Inside the box was roomy. The chairs had been removed and the desk pushed up against the barrier so that, when Crillick sat down to work, he could look out on to the stage below. I untied the curtains and let them fall. That way there would be no chance of any of the acts looking up and seeing me while they rehearsed. The desk was made of oak and inlaid with leather. There was a writing pad and, to one side of it, a small bottle of Indian ink. I’d been hoping that Crillick would have papers out, but no, he kept his business affairs tidy. I sat in his chair and pulled open the desk drawers one by one. I doubted the Odditorium was like the variety show. If Crillick was using acids and scalpels on his acts, there’d be no handbills. More likely it would be advertised by word of mouth, whispers passed from one ear to another at Pascoe’s and the other gentlemen’s clubs. It was probably too much to hope for a card even, so I riffled through the papers without quite knowing what I was looking for.

To the right of the desk was a small bookcase. There was a cloth-bound volume that looked well used and, sure enough, it was Crillick’s accounts. I’d seen him carrying it around with him before, cradling it to his chest like a vicar would his Bible. I took pleasure from how much he’d hate to see me flicking through the pages, but I forbore from focussing on what the other acts were paid. I skimmed down the entries, wondering if any of them would signify the place he had the Leopard Lady hidden, but there was nothing. Any of these payments could be connected to her, or none at all. I sat back frustrated, not knowing what to do next, when I heard a noise. No, it couldn’t be. I jumped up but there was nowhere to go in the tiny space. The best thing would be if it was Barky come to bring up Crillick’s post or something, but it was the man himself, I could tell by his whistle, one of the show tunes that I had heard Ellen practising. He was getting closer. Think, Zillah, think. There was only one option. I perched myself on the desk and waited for him.

Crillick flung open the door.

‘Well, well, what have we here?’ he said.