‘Victoria. Good to speak to you.’ He sounded hoarse, his voice catching in his throat.
‘How are you?’ Caelan asked. The man’s brother had just been murdered, after all.
He sniffed. ‘Trying to carry on as normal. Nathan wouldn’t want me sitting around feeling sorry for myself.’
Caelan grimaced at this unconvincing show of brotherly love. ‘Then maybe we could meet, have that chat?’
‘I heard about Mulligan,’ Reuben said. ‘You’re not wasting any time.’
‘Meaning?’ Caelan wanted to ask how he knew. She guessed Jolene had told him, probably in the text she had sent when Caelan and Ewan were still in the shop.
‘Come on. You came down here to help Mulligan out, but I’m guessing you’re hoping to step into his shoes permanently. Here’s your chance.’
Caelan lowered her voice, hoping she sounded flirtatious. ‘You’re suggesting I’d exploit my cousin’s misfortune for my own ends? That would be despicable.’
Ewan shook his head, but Reuben chuckled.
‘It would indeed.’
‘I’m actually trying to find out who attacked him.’
‘So you can shake their hand?’
She snorted. ‘Funny man. No, because I want answers.’
‘Listen, why don’t you meet me at the club later?’ Nash said. ‘I’d invite you to my house, but I don’t usually bring business home.’
She sighed. ‘I’d like to, but…’
‘But?’
‘It depends what Stefan Harris does to me. James owes him fifteen grand, and Stefan’s decided I’ll have to pay up instead.’
‘I heard. Last night, just before my brother went for Harris with his knife.’ His voice was little more than a whisper. ‘I’ll come with you to see Stefan. I need to have a chat with him anyway.’
Caelan kicked herself mentally. ‘You sure that’s wise?’
Nash’s voice hardened. ‘I think it’s my decision, don’t you?’
‘No, not if you’re planning on coming along with me. I don’t want him to think I can’t handle things alone.’ She waited, guessing she might have just blown her chance to get closer to Nash.
After a pause, he laughed. ‘You know, you remind me of my mother.’
‘Really?’ Caelan wasn’t sure how to respond.
‘Yeah. She wouldn’t take any shit from me either. I’m glad she’s not here to see one of her sons buried.’ He was silent again, and Caelan waited. Eventually he said, ‘Do you think Harris is behind the attack on Mulligan?’
She knew there was no point in lying to him. ‘Maybe.’
‘Wouldn’t surprise me. He’s a vicious bastard.’
‘He didn’t seem vicious when Nathan had a knife to his throat.’ Again Caelan braced herself, and again Nash surprised her.
‘Stefan’s got a big mouth, and it often gets him into trouble. Once it does, he backs off and lets other people handle it, because he’s shit at fighting and he hates getting hurt. Why do you think he goes around with two bodyguards?’
‘I’d assumed it was a status thing – you know, look at me with my staff.’
‘No, it’s because he’s a wimp and a coward.’
‘I heard he beats up his girlfriend,’ Caelan said.
‘You know about that? No doubt Mulligan told you. He was the one who took her to the hospital, did he mention that?’
‘James did?’ Caelan couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice, and Nash laughed.
‘Proper good Samaritan. It happened outside my club. Harris and Abbie had argued, and he’d punched her and stormed off. She was shocked, crying and bleeding. Mulligan got her into a taxi and took her to A and E. I didn’t know anything about it until the next day, or I’d have helped her myself. Nathan wanted to go and beat the shit out of Harris, but I persuaded him it wouldn’t be a great idea.’
‘Not good for business?’
‘Not good for Abbie,’ Nash said softly. ‘Anyway, let me know when you’ve spoken to Stefan.’
‘I thought you wanted to come along?’
‘Changed my mind. If he did… if he killed Nathan, or he was there while one of his mates did it, I’ll catch up with him sooner or later. I need to ask around first, get my facts straight. Have to say, though, he’s at the top of my list.’
‘Do you have his phone number and address?’
‘Harris’s, you mean? Yeah, don’t you?’
