"What can I do for you?"
Callaghan looked at the glowing tip of his cigarette. His attitude was casual.
"It's just a little thing," he said. "I'm a private detective— Callaghan Investigations. I'm looking for some young i***t called Lionel Wilbery. I heard that he used to come here and play sometimes. I thought you might know something about him. You might have some odd idea about the sort of place he'd go to if he wanted to disappear for a bit."
Salkey nodded. He took a cigarette from the silver box and lit it. After a moment he said:
"I remember young Wilbery. That one was sure an i***t. A bum drinker, a bum gambler and a bum where women were concerned. I reckon he didn't really know he was alive— not properly, I mean. He used to come here. When he won he got excited and when he lost
