Dangerous Lady

by Martina Cole

  ‘Oh, don’t dare say that, Maura! We’ve got five boys already.’

  Maura smiled at him. ‘You shouldn’t have married a good Catholic girl then.’

  She followed Michael upstairs to the offices. As she entered behind him the telephone rang. Maura picked it up, hoping that it was Benny.

  ‘May I speak to Michael Ryan, please?’

  ‘Who’s calling?’

  ‘Tell him it’s concerning his younger brother.’

  Maura handed the phone to Michael and gently picked up the extension. She listened to a man’s voice.

  ‘Mr Ryan, I imagine you are missing one brother by now. Correct?’

  Maura looked at Michael’s set face and implored him with her eyes not to lose his temper.

  ‘I have not missed my brother at all actually . . . Mr Dopolis. This is Mr Dopolis, I take it?’

  The man laughed gently. ‘How very astute of you, Mr Ryan.’

  ‘Well, it wouldn’t take a fucking contender for Mastermind to sus that much out, would it?’

  ‘I hear from your voice that you are worried. I notice that you English always resort to bad language when you are in a tight corner . . . But I promise you that if it rests with me, no harm will come to your brother whatsoever.’

  The words were spoken sincerely, but with a small underlying threat.

  ‘Well, Mr Dopolis, what have you got my brother for? The rents and rates are fuck all to do with him.’

  ‘I understand that, Mr Ryan. We want to use him to bargain with you. I know that you are a . . . how shall we say? . . . temperamental fellow. I want you to realise that we mean business. I knew that you would guess that the bomb threat was a hoax. I was just showing you my power, if you like. I know, for example, that you had a meeting at the warehouse today. I know everything that you do.’ His voice was smug. He was obviously enjoying himself. ‘Perhaps we could meet at your warehouse tomorrow?’

  Maura and Michael were astounded. How could he have got that kind of information?

  ‘When do you want to meet?’

  ‘Tomorrow at six-thirty. It will be nice and dark by then. Also, I want you to have plenty of time to think over my terms. I must stress to you here and now, Mr Ryan, that I am open to negotiation, providing it is in my favour . . .’

  ‘And just what are your terms?’ Michael was having trouble controlling his temper.

  ‘Firstly, I want the East End of London for myself and my family. We have a few legitimate businesses there but it is not enough for us. We are not happy being such little fish. We are willing to make you a payment of half a million pounds for all your businesses there. A reasonable offer, I think.’ He waited a few seconds before continuing.

  ‘Secondly, I want your word that there will not be a gang war. Very sordid in this day and age, don’t you think? We are both reasonable men. And, lastly, I will give you my word that we will never, ever, try and muscle in on the West End. That would remain wholly your domain.’

  Michael chuckled, a grating phlegmy chuckle that should have warned Dopolis that he was not really amused.

  ‘You don’t want much, do you, cocker?’

  The man’s voice went cold.

  ‘I want what I am entitled to, Mr Ryan. My cousin Stavros was willing to negotiate with you but you were young and hot-headed. You did not have the wisdom to talk things out. Sadly, you lost your brother and my cousin was crippled for life. I do not want a repeat of all that. But I am warning you now, I will fight if necessary. I have taken your young brother as a token, to show you that I know all that you do. I could have picked you all off one by one, your sister included, and have had the lot. The East and the West. But I am not a greedy man. No one can have everything. It just causes greed and envy, Mr Ryan.’

  Michael listened to the man’s voice as if fascinated by it. His eyes held the malevolent gleam that heralded one of his tempers.

  ‘Yeah, well, the only thing you’re causing right now, Mr Dopolis, is my blood pressure to rise! If anything should happen to my brother, either accidentally or deliberately, you will pay. Believe me, mate, that is a solemn promise.’

  ‘Nothing will happen to your brother, Mr Ryan. Provided you do what I ask of you. I will see you tomorrow at six-thirty.’

  The line went dead.

  As Michael and Maura replaced their receivers, Gerry Jackson came into the office with a tray of coffee.

  ‘Any news, Mickey?’

