Amphetamines and Pearls by John Harvey

and from Christ knows who else besides.’
    I grinned at him and waved the gun in his face.
    â€˜How does that grab you so far? Shall I go on? ’Cause now we come to the part where it becomes a little less clear and this is where I want your help. Several things could have happened at this point; things that could have caused someone to get so annoyed with Candi they wanted to put her out of the way. She might have been into someone for a lot of money and not look as though she was going to pay it back. She might have tried to turn her back on the whole thing—the singing, the dope, everything. She might have been trying to get back at you in some way; maybe even blackmail.
    â€˜Now, which of those ideas do you like?’
    I fanned him with my gun again but it didn’t seem to cool him down. The sax player was still sitting on his chair, as though he didn’t believe it was all happening. I let the barrel come to rest alongside the fat man’s temple.
    â€˜There isn’t much time but don’t think you can stall me for long. Which of my little ideas do you like best? Tell!’ The gun was making a dent in the skin and I knew that he was going to call my bluff. Despite all that shaking blubber and all that sweat, he knew that I wasn’t going to use a .38 in there with a crowd of people outside and no other way out.
    But I had hit more home chords than were comfortable and he knew it. I was thinking what the hell to do next when there was a bang on the door from the outside. A voice shouting above the music and the chatter to find out if Howard was all right.
    For the first time he spoke: ‘Sure. We’re on our way out now.’
    I looked at his glasses and wished I could see behind them. Next time I would.
    â€˜All right. I’m going out of here behind you and I’m leaving the club. But I’ll be back to see you again and you won’t know when it’s going to be. If anyone tries to follow me tonight or to get to me in any way then I’ll use this. I’m fed up with being pushed around and taken for a patsy. Okay?’
    He nodded. I turned to the guy on the chair.
    â€˜You’d better put that thing away and roll your sleeve back down. There’s a law against that sort of thing, you know.’
    I walked past the copper at the bar without a glance. I waited outside to see if he was going to follow me: or if anyone else was. When nobody emerged in five minutes I called down a taxi and went to collect my car from the car park. I had an appointment with Maxie.

9
    Rain had filled the air and washed the streets. There was a newness, a freshness that had no place where I was walking. My feet carried me along a path that could only lead to death: my own and how many others I could not reckon. It was an inescapable path yet a bitter one—bitter with the reek of cordite and the sharpness of broken promises. A street lined with nightmares and tainted with death. This rain was a liar and a cheat and I cursed it as I turned the corner towards the arcade.
    It was nearly three and I was late: the lights inside the arcade were dimmed; the place was deserted except for a grey tabby rubbing its leg against the leg of one of the pin tables. I bent to stroke it and its back reared as it jerked its head away and spat. I moved past it and on towards the door.
    The light showed dimly over the woodwork. I knocked twice and the sound was lost in the blankness of the moment. After a few seconds waiting I tried again: this time I thought there was a faint scuffling sound from the other side of the door. The handle refused to turn to my grip.
    Time to use a little force, I said to myself and then the scuffling grew louder and began to scratch at the wood. I stood quite still: my hand was on the butt of my .38 and I watched as something applied pressure to the handle of the door. A long pause followed by a faint but distinct click and then the handle itself began to