‘No, he never gave me it. There wasn’t much time between him flirting with me, then demanding money, then promising me his men would take the fifteen grand in kind if he told them to.’
‘Fucker,’ said Nash.
‘James also said you and Harris hate each other.’
Nash coughed. ‘Stefan’s never been my favourite person, even before all this kicked off. We’ve had a few misunderstandings, some business deals that have gone sour for one reason or another. He tends to hold a grudge.’
Caelan noted the fact that Reuben had said he’d attempted to work with Harris, because it meant there was more to his business than being a nightclub owner. Then again, with the amount of dealing she had seen happening in his club, it wasn’t a surprise.
‘Would you text me his number then, please?’ she said.
Nash sighed. ‘Okay, but you should be careful. Like I said, Stefan isn’t the easiest man to deal with.’
‘And you are?’ Her voice was almost a purr, and Ewan stifled a laugh as she mimed vomiting. Nash gave a throaty chuckle.
‘You’ll have to find out for yourself. Speak soon.’
He ended the call and Caelan turned to Ewan. ‘The worst part of this job isn’t the danger or the terrible hours, it’s flirting with people like Reuben Nash. I feel as though I need a shower, and we weren’t even in the same room.’
‘You were convincing, though. Reckon he thinks he’s in,’ Ewan said with a grin.
‘Lucky me.’
Her phone beeped and a mobile number appeared on the screen. ‘Oh, he’s sent me a kiss along with Harris’s number and the address of his cab company. How sweet.’ Caelan saved the number to her phone and sent a quick text. ‘I’ve told Harris we’re on our way. I’m not going to call, but I want to make sure he’s there when we arrive.’
Ewan screwed up his face. ‘I’m pretty sure he’ll want to see you.’
‘Even if I don’t have his money?’ Caelan pulled a face of her own. She was playing it down, but her stomach turned over when she thought of facing Stefan Harris again. She remembered the predatory look in his eyes, the way he had spoken to his girlfriend, and the promise that his men would take back the money any way he wanted. If they were looking for people traffickers, Harris had to be the prime suspect. She needed to keep talking to Nash, but she knew she would have to be careful. Nash might appear friendly, almost chatty, but he had told her little of value so far. She needed to continue to build up his trust.
Her phone began to ring, and she checked the screen, expecting it to be Stefan Harris.
‘Where are you?’ Penrith said without bothering with a greeting.
‘Oxford Circus. Why?’
She heard him click his tongue, then mutter to someone. ‘You haven’t been to the hospital?’
‘The…’ She realised he meant the one where Mulligan was being cared for. ‘No, not yet. Why?’
‘Don’t bother. We’re posting an officer to guard him, and you won’t have clearance.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘A minor incident,’ Penrith said. ‘A phone call was made to the hospital’s main switchboard. The caller was subtle, but they were trying to find out which ward Mulligan is on. Who have you spoken to, and what have you said?’
She told him. ‘Jolene Townsend knows which hospital Mulligan is in, but I didn’t tell Leyton Grey. Was the caller a man or a woman?’
‘We don’t know. The call wasn’t recorded, and the receptionist said it was a bad line, lots of crackling, the voice faint and muffled.’
‘Like
someone whispering through a scarf and a few sheets of paper?’
‘Exactly like that, I’d guess.’ Penrith crunched something. It was probably a couple of boiled sweets but sounded more like gravel. ‘She reported it immediately, knowing Mulligan was the victim of an assault. It could be a friend who’s concerned about him, of course, but we’re not taking any chances.’
‘Jolene must have told someone where he is,’ Caelan said. ‘The only other way of finding out is to phone every hospital in London.’
Penrith paused for a moment. ‘You know, a more cynical man than me would say you gave Townsend the information to see what she would do with it.’
‘No comment.’ Caelan smiled to herself.
‘Why did you go to see Grey?’
‘Because he’s a mate of Mulligan’s and he appears to have loads of money. He seems to have genuinely built up a decent business, but I thought it was worth a visit.’
‘Casting your net far and wide?’
‘He admitted to cutting the hair of some of Mulligan’s more dubious friends. Who knows what else he’s done for them?’
