Midnight's Door

by Robert F Barker

  'It's not what you would call full-time work, but it keeps me busy enough and gets me out of the house when I need to.'

  After the hands life had dealt her so far, it all sounded pretty good, so when he proposed to her on top of the Eiffel Tower she accepted, though against her better instincts. ‘I only ever did half a job convincing myself I loved him.’ They married a month later. She knew within a week she’d made a mistake. Vincent was a control freak who didn’t want a wife so much as a trophy he could show off at all the Round Table dinners he saw as important to helping him network. He also had a tendency to be heavy-handed if he’d had a few drinks and she didn’t bend to his will. It took her a further two years to finally accept that as far as Vincent was concerned, marriage is not a good enough reason to stop playing around. By then she was bursting to break out of the prison he was making for her, and working from home wasn't helping. She’d always had a thing for nightclubs - ‘Not the drink or the drugs or anything. Just the whole atmosphere you get in a big nightclub.’ Her mother was an old friend of Frank Johnson’s first wife. When she heard he’d bought the old Mr Smith’s and was looking for a new VIP Hostess, she went to see him. He offered her the job on the spot, and at close to twice the pay rate she’d been expecting. At first Vincent was furious and she fully expected it would see the marriage off, but being old fashioned about these things, she tried to convince him – and herself – it would be good for them. Turned out she was wrong again. She loved the job but over the two years she’d worked at Midnight’s, Vincent had grown more and more resentful. ‘Because he can’t keep his penis in his pants, he assumes I can’t resist banging the VIPs. The last few months I’ve given up even trying to convince him otherwise.’ She’d known for the last year he was seeing some girl called ‘Candy,’ but chose not to make a big thing of it. It was obvious where things were heading and she was happy to let things take their course. Three weeks ago, things had come to a head when she arrived home to find him smashed and Candy hiding in the en-suite bathroom. She decided it was time to call it a day and packed her bags and moved in with a friend. ‘He’s been trying to get me to come back since. Which was what you saw tonight.’

  Having listened to it all, all I could do was shake my head. What sort of prick would play around when he’s married to someone like Vicki? Though she hadn’t made a big thing of it, the thought that he’d been prone to laying a hand on her from time to time made me feel like getting in my car, driving to their big house in Appleton, kicking the front door in, dragging him out of bed and beating him to a pulp.

  We stared across the table. In the space of half an hour we’d learned more about each other than in all the time we’d worked together. Something between us changed that morning, though at that moment I had no idea what. What I did know was we had shared more than I’d ever dreamed possible.

  By now it was getting on six o’clock. Light was filtering through the curtains. We cleared the dishes away and as she begin to run the kitchen tap I said, ‘Leave them and get yourself off to bed. You’ll want to use the bathroom first.’

  She gave a wry smile. ‘Okay.’ She headed for the stairs. As she brushed past me in the kitchen I was disappointed when she avoided my gaze. But she stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned. ‘G’night Danny, and thanks.’

  I just nodded. I watched until she disappeared. I gave her a few minutes and followed. Her bedroom light was off. I went straight to bed.

  I’ve no idea how long I lay there, thinking about her lying the other side of the wall. My heart was pounding. I was thinking about how little sleep I was going to get, when the bedroom door opened. She stood there framed in the doorway for what seemed forever. And it was light enough that I could see she was naked. I’d stopped breathing. Stepping inside she closed the door then came straight across to the bed, lifted the duvet and slipped in next to me. She said nothing and didn’t hesitate but pulled me to her and kissed me long and hard. The events of the next hour are amongst the most memorable of my life up to that point, alongside the Jury’s ‘Not Guilty’ verdict, and the day my mum died.

  It was the theme tune from Star Wars that woke me. My ringtone. I remembered at once and stretched my arm out, but felt only empty sheet next to me. I sat up. She was gone. The clock read 12.35. I answered the phone. It was Frank.

  ‘I’m at the club Danny. I need you to come in, as well as those of your team who were working last night.’

