Jayne pushed through the door and into the bar, taking a deep breath of the smoky and alcohol laden air, feeling it fill his lungs, and headed towards the counter.

“Ain’t seen you in a few days,” the barkeep said, automatically pouring a beer. He pushed it across the wood. “Figured you’d upped and moved on.”

“Not yet. Still got some unfinished business.”

“With Lily?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Only she’s been moping around here like a wet weekend. Wondered if you’d broken her heart.”

“Not me.” Jayne drank half the mug. “She here at the moment?”

“I guess.” The barkeep didn’t seem that interested in keeping tabs on the women who worked his place. “In her room, I think.”

“Well, she ain’t mooning over me. She ain't got nothing I want.” He finished the beer, putting the mug back down precisely on the wet ring on the counter. “You know, I recall there was a feller looking for someone just a day or two ago. You see him?”

“A feller?”

“Big. Real big. Couldn’t miss ‘im.”

The barkeep nodded. “Oh, yeah. Came in, looking for his … what, cook, was it?”

“That was him.” Jayne turned to look at the customers. “What’d you tell him?”

“I didn’t. Comes in here, demanding to know if I’d seen this guy, and doesn’t even do the courtesy of buying a drink.”

“That’s terrible.” Jayne pushed his mug across and the barkeep refilled it. “And had you? Seen him?”

“Yeah. Coupla days ago. Got that scar on his face and everything, just like his captain’d said.”

“Really.”

“Just the once, mind. Funnily enough Lily made a play for him, and they went off to her room. By the time they got back they was smiling.” He laughed slyly. “Guess the scar didn’t put her off.” He moved off to serve someone else.

“Guess not,” Jayne muttered under his breath. He caught a whiff of a familiar cheap perfume, and turned his head. Lily had just stepped into the bar from the back. Arranging his face into a pleasant expression, he ambled over, coming up behind her. “Miss Lily,” he said, his