by Emma Tallon
Freddie walked around the area with slow, deliberate steps. The ground was concrete, worn away in places with age, with a thin layer of pebbles that had been brought in to fill the potholes. His eyes scanned every crevice, aware he could easily miss something.
About five feet away from the shoe, something glinted in the early morning sun and he bent down to pick it up. It was a small blade with a simple handle. He recognised it as Tanya’s immediately. She had shown them all when she’d first bought it, trying to convince Anna to get one too. Anna had refused, stating that she’d rather not accidentally stab herself every five seconds.
He turned it over in his hand. She must have managed to pull it out in the struggle but not had a chance to use it. There was no sign of blood on the blade. He stood up and walked back to Carl, holding it out for the other man to see.
‘This was hers. Come on. We need to lock up again and call Fraser. The guys on my payroll are already working flat out to find Anna. We need to tell them what’s happened,’ Freddie said.
They walked back inside and through the long hallway towards the bar to lock up. They were reaching the end of the hallway when they heard someone curse in the bar just beyond the door. They froze and Freddie held his hand up to tell Carl to stay quiet. He crept forward and as he got to the doorway jumped towards the man near the bar, brandishing Tanya’s knife.
‘Who the fuck are you?’ he demanded, his tone deadly.
The man jumped and held his hands up in surrender.
‘Er, I’m Drew. I live upstairs. Why do you have Tanya’s knife? And honestly, why does it always end up being pointed at me?’ he asked, his eyes rolling dramatically.
‘You live upstairs?’ Freddie paused, half dropping the blade but still wary.
‘Yes, I’m one of the comedians here. Tanya let me move into the bedsit when my wife kicked me out,’ he explained. ‘I was only down here to grab a bottle of whisky, which I always pay for, by the way. It’s been a fine arrangement with Tanya, but I stubbed my damn toe on this table.’ He motioned towards the table next to him with his hand. ‘And then you guys came in. That’s where I’m at, right now. So, who are you?’ he came back at them, folding his arms.
Freddie dropped the blade into his pocket and stepped forward, holding his hand out to Drew. ‘Sorry, mate, there’s been a lot going on through the night, wasn’t sure whether you were friend or foe.’
Drew shook Freddie’s proffered hand.
‘I’m Freddie; this is Carl. He runs their other club. Listen, what side is your bedsit on? Does it look out the front or back?’
‘Back. What do you mean there’s been a lot going on through the night?’ Drew asked.
Freddie was reluctant to divulge everything. The last thing he needed was a concerned employee calling the Old Bill. He skirted the question. ‘Did you hear anything in the night at all? There was just some trouble out back – we’re looking into it.’
‘Now you mention it, yes. About half ten a car came into the car park and just sat there with the engine running for ages. It irritated me, because I usually like to keep the window open, but the noise was coming from right underneath. I figured it was some drug dealer or whatever.’ He shrugged dismissively. ‘It’s not uncommon. But they didn’t leave, so I closed the window against the noise after about half an hour of it.’
‘Did you see the car?’ Carl asked.
‘Yes, it was’ – he frowned, recalling the details – ‘dark blue I think, but it was dark so that might not be fully accurate. It was an old Jaguar. Not in the healthiest condition by the sound of it.’
‘I’m guessing you didn’t catch the reg,’ Freddie said. He already knew the answer but he had to be sure.
‘No, I had no reason to look. I only glanced at it briefly, or rather I glared at it, when I closed the window. Then I went to bed so no idea when it left, I’m afraid.’
‘OK, thanks for that,’ Freddie said with a nod. ‘We’ll just lock back up and leave you to it.’
‘Sorry I couldn’t be more help,’ Drew offered.
‘No, you have been, mate.’
Freddie locked the door and made his way back out to his car. It wasn’t much, but it was something and that was better than nothing. Maybe Fraser could tap into the local CCTV and have a look for the car. After all, old blue Jaguars weren’t that common on the roads.
For the first time in the nine days since Anna had been taken, Freddie felt a sliver of hope.
44
Sadie Petrov had been in the game for eleven years, since she had first arrived in England at the tender age of seventeen. She had thrived in the glamorous underworld of London, among the rich and dangerous. A natural beauty, she knew exactly how to use it. With her dark hair and piercingly bright green eyes, she stood out in a crowd. These qualities were enhanced by a body she worked very hard at the gym for and naturally large breasts. All of which meant she was never short of clients.