  ‘What’s happened?’ My gut was already tightening.

  ‘Agnes didn’t make it home last night. The police are here. She’s missing.’

  CHAPTER 12

  Sunday

  When I got there some of the bar and front of house staff had already arrived, others coming through the door. In the foyer, a woman police officer with a clipboard was checking names before directing people to the upstairs coffee bar to wait to be interviewed. Tony-The-Manager was buzzing around, trying to make it look like he was doing something important. I headed straight for the main office where I found Frank talking with Jamie Carver. Vicki was over in the corner, giving a statement to DS Jess. When Frank rang, he’d told me he’d already spoken to Vicki. As I came in she glanced up, gave me nothing and went straight back to Jess. Eric was on the computer, compiling all the video clips from the night before in which Agnes appeared. Eric lives just round the corner from the club. I’d rung him and the rest of the guys as I was getting dressed and on my way in. The only one I hadn’t been able to raise was Winston. I imagined him either crashed out after hitting something, or not wanting to talk to me yet.

  I said to Carver, ‘Any more news?’ He shook his head. The look in his face wasn’t reassuring. ‘You’ve spoken to Bernadette?’ I said.

  He nodded. ‘They rode a taxi home together. Bernadette dropped Agnes off at the end of her street before carrying on. Agnes’s mother calls in at eight every Sunday morning to check on her. There was no sign Agnes had come home so she rang Bernadette. We’ve traced the taxi driver and he’s in the clear. Right now we’re working on the assumption that someone picked her up after the taxi dropped her off.’

  ‘Agnes would never break her routine,’ I said. ‘Someone’s got to have taken her.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Carver said. ‘We’re not ruling anything out.’ He said it so calmly that, for a second, I lost it.

  ‘There’s no bloody ‘maybe’ about it. Someone’s taken her. Why the fuck are you all standing around when you should be out looking for her?’

  Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at me. I felt like an idiot.

  Carver gave me a straight look. ‘We’re doing everything we need to be doing, Danny. What we need right now is information. If you want to do something practical go and speak to the staff. Make sure they know that if they’ve got any thoughts or theories then whatever their opinion of the police, they need to be telling us.’

  I got the message. ‘Right.’

  Before I went, I shot another glance at Vicki. She didn’t look up.

  Upstairs in the coffee bar, I spent a bit of time doing what Carver had asked. Most of the staff are okay with the police but there are always a few – usually the new ones – who think they are the enemy. I did my best to put them right. Among them was the DJ, Mickey Midnight. He was distraught and being comforted by a couple of the girls. When I was finished saying my piece I took him to one side.

  ‘You alright Mickey?’

  He nodded, wiping away tears. ‘I just want them to find her, Danny. I can’t bear the thought of some bastard hurting her.’

  ‘We all feel the same. Let’s just hang in there.’

  ‘But why her Danny? She was so innocent, so sweet. Why would someone want to take her?’

  ‘One, we don’t know anyone has taken her yet, so let’s not be writing her off. Two, whoever’s doing these things isn’t normal. He doesn’t think like you or me. To him she’s just another girl.’

  He shook his head. ‘But that’s just it. She wasn’t just another
girl. I can’t get this picture of her out of my mind. On the floor, doing her stuff to the Adagio. God, she was so gifted.’

  This time I didn’t bother trying to put him right about talking of her in the past tense. Truth be told, I was having to work at not doing the same myself.

  Down in the staff room I found Eric, Eve, Golman and Chris in conference. As I came in it all went quiet and they stood up.

  ‘You need to go upstairs,’ I told them. ‘The police want statements off everyone who was working last night.’

  Eric nodded. ‘We know. We were just talking.’

  ‘About what?’ Though I knew already.

  ‘Winston.’

  ‘What about him?’ I knew that as well.

  Eric looked at the rest, confirming his election as spokesman. ‘We don’t think it’s right you’ve taken him off the door.’

  ‘It’s not, but right now I’ve no option. If I hadn’t, Frank would have had an excuse to take the door off us and give it to someone else. And you all know who that would be.’

