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'Don't shit us,' said Slash.

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'Please yourself,' I said.

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'Are you divorced?' asked The Flea.

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'And your wife took your daughter?'

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'Yes,' I said again. Although I didn't know why I was discussing my private life with a pair of teenagers.

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'Do you see her a lot?' The Flea again.

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'As much as possible.'

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'What all divorced fathers do. Spend too much money on her.'

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'Where do you go?'

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'McDonald's. The Zoo. The cinema. Round the shops in the West End.'

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'Just the two of you?'

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'Mostly. When I had a steady girlfriend, she used to come too. But we broke up.'

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'Why?' asked The Flea.

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I shrugged. 'We just did.'

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'Was she nice?' asked Slash.

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'So now it's just you and your daughter?'

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'That's right. You two could come sometime if you like. Judith would like that.'

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'But would we like her?' asked Slash.

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The Flea shushed her. 'We could handle that,' she said. 'Does she go to school?'

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'I don't,' said The Flea. 'I quit.'

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'What bands does she like? Your daughter?' asked The Flea, going off at a tangent.

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I shrugged. 'She changes with the weather,' I said. 'But I know she still likes Madonna.'

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'Oh, Maddie,' said Slash. 'We met her backstage at the LA Forum. She's so cool. And little. She's the same height as me. But built. Boy, I gotta tell you! And guys flip over her.'

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'So I believe,' I said dryly.

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'Have you got a gun?' asked The Flea, changing the subject again.

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'How can you be a PI then?' said Slash. 'All PIs have guns.'

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'Not this one,' I said. 'I gave them up.'

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'Did you used to have one?' Slash again.

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'Ever shot anyone?'

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'Horrible. About as bad as being shot.'

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'Have you been shot?' said Slash, her eyes widening.

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I nodded again in the half light.

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'I told you,' she said to her sister.

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The Flea crinkled her nose again. 'She says you're like Sonny in Miami Vice.'

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'I've seen every episode,' said Slash excitedly, more like a fourteen year old. 'We've got them all on video.'

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'I don't think you're like Sonny at all,' said The Flea. 'He's cute.'

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That put me in my place.

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'I agree,' I said.

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'Nick's got the same hair,' said Slash. That was the first time either of them had used my name. It made me horny to think of the pair of them discussing me.

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'His hair's black, stupid,' said The Flea. 'Sonny's blonde.'

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'Apart from that,' said Slash.

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I was getting embarrassed, and one of them was playing footsie under the table. I moved my leg.

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'Can we sleep with you tonight?' asked Slash. 'We're lonely.'

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These two were expert manipulators. I was suddenly ashamed of what I'd been thinking. 'No,' I said.

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'You're too young. And I'm too old.'

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'I've slept with loads of older guys,' said Slash. Just the way she said it made me feel even older, if that were possible. And very sad. And pleased I hadn't let them into my suite.

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'Are you proud of that?' I asked.

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'You shouldn't be, I'm serious. It's bad for you.'

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'Ask your gynaecologist.'

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'Who cares anyway?' said Slash.

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'I do, if no one else does. When I look at you two I think of Judith.'

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'Our mother doesn't mind,' said Slash.

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'Then she should be ashamed.'

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'She thinks it's kinda cool.'

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'That maggot should be squashed.'

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'Don't you like him?'

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'He's cool. He buys us stuff.'

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'I just bet he does.'

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'On your birthdays.'

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'My birthday's soon,' said Slash.

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'Some new lingerie. Sexy stuff. I'll wear it for you.'

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'I'll think of something.' I looked at my watch. It was past eleven. 'Isn't it time you two were in bed?' I asked. Dumb question. I should have known better. They turned to each other and giggled. 'That's what we said already, dude,' said Slash.

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'Your own beds,' I said. 'Now get lost.'

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'Will you walk us up?'

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'No,' I said. 'You can find your own way.'

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'Gotta heavy date?'

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'No,' I said. 'I'll stay for another drink. Now scat.'

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And they went. Much more quietly than I thought they would. They both blew me kisses from the doorway.

