‘And my friend,’ Charlie said, indicating Luke.

‘Your friend will wish to make his own arrangements.’

‘No, I’ve told him you’ll look after him too. He saved my life, Minnie. You wouldn’t abandon him to his fate when he’s poor and alone and has nobody to help him?’ Charlie was in an ecstasy of tipsy emotion.

Minnie groaned. ‘If you don’t shut up I’ll abandon you,’ she told him in exasperation.

‘I’ll take you to an interview room,’ Rico said.

‘No, thank you, I’ll stay here and talk to both of them.’

‘Stay here?’ Rico asked, aghast. ‘With that one?’ He pointed to Luke.

‘I’m not afraid of him,’ she said crossly. ‘Perhaps he should be afraid of me. How dare you do this to my brother?’

Luke leaned against the wall, regarding her ironically through half-closed eyes.

‘Look,’ he said, sounding bored, ‘bail your brother out or do what you have to. Then go. I can manage for myself.’

‘Lucio, no!’ Charlie exclaimed. ‘Minnie, you must look after him. He’s my friend.’

‘He’s a lot older than you and should know better,’ she said firmly.

‘That’s right, it’s all my fault,’ Luke said. ‘Just leave.’

He promised himself that when they next met he would be washed, shaved and well-pressed. With any luck she might not even recognise him.

‘What did you mean about saving your life?’ she asked.

Charlie launched into an explanation which was more or less accurate considering the state he was in. The word ‘puppy’ occurred several times and by the end Minnie had a rough idea that the stranger had come between Charlie and superior odds, although perhaps not as melodramatically as he described it.

‘Is that what happened?’ she asked Luke in a gentler tone.

‘Something like that. Neither Charlie nor I like seeing a child bullied. Or a puppy,’ he added after a moment.

‘What happened to the child?’