Nineteen
The Merlin Nightclub operated in an imposing grey granite building on North Terrace, at the northern edge of the business precinct. The premises had started life as a gentlemen’s club. Its current clients were a far cry from the high society men of that era, who had preferred to meet and conduct business in private places. Now the Merlin was one of the city’s hot nightspots for young people looking for s*x and other forms of entertainment. The place opened at ten and raged until dawn, seven nights a week.
Access to the small car park at the rear of the building was from the lane that ran behind the buildings that fronted North Terrace. The Merlin’s CCTV cameras covered the front entrance on North Terrace and the area immediately around the rear exit into the car park. They did n
