Vincent was close to telling the guy his actual thinking: that he planned to come in here and ask what was going on. But then his phone buzzed with a text. He pulled it from his pocket to see a message from Beauden Ash: Checked the plate. Call me ASAP.

He slid the phone back in his pocket.

The guy called Sly said, ‘Anything good?’

Vincent said, ‘Maybe. We’ll see.’

Sly said, ‘Well,’ and took a breath. ‘This is one of those moments. Isn’t it?’ Studying Vincent, seeming almost amused. ‘You going to move on, or do I have to write down your name somewhere?’

Someone exited the kitchen. The sprung door found a rhythm of diminishing flaps and then settled.

Vincent looked at Lamar and said, ‘We can go now if you like. You’re going to miss your tee time.’

Sly laughed. ‘He doesn’t have that kind of freedom. He’s stuck. Which makes you a special case, really, doesn’t it? You took a swing at my guy, and I’m telling you it’s not too late to drink your coffee somewhere else. Or drive for someone else.’

Out the window Vincent saw the Tahoe pull up at the kerb again, the Cuban back to his favourite activity: looking at him. Sly raised a hand to draw the guy’s attention, and then beckoned.

Vincent said, ‘Why would you tell me that unless you’re into something worth being part of?’

Sly grinned, looked at Lamar. ‘Eugene, the man’s priceless.’

Lamar was looking out the window, playing with his beard. ‘I told you to stay outside.’

Sly clapped his hands, held them below his face like a musing clergyman. Elbows on the table, he said, ‘Here’s the deal.’

Vincent waited.

The guy said, ‘You can get up and walk out now, and we’re cool. But I’m not going to say it again.’

The punch notwithstanding, Vincent felt he was doing well to seem like a cordial sort of guy. He said, ‘I’ll take my chances.’ Then to Lamar: ‘Eugene, we can walk out of here right now, and nothing’s going to happen.’

He realised it was the first time he’d called the old man by his first name. But Lamar wasn’t looking at him. Vincent heard the bell on the front door as the Cuban stepped in, but he didn’t turn.

Sly said, ‘Saw your daughter on the TV last night. Oh, man.’ He closed his eyes and shook his head. ‘I was actually just channel surfing, but you know how things can just grab you? Especially women. Honestly, I’d never watched so much CNN in my life.’

Lamar showed no reaction. Maybe he saw this as standard business rhetoric.