Penrith heaved a breath. ‘I’ll leave it to your judgement, but don’t waste time.’
‘You’re the one who’s been talking about fishing trips and casting nets.’
‘Keep me updated. And you’ll be getting a call from our mutual friend.’
He was gone, leaving Caelan staring at her phone and wondering who he was talking about. Tim Achebe? Assistant Commissioner Beckett? She baulked at the thought.
Immediately the phone announced the arrival of a text, and she saw that Harris had replied.
The message said: I’ll be waiting.
21
An hour later, Caelan and Ewan stood outside an estate agent’s premises pretending to look at properties advertised in the window. The sky was grey, rain clouds gathering overhead as a strong breeze picked up litter and flung it at their shins. The address Reuben Nash had provided was a scruffy-looking place a few doors down, with several vehicles parked outside, all emblazoned with the company name in silver lettering. There were saloons, an estate and a minibus with blacked-out rear windows.
‘Kwik Kabs. Wonder how many seconds it took him to think of that,’ Ewan said. ‘Doesn’t look as though they’re busy, either.’
‘According to Mulligan, Harris’s family also own a pizza place and a chip shop. Maybe they’re all frying fish today.’
‘Fish and chips. That’s what we should have for tea tonight.’ Ewan nudged her, and Caelan knew he was trying to lighten the mood. She was apprehensive, and she could feel his unease too.
‘If Harris leaves us any teeth to eat with,’ she said. ‘Come on, let’s get it over with.’
‘Wait a second. How are we going to do this?’ Ewan blushed. ‘I mean, I don’t want to mess anything up.’
She smiled. ‘Harris is going to think he’s in control, because we’re on his turf and we owe him – apparently. To a point, we’ll have to see how it plays out. I don’t have the money, and there’s no point pretending I can get it.’
Ewan scowled. ‘Bloody Penrith.’
‘He was never going to hand it over. Maybe two or three thousand, but fifteen?’
‘Not him who has to face Harris, though, is it?’
She lifted her shoulders. ‘I should never have said I’d repay it.’
‘You didn’t have a choice, not with Harris standing there, his men ready to kick the shit out of Mulligan.’
‘Yeah, couldn’t let that happen, could I?’ She smiled. ‘Are you ready?’
He nodded, and they turned to cross the road. As they waited for a break in the traffic, a black BMW sped towards them and screeched to a halt behind one of the Kwik Kabs vehicles. Harris climbed out with a jaunty wave, the bruising on his jaw visible even from across the street.
‘Where are his guard dogs?’ Ewan murmured.
‘Probably inside, chewing on someone’s remains.’
Harris waited on the pavement, leaning against the wall. As they reached him, he said, ‘No huge suitcase of cash? Hope you’ve brought your chequebook, then.’
Caelan met his eyes. ‘Can we talk?’
He gave an unpleasant smile. ‘If you don’t have the money, I think we need to.’ He pushed away from the wall, waved them inside with mock politeness. ‘After you.’
Inside, the place was even dingier than it looked from the outside. There was a square room with several white plastic garden chairs for people to wait for their cab, another door, and a hatch in the wall where they could see a woman at a desk barking orders into a phone.
‘Meet my mum,’ Harris said. ‘Worked here every day since she was sixteen. Built the place up from nothing, didn’t you, Mum?’
She waved a hand but didn’t turn.
‘Salt of the earth. Now,’ he jerked a thumb towards the door at the back of the room, ‘upstairs.’
Caelan started to move, and as Ewan made to follow, Harris’s hand shot out and grabbed his forearm. ‘Not you. You can stay down here, keep my old mum company.’
Ewan looked down at Harris’s hand. ‘Not going to happen.’
Harris smirked as one of his muscle men appeared behind Ewan, the other in the doorway that apparently led upstairs. ‘Think you better do as you’re told, sunshine, don’t you?’
Caelan turned. ‘I’ll be okay, Owen. Let me talk to him.’
Ewan seethed and snarled, but in the end threw himself down in one of the plastic chairs.
