Since You've Been Gone

‘That it’s notoriously difficult to get into?’ This was getting weirder. The place was seriously swanky, I got it.

I was about to disappoint him. ‘As Jess explained it to me, it’s not difficult to get in there. You just have to pay your way in.’

‘At an eye-watering price,’ he added.

‘I heard that too.’

‘And you wouldn’t take the chance to enjoy an evening there? Without having to pay your way in?’

‘The cost of entry isn’t what puts me off, Mr Argyll. Well, it would, but places like that just …’ I remembered to choose my words carefully. I might be sat on my bed, for some bizarre reason talking about frivolous haunts, but I was still talking to a customer.

‘Not your thing?’ he offered. Exactly.

‘Nope. Not really,’ I said, wondering how to round this chat off before I did offend him.

‘And is it Jesse’s thing?’

I gave a small laugh myself then, his question had surprised me. ‘Anything with gold, music or overindulgence is Jesse’s thing.’

‘Then the Gold Rooms must score highly on places he’d like to visit?’

Jesse had already made it perfectly clear how much he’d like to visit. It would be mean to head off a chance for him.

‘You’re welcome to ask him if he wants to cake-sit. But your best chance of catching him will be on Monday … when we’re open.’

The line went quiet again for a few moments. Maybe I’d gone in too hard. ‘Sorry, I’ve kept you. I’ll deal with Jesse then from now on?’

‘Jesse’s your man.’

‘Thank you for your help, Miss Jefferson. I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Enjoy the rest of your evening.’ He clicked the phone off before I had chance to say bye.

CHAPTER 8

Jesse was grinning like the cat who had the cream. I ignored him; this hadn’t been my idea. And he looked like Liberace in that tux.

Above us, great swathes of twinkling fabric pitched away like the insides of a circus tent, and gathered at the point an enormous chandelier, fashioned in sweeping strands of golden chain mail, hung regally over us all. It was dizzying looking up at all that glitz, but down here there was even more going on.

Jesse had my hand, and was pulling me deeper into the bodies, dancing furiously around us. I didn’t want to dance but Jess wasn’t listening. I wobbled on my shoes as he pulled me further into the heaving mass. At least if I fell here, I’d be swallowed up by a pit of legs and shaking booty.

These were beautiful people all right. The men all looking every bit as tweezed and polished as the women, the women all dressed like each other in gold evening gowns, sparkling cocktail dresses and—was she dressed as an ancient Greek?—the odd historical fashion, apparently.

Some five or more bodies into the crowd behind Jesse, a large chap was throwing crazy shapes to the music pulsing around us. The people immediately next to him had all moved back to give the big guy some space. Smart move, somebody was really enjoying themselves. Suddenly I didn’t feel so self-conscious about falling off the heels I was stupidly wearing, or drawing attention to my limited knowledge of dance.

I wasn’t really dancing anyway, more swaying with the motion of the sea of people around me. Jess hadn’t noticed my lacklustre efforts, demanding that I get more into the party spirit, so I was good for now. Besides, I was busy people-watching. It was hard not to stare at the big guy through the other dancers, he was way too interesting not to. I’d only caught him from behind, arms flailing wildly to the music and head of perfectly coiffed deep red hair swaying and bobbing to the beat reverberating through my feet.

As is so often the case when you’re rubber-necking though, Twinkletoes started to turn that hairdo this way. Big Frank? What the hell is Frank doing in the Gold Rooms? And what has he done to his hair! Frank was lost in the music, and turned back before I could catch his attention.

‘Jess?’ I shouted. I caught his eye for a second. ‘Is that Frank over there? You remember he worked with Charlie?’

Jess frowned like he couldn’t understand me. I looked for a way through the crowd to get closer to the person I was sure was Frank. The crowd wasn’t budging though, we were packed in. I turned to look out across the rest of the partygoers in various shades of golds and creams.