Cab pictured Diane’s face in his head. He saw her eyes across the courtyard and the look that had passed between them the previous night. A look of remembrance, guilt, and desire. He remembered her ten years ago, too, when her eyes were closed and her mouth was contorted in pleasure, and her body was underneath his own.

‘She’ll talk to me,’ he said.

*

Outside the Columbia, a black luxury sedan pulled to the curb to collect Caprice. The street was crowded. The driver, who had the heft of a bodyguard, got out and opened the rear door for her. Caprice balanced gracefully on the tips of her shoes to kiss Cab on the cheek. She whispered in his ear.

‘Would you like to come home with me?’

‘That’s tempting,’ he said, ‘but I can’t.’

She eyed the street around them. He thought she was looking for photographers. People watching them. Smartphones spying on them. She put her warm fingers around the back of his neck, and he bent down this time, and they kissed. Her tongue slipped between his lips. Her nails were sharp enough to leave scratches.

‘Just so you know what you’re missing,’ she said.

Caprice got into the town car, and the driver shut the door. The car drove off, and Cab, still a little breathless and with the taste of lipstick on his mouth, dodged the traffic as he crossed the street. His red Corvette was parked at a meter in front of a brick building that sold hand-painted tile. The top was up. He unlocked the door and folded his stilt-like legs inside.

That was when he realized the car wasn’t empty.

Lala Mosqueda sat in the passenger seat.

She said: ‘Are you sleeping with her?’

Cab dangled his keys from his finger. ‘Nice to see you, too.’

‘I’ve been wondering whether you were serious about our relationship,’ Lala said. ‘I guess I got my answer.’ She pushed open the passenger door.

‘Wait.’ Cab reached across the car to take her hand.

She turned back to him and sat silently. Her dark eyes were on fire. The breeze outside had rustled her coffee-black hair, and it was a web across her golden face. She was dressed in black, making her almost invisible.

‘I’m not sleeping with her,’ he said.

‘Why not? I could see the flush on her face. She wants you. She’d probably give you a hell of a ride.’

‘You want to play games? Fine, I’ll call her now. Funny thing is, she calls me back. There’s not a lot of that going around.’

Lala’s lips turned downward. ‘I’m on a work assignment, you know that. I’m busy.’

‘So why are you here? How did you find me?’

‘You checked in on Facebook,’ Lala said.

He smiled. ‘Right. Damn that Zuckerberg.’

‘I figured it was an invitation. Or a taunt.’

‘Could be,’ Cab said.