George nodded. In her new dress, a fitted emerald green sparkly affair with huge padded shoulders, George thought she looked like a cross between a Christmas tree and an American footballer. ‘You look lovely, Elaine. You’ll have all the men wanting to dance with you.’

‘Oh, George. You old silly!’ Elaine giggled again, a schoolgirl going on her first date. She dropped her clutch bag and George frowned as she strained to pick it up. Not an American footballer - a sumo wrestler. God, she was bad enough in her shell suits.

A taxi hooted outside and Elaine rushed from the room, leaving a scent of Estée Lauder and face powder.

‘’Bye, George.’

He listened to the thud of her feet on the stairs and the satisfying slam of the front door as it crashed behind her.

She was gone.

He was alone.

Hallelujah!

George lay with bated breath until he heard the taxi turn at the end of the street, then jumped from the bed.

‘Look, Mr Kelly, it’s New Year’s Eve. We always get lots of punters in on New Year’s Eve. She’s a good kid . . .’

Kelly stared hard at the woman in front of him. Violet Mapping had been running this massage parlour for five years. She was one of the hardest Toms he had ever met in his life, and he had met a few, but she had one vice: she was a dyke and liked the young girls. But this young girl was not working in his massage parlour until she was qualified.

‘Listen, Vi, get the girl a certificate and she can work here till the cows come home. Till then, no way.’

‘Oh, Mr Kelly, you know and I know that that piece of paper is a bloody con.’

‘I don’t care what you know, Violet. Once she’s done a course in massage and has her certificate she can work here. Until then, no.’

Violet saw the man’s face harden and decided it was better to give way on this occasion. Everyone knew about Mandy, it was common knowledge on the streets. It was best not to annoy him now.

She sighed.

‘If you say so, Mr Kelly.’

‘Good girl, Vi, you know it makes sense. Now then, if you get any weird ones in I want you to cop the names and addresses - the lot. Then I want you to pass them on to me.’

Violet snorted with laughter.

‘They’re all fucking weird, that’s why they come here!’ Kelly shook his head in annoyance.

‘You know what I mean. If one wants something a bit outlandish like, or gets violent with the girls, I want to know. OK? You’re one of the best “lifters” in the game, Vi. You can lift a wallet better than anyone I’ve ever known. Only after you’ve lifted it, Violet, you put it back, comprenez?’

She narrowed her hard blue eyes.