  ‘Tell the hostess who’s ringing around not to bother. We’ve found him.’

  ‘Where?’

  Before Michael could answer, Maura spoke.

  ‘We’ll tell you later, Gerry, OK? Now if you don’t mind I want to speak to Michael alone.’

  Offended, Gerry placed the tray on the desk and walked out. Michael was annoyed.

  ‘Here, hold up, Maws. Gerry is like family. You can’t just dismiss him like that.’

  Maura walked to the desk and began to pour the coffee. ‘Mickey, that Dopolis just said that he knew where we all were today, right? He also said that he could have picked us off one by one, right? Now doesn’t that tell you anything?’ Her voice was peeved.

  ‘Obviously someone in the firm is grassing.’

  ‘Precisely.’

  Michael banged his fist on the desk, causing the coffee to slop over the rim of the cups.

  ‘Listen, you, Gerry would no more grass me than he would cut his own throat! You’re out of order, Maura.’

  She banged her own fist on the desk.

  ‘Look, Mickey, I don’t want to argue with you. All I’m thinking of is the fact that these people have got our Benny and I ain’t taking any chances where his safety is concerned. We must play this one very close to our chests.’

  Michael sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He looked old suddenly.

  ‘Maybe you’re right, Maws.’

  She went to him and put her arms around his waist. ‘We’ll beat the buggers at their own game. With all the feelers we’ve got out in the street, something’s bound to come up. It always does.’

  ‘And what about his “terms”, as he put it?’

  ‘What about them?’

  ‘Well, what are we going to do?’

  ‘We play along with him, Mickey. To be honest, I wouldn’t care if we let the East End go. It’s pennies and halfpennies to what we can make once the building begins in London.’

  Michael clenched his fists. ‘Docklands . . . docklands, always the bloody docklands! Your brother is being held captive by a fucking nutter and that’s all that you can think about. It’s like a cancer with you!’

  Maura was stunned. She looked up into Michael’s face and what she saw there made her flinch. He was really worried about Dopolis.

  She lost her temper again, this time deciding to tell him what she had been putting off for months.

  ‘Can’t you see further than that big hooter of yours? Sometimes you bloody well amaze me, Mickey. We are paper millionaires. We should take his money and get Benny back. Whoever controls the West End, controls the whole of London. It’s always worked like that. Let the silly old bastard have it if he wants it so bad. He’ll only be working for us anyway. Think about it, Mickey. We’ll still get a pull off any blags that go down. We’ll just be shifting the aggro, that’s all. Then once the building starts, we’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. Legally.’

  ‘I ain’t so sure about that . . .’

  Maura clenched her fists. This was like a gift from the gods if he could only see it! She had wanted to lease out the East End anyway. Get rid of it. Now she had the perfect opportunity.

  ‘Mickey, all that talk about luxury flats and the marina is true. I know for a fact that certain people have been buying up the place. They’ve been collecting money to fund the project for years. Oh, for God’s sake, Michael. Do you want to be a hoodlum all your life? Well, do you? Answer me!’ She pushed him in the chest.

  Michael grabbed her hand and pushed her away from him. ‘Why not? I ain’t
done too badly, and neither have you.’

  Maura had tears in her eyes. If only he could be made to see. ‘So you want to duck and dive all your life, is that it? This is a chance for us to be somebody in our own right. A legitimate way to spend our cash. I know that to the likes of you and me, living in the old dock areas would be anathema. We grew up in post-war slums, no better or worse than Tobacco Road or the Isle of Dogs. To us, you ain’t made it unless your address has West One on it. But things are changing, Mickey . . . this country is going building mad at the moment. Everywhere you look, new housing estates are going up. People are even buying their council houses. We’re cultivating a nation of home owners, and you can’t see it! Soon all the sites will be played out, except for the old dock areas. And I want to be in on it. I want that and the West End.’ Her voice trailed off. She could have cried her eyes out, but her pride stopped her.