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I sat in the booth for another ten minutes or so but didn't order another drink. To tell you the truth I felt like shit. Eventually I followed them out, and went up to my own suite. Alone.

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After all that bullshit I decided to take another swim to clear my head. It had made me feel better earlier, and I thought it might do the same again. So I took my new trunks and went back to the pool.

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At first I thought I was alone again. It was steamy and warm inside the pool area with the ever present smell of chlorine and a fine mist like smoke above the water. When I got right inside I saw that I was mistaken. Someone else had decided to take a late night dip. Then I looked again. Something about the picture was badly wrong. I brought it into focus and realised what it was. Whoever was in the pool was fully dressed and very still. Too still. And floating face down just under the surface of the water at the shallow end, arms and legs akimbo, and a halo of long blond hair fanned out like some exotic sea creature. I ran to the side of the pool, kicked off my shoes and slid into the water. It came up to just below my waist. I waded towards the figure and turned it over with some difficulty. It was a he. A he with a soggy plaster peeling off his face. Elmo.

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I dragged him to the side and half pushed, half pulled him on to the tiles at the edge of the pool. I jumped out and knelt down next to him. He had no pulse. No heart-beat. I wasn't about to give a junkie mouth to mouth without some protection. Fuck that. We live in dangerous times. I left the body and ran out of the pool area and down the long corridor to the police incident room. It was quiet inside, just a couple of shirtsleeved uniforms present. 'Get an ambulance, quick,' I said to the nearest one. 'You've got a floater in the swimming pool.'

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'What?' she said, looking at my bedraggled state.

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'Ambulance,' I repeated. 'Swimming pool. Now.'

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She hit the phone, and I grabbed the other copper and we ran back to Elmo. The copper brought a first-aid case. He tried mouth to mouth using a protective film. Sensible man. But it was no good. I knew it wouldn't be. After a few minutes he gave up the ghost, sat back on his heels and looked up at me. 'You'd better tell me what happened.'

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It didn't take long, and as I finished the ambulance crew arrived. They had all the paramedic gear in the world with them, but I knew they were wasting their time. I didn't want to stick around and watch. I asked the constable if I could change into my clothes. He came up to my suite with me. I towelled myself off and put on fresh boxer shorts, socks, trousers and a shirt. As I finished changing Carpenter and Ripley arrived. I was beginning to wonder if they were joined at the hip.

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'He was in the pool when you found him?' asked Carpenter.

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'Are you sure?' said Ripley.

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'Sure I'm sure. You don't think I put him in there, do you?'

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The look on his face said he'd put nothing past me.

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'Well, I didn't. And if I had, I'd've made myself scarce. Not gone for one of your people.'

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I could tell he wasn't impressed by the logic of that by the way he sniffed.

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'Well?' I said. 'Wouldn't I?'

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Neither of them answered the question. 'Did you see anyone else around?' asked Carpenter.

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'Not a soul,' I said. 'I take it you haven't located Boyle yet?'

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'Looks like he may be close though.'

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'Yes, who the hell knows where he is? But we'll get round to him in due course. When exactly did you go into the pool area?'

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'I don't know exactly. Five, ten minutes before I saw the constable here.'

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Carpenter looked at the uniformed man. 'Eleven fifty-two precisely, sir.'

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'And where were you before that?'

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'In the bar.'

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'With two other guests,' I said.

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'Their names are Alice and Clarissa. They're staying here with their mother.'

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'Those two,' said Ripley. 'Bit young for you, aren't they?'

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'They were wandering around the hotel alone. I bought them each a Coke and sent them up to their room. Christ, I hope they're all right.'

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'We're checking all the apartments,' said Ripley.

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Right on cue, someone knocked on the door of my suite and opened it without waiting for an answer. It was another plain-clothes copper. He buttonholed Ripley and took him out of earshot. Ripley looked sick and came over to Carpenter and whispered something in his ear. Carpenter sighed heavily.

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'There's another stiff upstairs,' he said.

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'Who?' I asked, dreading the answer. As far as I knew Ninotchka was upstairs.

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'One of the band. Valin. So that's two. Now you're really in trouble. I told you what would happen if anyone else died,' he said.

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