‘Three pounds, up front,’ she said, even as she pulled out the chair and took a seat.
‘I was told it was two,’ Cook replied. He kept his voice low. It didn’t seem like the sort of conversation you’d want to have overheard, not that his new companion seemed bothered.
‘It’s gone up,’ she said. ‘Or I can call the police. Tell them you propositioned me. Not something your wife would like to find out about.’
‘Does that often work?’ Cook asked.
She gave him a blank look, took the glass of champagne he offered and sipped it.
‘What’s your name?’ he asked.
‘Petal,’ she said.
‘I just want to talk,’ Cook said.
The blank look persisted. Cook reluctantly took his wallet from his inside pocket, handed her a pound note. He saw the folded picture and spread it out on the table.
She took the pound note, folded it and put it in her handbag.
‘I’m looking for this girl,’ he said. ‘Her name’s Ruby.’
She glanced at the picture and shrugged.
‘I don’t know anyone called Ruby,’ she said.
‘What if she was using another name?’
Petal shook her head. Pushed the picture back to him.
‘Don’t know her,’ she said.
‘You heard about the girl who got blown up on the bus outside here?’
‘Course I did,’ Petal said, ‘we all did. Stepped out of here, got on a bus, got blown up.’
It was the first time someone had connected Ruby being at the Empire, and being on the bus. It was a gap in his thinking. A gap that had always been there, just one he’d ignored. Ruby hadn’t been the one who’d taken the coat from the Lyons, then got on the bus. He’d proved that, more or less. But that didn’t mean Ruby hadn’t also got on the bus. Difficult to prove the negative.
‘Why are you asking about someone who’s got blown up?’
‘I don’t think she was on the bus,’ Cook said.
Petal shrugged.
‘Was Ruby working, like you?’
‘Who wants to know?’ she asked.
‘I know her family,’ he said. ‘But anything you tell me I’ll keep secret. Between us.’
‘What makes you think she wasn’t on that bus?’ she asked.
‘I think someone else from the Lyons had her coat. Took it by mistake. That coat’s the only reason anyone thinks she was on the bus.’
‘Maybe she’s better off,’ Petal said. ‘They reckon we’re all going to get bombed at this rate. At least she’s got it over with. None of this to worry about.’ She looked around at the room.
‘How long was she working here?’ Cook asked.
‘Never said she was,’ Petal said.