‘I’ll look after her.’ Harris leered. ‘Promise.’ He glanced at the man standing behind Ewan. ‘Stay with him. Don’t let him out of this room.’
The man nodded, planting his feet as though he expected Ewan to charge at him.
‘Can they even speak?’ Caelan asked.
Harris took her arm. ‘They can say “yes, sir”, and that’s all I need.’ He squeezed. ‘All I need my women to say too.’
He marched her through the door, the other man following behind like a puppy. The stairs were on the right, and on the left was an open door, a toilet and grimy sink visible. For a moment Caelan toyed with pretending she needed to use them, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Harris would no doubt think it a good laugh to deny her the chance.
The last thing she wanted was to allow him to drag her upstairs, but if only one of his men was coming with them, she still fancied her chances if things got rough. He was bigger, heavier, definitely stronger, but she doubted he’d had the training she had. Ewan could always wade in too, unless Harris or the others were armed… She didn’t allow her mind to consider the possibility, focusing instead on the details of her surroundings, wanting to learn everything she could about Harris’s home territory. So far, it wasn’t much. The place was bare, neglected. Functional. Even the stairs were uncarpeted.
Halfway up, she pretended to stumble, and Harris almost lost his footing. Yanking her upright, he snarled, ‘Clumsy bitch.’
Caelan ignored him, kept walking. His grip on her arm had tightened and she knew he would leave bruises, but for a second, he’d panicked, and she’d had the upper hand.
At the top of the stairs was a landing with one door leading off it. Harris looked down at her.
‘I’m going to let go of you so I can unlock the door. You’ll be a good girl, won’t you? I wouldn’t advise running, because you won’t get far. Johnny here would happily throw you down the stairs, wouldn’t you, mate?’
Johnny laughed, rubbing his hands together like a pantomime villain. Caelan gave him a disdainful glance.
‘Why would I run?’ she said. She didn’t say ‘I’m not afraid of you’, but they all knew she meant it.
Harris scowled and barged the door open. ‘Get inside.’ He gave Caelan a shove and she allowed herself to be pushed through. ‘Wait out here, Johnny. Don’t let anyone in,’ Harris ordered.
Johnny might have replied, but anything he said was lost as Harris slammed the door and locked it. Caelan felt her heartbeat rocket, her bod
y begin to hum. Adrenalin. The familiar sensation, somewhere between excitement and fear. Harris moved close, trapping her against the wall, then smiled and abruptly turned away, giving her a chance to look around the room for the first time.
It was clearly his office, kitted out slightly more impressively than downstairs, but not by much. There was one window, on the opposite wall to the door, which was now at Caelan’s back. There was a desk with a computer, a leather office chair that Harris was settling into, and a dining chair on the other side of the desk. In the corner was a filing cabinet and a large plastic toolbox. Caelan eyed the toolbox. She knew the hideous uses ordinary tools could be put to in the right, or wrong, hands. Pliers, screwdrivers, nail guns… She told herself to focus. Harris was a loudmouth and a bully, but she would not allow him to hurt her. Then again, in a room this size, the only door locked, would she be able to fight him off? She shut the thought down, took a few steady breaths. Of course she would. Stay calm. Concentrate.
‘Sit down,’ Harris said. His demeanour had changed – he was now playing the reasonable businessman. She did as she was told, sitting up straight, only the balls of her feet making contact with the floor, appearing casual and relaxed but ready to spring out of the chair if necessary.
Only she knew that her heart was hammering against the back of her throat.
‘You don’t have the money,’ Harris said.
‘Nope.’
‘Then we’ve got a problem.’ He leant back in his chair, eyes half closed. ‘You promised me you’d have it.’
‘I said James would have it.’
Harris inclined his head. ‘From what I’ve heard, your cousin’s in no position to do anything but stare at a hospital ceiling for a while.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Doesn’t matter. And before you ask, it wasn’t me who attacked him. If I wanted Mulligan put out of action, I’d make it permanent, but he’s not worth the effort. You, though…’ Now he leant forward. ‘You I think I could get used to having around.’
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