Patrick shook his head and turned to walk back to the foyer. For some reason the childish voice had upset him. He knew the girl. She was only seventeen and looked about twelve. She was blonde, like his Mandy, except unlike Mandy she had never had a chance in life. He walked out of the tiny corridor, through the foyer and out to his car.

Don’t start getting soft now, boy, he told himself. Tomming is the oldest profession in the world. If they didn’t work for you they’d only work for someone else.

He climbed into the back of his Rolls and tapped on the window. Willy’s voice came over the intercom.

‘Where to, Pat?’

‘Forest Gate this time. I want to see how Juliet’s getting on.’

The car purred away and Kelly relaxed in his seat.

Yet the childish voice was still repeating in his head.

‘Stop the car!’

‘Do what?’ The car screeched to a halt in the middle of the road. Patrick Kelly jumped out and ran back into the massage parlour.

‘Oi, Vi. In the office quick sharp.’

Violet followed him in.

‘Yeah? What?’ Her voice was belligerent once more.

‘That little blonde bird, what’s her name?’

‘Marlene?’

‘Yeah, Marlene. Well, she’s giving the punter the full bifta.’

‘So what?’

‘Well, I want it stopped. From now on there’s no full sex in here, right. The Old Bill can’t touch us if the girls don’t cock their legs over.’

Violet looked at Patrick as if he had gone mad.

‘You feeling all the bleeding ticket? We won’t get any girls working here if we do something like that. Gordon Bennett, if you had the choice between a mouthful of spunk or a pratfull, what would you rather have?’

Kelly’s face screwed up. ‘Don’t be so disgusting, Vi!’

She opened her arms wide.

‘I’m only stating facts, mate. We won’t get a Tom in here with them rules, and you know it. Our clientele will go down quicker than free beer on a beano!’

Kelly felt sick.

‘Why don’t you go home and have a nice rest, Pat? It’s all the worry you’ve had, it’s turned your head.’

He felt a fool.

‘Maybe you’re right, Vi.’

‘Listen.’ Violet’s voice was soft. ‘We ain’t social workers, mate, we’re in business. Them girls out there are gonna flash their clout no matter what anyone does. It’s the only thing they know how to do. So leave them to it.’

‘Oh, I don’t know, Vi, there’s some fucking nonces about. Look what happened to my Mandy.’