  Michael poured them both a large brandy. He passed Maura her glass and shook his head slowly. ‘All right, Maws, you win. I’ll take the half a mil. When Benny’s back home I want to see all you’ve got on this docklands scam. I just hope that Dopolis hasn’t roughed Benny up. For his sake . . . As you say, indirectly Dopolis would be working for us anyway.’

  Maura put her glass on the filing cabinet beside her and ran into his arms.

  ‘Oh, Mickey, Mickey . . . you little darling! I promise you won’t regret it. I’ll get on to our solicitor now and get him to draw up an agreement to take to the Greek bastard’s meet. We’ll show them! Just you wait and see. The name Ryan will be known the length and breadth of England. Just like Wimpey’s!’

  Michael laughed at her.

  ‘What about Fitzpatrick’s? Let’s at least keep this thing Irish.’

  Maura did a little dance of happiness. Michael smiled at her. She was right. They should let the East End go. Get Benny back safely. His dad had always said it was hard to own the two. That’s what had happened to the Krays. He would let Dopolis have it, take his money, then pay him back one hundredfold for poaching his little brother. Dopolis would be made painfully aware of the fact that he worked for the Ryans.

  He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. A thought had occurred to him. The only outsider to know about the meet today was Jonny. He made a mental note to have a word with his boyfriend. He was sick to death of him anyway. This had given him just the push he needed to out Jonny.

  Michael drank his brandy and the two of them made their plans. When Geoffrey arrived the excitement was over. He realised that he had been too late. Again.

  Downstairs, Roy, Leslie, Lee and Garry watched the strippers. When they were finally called upstairs into the office they were all glad to hear that their brother had been located, especially Garry. As Michael gave them their orders none of them realised that the real trouble was only just beginning. That events were being put into motion that would smash their world apart.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Benny watched as the man came into the room. It was the same man who had brought him some food earlier in the day. Benny smiled painfully, trying to get some response. In the fight that had occurred during Benny’s kidnapping, he had lost two teeth and acquired a large black eye. The man was also sporting a black eye so Benny thought that evened things up. The man ignored Benny’s smile and picked up the empty plate and cup. He checked that the handcuff which held Benny’s right hand to the bed post was secure. Then he left the room, banging the door behind him.

  Benny tried to get comfortable on the bed. The muscles in his right shoulder were screaming. He reckoned that he had been in the room twenty-four hours. He could smell the urine that was in a bucket by his bed. He had just enough space to kneel up and urinate into the bucket. As yet he had not been allowed to open his bowels. Not that he fancied going in front of an audience, and he had a sneaking suspicion that was what would happen. He rubbed his shoulder with his free hand.

  The room he was in was some kind of office, he was sure of that. It had the hollow feel that was peculiar to Portakabins and the like. It was definitely not a house that he was being kept in. He felt the giant swelling above his eye and grinned - he had given them a run for their money. If they had not had the element of surprise he would have won the fight hands down. Now all he had to do was wait. He had been told briefly by his captors that he was being held until an agreement had been reached with Michael. He wasn’t too worried about it. He knew that he was worth more to his captors alive than dead. He just hoped that someone had had the savvy to tell his mum that he was not coming home for a few days. She would be worried.

  He tried to settle himself back against the bedpost. His round boyish face had a dark stubble around the jaw; he looked terrible. He ran his tongue over his teeth. He wished they would let him have a wash and brush up. He hated this dirty feeling. The bed was filthy and it stank. It was also damp. In the corner of the room was a paraffin heater which gave out a sickly smell as well as a sticky cloying heat.

  He decided then and there that when he got home he would find out the names of the people who had held him here and would personally give each one a good hiding. This place was a dump. He wouldn’t keep his dog, Driver, in conditions like this . . .

  It never occurred to Benny that he was in any danger or that there was a good chance that he would never leave the room alive.

  Maura and Michael walked into the warehouse at six-fifteen. Geoffrey, Roy and Leslie were already there. Garry and Lee arrived at six-twenty. Geoffrey had put up a set of spotlights. From outside the warehouse still looked empty. Dopolis arrived, accompanied by two big men, at six-thirty-five.