  Chris was first to challenge. ‘And we all know who set him up. Eve says Charnley was in here earlier on last night. On his own.’

  I turned to her. ‘Is that right?’

  She nodded. ‘I thought he was hanging around to see you. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now I’m sure he was up to something. He could have waited for you in the office or out front. And he didn’t stay long after I saw him.’

  It was good intelligence, but not enough to change anything. ‘Being sure and having evidence isn’t the same thing.’

  Eric squared himself. ‘The team’s looking for you to back them Danny. Like you've always said. We all stick together.’

  I had no trouble reading what he was trying to tell me. Unless I gave them good reason not to, they were ready to walk. And though I didn’t like it, it was reassuring to know they were prepared to go out on a limb for a mate. Sermon time.

  ‘Listen. I don’t like taking Winston off the door any more than you do. And for what it’s worth I agree with you. He was stitched. If I thought for one minute the stuff was his, he wouldn't just be off the door, he’d be out of a job. But I have to run things according to the contract and the contract says that anyone found in possession has to be removed from the site, immediately. If I hadn’t done it, then believe me we wouldn’t still be here. I don't intend to leave it at that and I’m aiming to have Winston back here as soon as I can. But I need to let things settle for a couple of days. I know how you all feel. But right now I need you all to stick with me, keep your heads down and get on with the job. If we don’t, Frank will use it as an excuse to void the contract and we’ll all suffer.’

  It was a measure of their anger that even the ever-respectful Golman, who usually prefers to listen, wanted to have his say. ‘But how can Mr Johnson treat you, and us, like that after all we’ve done for him? If it wasn’t for us, he’d be closed down by now.’

  ‘You’re right Gol. But there’s things going on I’m not clear on yet. I’m not sure it’s all Frank’s doing. I think he’s under pressure.’

  ‘To do what?’

  ‘Take the door off us.’

  ‘Pressure from who?’

  ‘I’m not sure about that yet either. Yashin, maybe.’

  Eric bridled. ‘That Russian twat. I knew he was bad news. He’s setting us up so he can take control of the door.’

  Eve nodded. ‘Control the door, control the drugs.’

  ‘Exactly,’ I said. ‘And I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to let that happen.’

  They all looked at each other, exchanging nods, silently giving Eric his mandate. He turned to face me.

  ‘Okay Danny. We’ll go with it, for now. But the sooner you get Winston back here the better.’

  ‘Soon as I can. I promise.’ As they all nodded their acceptance, they relaxed and the mood in the room lightened. ‘Now you need to get upstairs and tell the police anything you know that might help them find Agnes.’

  They all trooped out, Eric bringing up the rear. I called to him as he was about to leave and he hung back.

  ‘Thanks.’

  He threw me a wink. ‘This is why you need to pay me more.’

  I waited to make sure they’d gone, then let out a relieved sigh.

  Ten minutes later I was passing through the lobby when Vicki came down the stairs. I stuck to the business.

  ‘You finished with the police?’

  She nodded. ‘They wanted to know what went on with the Russians last night. I think some of Yashin’s men may be getting knocks on their doors before the day is over. Maybe Yashin himself.’

  ‘It’s nice to think of them being grilled. But I’ll be surprised if they’re anything to do with Agnes going missing.’

  ‘So will I, but at least it’ll make them think twice about pulling another stunt like the one they pulled last night. Have you given a statement?’

  ‘I’m about to.’ I remembered what I’d been thinking about before Vicki appeared.

  ‘The girls who have all been attacked.’

  ‘What about them?’

  ‘What do you know about them?’

  ‘Not much. I knew Sonia of course, and I met Naomi once, but I didn’t know the others.’

  ‘You said last night they’d all visited Midnight’s. Who told you that?’

  ‘I heard the front of house girls talking. Between them they probably knew all of them. Why are you asking?’

  ‘Hmm, just thinking about something someone mentioned. No matter. I’ll speak with the girls myself.’

