Fendros remained optimistic. "It's really about finding out what he is capable of. We won't know if your contacts are going to be helpful unless we ask. There's a chance he'll hear about our investigation, but I would rather not go in blind. Why not try approaching from the angle of trying to move a smuggled supply of skooma at a good price? Something that detracts from his people-smuggling activities."

"That will take time," Sabine commented.

"Hopefully not too much time. Colours?" Fendros unclasped his hands and fingered his purse to check his own supply of coins. "Do you believe it possible to get some useful information in one and a half days from your contacts? We can use the meantime to look at this brothel and, if it seems viable, try to make contact with the Viper."