  The two men with him were, Michael guessed, just brawn merchants. He also noted, as did his brothers, that they were both armed. Dopolis looked like a dark-skinned dwarf standing between them. The Greek nodded to them all, giving a half bow towards Maura.

  It was freezing inside the warehouse. It seemed colder in there than it did outside. The snow was coming down harder and had decided to settle. In the bright glare from the spotlights they looked like characters rehearsing for a play. Dopolis was the first to speak. He cleared his throat theatrically. Dopolis had a taste for drama that spilled over into everything he did.

  ‘I am so glad that we could have this little chat. I hope that you have thought over my proposition.’

  ‘Where’s Benny?’ Michael’s voice was flat.

  Dopolis laughed and Maura saw the tendons stand out in Michael’s neck. She touched his arm lightly to remind him that he was not to lose his temper.

  ‘Surely, Mr Ryan, you do not think that I would be so foolish as to bring him here? I must first find out how the land lies.’

  Garry was staring at the three men in front of him. He stifled an urge to open his coat and blow them away with his shotgun. He could feel the sweat slippery on his palms.

  Maura could sense the mounting tension. Her voice seemed to echo around the building. ‘We have decided that we like your offer, Mr Dopolis.’

  The three Greeks stared at her in amazement. Surely Michael Ryan was not going to allow a woman to negotiate for him?

  ‘Young lady,’ Dopolis’s voice was gentle, ‘I have come here to do serious business.’

  Maura’s voice was brisk. ‘I am well aware of that fact, Mr Dopolis. My brother has every faith in me as I am sure you will soon realise.’ She smiled. ‘Now, shall we get down to business?’

  Mr Dopolis was nonplussed. That much was clear to everyone watching. Never in his wildest imaginings had he envisaged discussing business with a woman. He had heard that Maura Ryan was a very astute business woman but nevertheless, he was a Greek and Greeks did not allow their women to interfere in men’s business. It crossed his mind that this may be Michael Ryan’s idea of an insult. Women were for pleasure or for childbearing as far as he was concerned. Maura could read the expressions on his face as if they were written on his forehead in indelible ink.

  She began to talk in her best no-nonsense voice.

  ‘You have
offered to buy out our holdings in the East End for half a million pounds. We shall accept that offer with good grace. But only with the proviso that you work, indirectly of course, for us.

  ‘We would only expect to be consulted on major issues. Everything else would be down to yourself. We shall keep our interests in the warehouses and the property . . .’

  Dopolis seemed to have gathered his wits together.

  ‘My dear girl, the half a million includes all this.’ He gestured around the warehouse with his arms. ‘I have a pressing need for these old warehouses myself. I want -’ he paused for effect, ‘everything you own from Dagenham to Tower Bridge. I want everything you have in Katherine Dock, East Dock. Around London Dock. I want all you possess on the Wapping Road, in Whitechapel and Shoreditch. I want Bethnal Green. In short, I want it all.’

  Maura, Michael and Geoffrey were flabbergasted. Dopolis smiled coldly. ‘Do not insult me by trying to negotiate with me. I have given you my terms. I would never work for you!’ He spat out the words like bullets from a gun. ‘I want it all, do you hear me? Every little bit, lock, stock and barrel. And if we can’t settle this amicably then we will fight you. I will fight you to the death.’

  He put a pudgy hand to his breast. ‘I came here for an answer to my terms, that’s all. Nothing else.’

  ‘What about Benny?’ This from Leslie, who was dying to start a fight.

  ‘What about him?’ Dopolis shrugged. ‘He is my bargaining point. While I have him, I also have you.’

  Michael stepped towards him, causing Dopolis to retreat; a fleeting expression of fear crossed his sallow face.

  Michael pointed at him. ‘You can’t just demand, mate.’

  ‘Oh, Mr Ryan, that’s where you’re wrong. While I have your brother I can demand all I want. And I will tell you something, Mr Ryan . . . I have a man behind me who is so big that he would scare even you. Yes, even you! I am a trusted friend of this man and I can tell you now that he has much money and arms to fight you with. I know you are a force to be reckoned with but I have at my disposal a larger, more dangerous force. Do you understand what I am saying?’