  There was an awkward silence. She broke it.

  ‘I’m sorry about this morning.’

  ‘There’s no need. I’m not-’

  ‘No, I should explain why-’

  ‘You don’t owe me any explanations.’

  ‘Maybe not, but I want to anyway, if you’ll listen.’

  I shut up.

  ‘Last night- This morning, was- I woke up confused. It wasn’t what I expected. You weren’t… how I expected.’ My face must have said, Really? ‘You were…’

  ‘Normal?’

  ‘I was going to say… nice.’

  ‘Ah. Fooled you there then.’

  ‘Don’t mock me Danny. I’m trying to get my head round things.’

  ‘I’m not sure what it is you’re trying to say.’

  ‘I’m trying to say that in the time I’ve known you, all I’ve ever seen is Danny Norton, The Hardest Man In Warrington. But this morning you were… different.’

  ‘In a good way I hope?’

  She gave me a long look before she said, ‘Yes.’

  ‘So where does that leave, you?’ I'd nearly said ‘us’.

  ‘I’m not sure. That’s what I’m trying to get my head around. It’s why I left early. I needed room to think.’

  ‘And have you?’

  ‘Not enough. Frank called as I was coming away from yours. I’ve not had much time since.’

  ‘So where are you going now?’

  ‘I’m going to see Vincent. We need to sort things out.’

  I wasn’t sure what she meant by that and wasn’t about to ask. I’d had enough of making myself look daft. But I hoped it didn’t mean she was looking to patch things up with him.

  She gave me one last look. ‘Thanks again for last night.’ Unsure which part she was thanking me for I just nodded, then worried in case I reminded her of a nodding dog on a car’s back parcel shelf. After she left, I made my way upstairs. Jess was already there, looking for me.

  ‘I need a statement off you about last night.’

  ‘I’m all yours.’

  I was with her over an hour. The times we’d met before there’d been a fair bit of mutual mickey-taking but this time she was all business. I didn’t ask her directly what she thought had happened to Agnes but the way she kept focusing on what seemed to me like the most minor details, I got the impression she wasn’t expecting it would stay a missing person
enquiry much longer.

  By the time we finished, I’d about had enough and was ready to get away. I had things to do. But I needed to speak with the girls first. Tony had opened the Dusk-‘til-Dawn bar and I found those who hadn’t gone home yet sat on stools in a circle, sipping vodkas and Cokes and swapping gossip. It’s a sad aspect of human nature that when something bad happens, people revel in it. Even before they know the facts, they like to imagine, to develop theories. Which is exactly what they were doing. I picked up on a couple as I approached.

  ‘I heard she was seen leaving the club with some Russian guy.’

  ‘My mum told me she heard a load of sirens this morning. She reckons her neighbour said something about hearing a scream about three o’clock this morning.’

  They almost seemed to be enjoying it which I didn't like at all, but I didn’t say anything. Abi, one of the cloakroom girls, saw me coming and pulled a stool round.

  ‘I’ll bet Gladiator’ll know.’ Gladiator is one of my nicknames. I’m told there are others. ‘Park your bum, chuck. What’re the police saying?’

  I played dumb while I waited to get to what I was interested in. Eventually I said, ‘I suppose that between you, you’ll have known all the girls?’

  ‘We was just saying that,’ Abi said, a bit too enthusiastically ‘We all knew Sonia.’

  ‘And me and Lisa knew Naomi.’

  ‘And she knows- Sorry, knew Claire.’

  ‘And of course we all know Agnes.’

  Ignoring the last I said, ‘What were Claire and Naomi like?’

  As they queued up to tell me what they knew, I sat quietly and listened, letting them paint the picture I was looking for. After five minutes I’d heard enough.

  I said, ‘I know its big news, but perhaps its best not to talk about all this too much just yet, eh? Agnes is still only a missing person, remember?’ Checking faces, I saw guilty looks being exchanged. ‘Maybe it’s time you all got off home. The police are nearly finished here and we’ll be needing to close up.’ They got the message.