time, saying nothing in response to Pearly’s comments, then he put the coffee aside, went into the small bathroom and was sick. ‘Do you need to see somebody?’ Pearly asked when he came out.

David said he felt rather better. ‘It’ll just be some twenty-four-hour bug,’ he said, ‘and then that chap pinching my wallet. I could’ve done without that as well. Not a great day all in all. I’m going to try to get some sleep. I’m sorry to be a drag.’

‘You know where I am if you need me,’ said Pearly.