Tonight she had dressed to kill in a strapless corset top and leather miniskirt, ready to do the job James had asked of her and Nathan. She was excited about it. It wasn’t her usual game, but when she heard the reasons why James wanted to pull the plan off, she had agreed in an instant. She couldn’t stand prejudiced scum like Ron and Jimmy. She was more than happy to help them get their comeuppance.
She pushed her boobs out further as she approached the bouncers on the door of Roar and nibbled her full bottom lip seductively. Giving her an appreciative once-over, the doorman lifted the rope and let her straight through, much to the loud annoyance of all the people in the queue.
Ignoring all the looks she was getting, Sadie made a beeline for the end of the bar where she had been told the VIP area was and where she knew her two marks would be. Spotting them, she stopped by the bar and turned to face the dance floor, leaning back on her elbows. She waited for them to notice her.
James had relayed all the information he had managed to get out of his conversation with the unhappy barmaid. Apparently the two men owned an apartment above the club, where they often took young, attractive girls. Girls who threw themselves at them in the hope that they would gain some money and status from being a new accessory to an old face. The two dirty sods liked to enjoy the girls together, sometimes just the one and sometimes in an orgy. Their long-suffering wives had no clue, of course. Or if they did, they kept their mouths shut and ignored it.
It wasn’t long before the bouncer by the VIP rope approached her.
‘Er, miss? The two gentlemen over there wondered if you wanted to join them for a drink. They’re the owners of this club.’
Sadie turned and flashed them a brilliant smile. ‘That would be lovely,’ she replied in her rich Russian accent. She still hadn’t lost it even after all these years.
She stepped up to the table where the two old men were waiting. One of them handed her a glass of champagne.
‘Well, hello, darlin’,’ he said, with a shark-like smile. ‘Thanks for joining us.’
‘Oh, it’s my pleasure. Thank you for the invite,’ she replied, sitting down and crossing her long, tanned legs. His eyes roamed over her hungrily.
‘I’m Ron; this is Jimmy. What’s your name then?’ he said.
‘I’m Alexa.’ She held her hand out and he kissed it.
‘Well, Alexa, what’s a pretty girl like you doing in here all on your own?’
It was a loaded question. Sadie knew he was asking if she was a working girl or not. James had warned her to pretend she wasn’t. They never slept with prostitutes; they were too tight and apparently had enough stupid young women with big ideas to choose from without having to pay for it.
‘Well, I was supposed to meet with a friend tonight, but he cancelled.’ She shrugged. ‘So I decided to come anyway. It was better than staying home all alone. It gets so… lonely.’ She ran her hand up her thigh and gave Ron a smouldering stare as she said it. Then she broke it off and smiled at Jimmy. ‘Are you boys having a good night?’
‘We are now
,’ Jimmy replied with a chuckle. ‘Where’s your accent from?’
‘Russia. I moved over here a few years ago. Less cold,’ she replied with a light laugh.
‘Oh yeah?’ Jimmy said. The men exchanged glances. ‘So tell us, Alexa, what do you girls do over there to keep warm at night, when it’s so cold?’
Sadie let a slow smile spread across her face. ‘Oh, we do lots of things. But never alone. It’s always best to share body heat, when it gets really bad.’
‘Perhaps you could show us how that’s done, Alexa,’ Ron replied. He was practically drooling as he spoke.
Sadie pretended to consider it. ‘Well, I guess I don’t have the company I was expecting to have tonight. And two is always better than one… OK. I will show you how the Russians do things. But to start, you must drink vodka, not champagne. I shall go and get it.’ She stood up to go and order the shots.
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Jimmy said. ‘I’ll have some brought over. Just—’
‘No.’ She cut him off and wagged her finger. ‘In Russia, it is the women who serve their men. You want Russian, you will get Russian. Sit. I will bring it back.’ She winked and walked to a spot halfway down the bar to order the shots.
As soon as they came she glanced back at the men. They were chatting and laughing excitedly, their heads together. She grinned and shook her head. Old men like them were idiots. Checking that no one was paying attention, she slipped the two small tabs out of the waistband of her skirt and dropped them in two of the shots. Picking up a stirrer that had been discarded on the bar top, she quickly mixed them around until the tabs had dissolved. Careful to ensure she knew which one was hers, she carried them back and handed the other two out.
She lifted her glass. ‘Cheers. Here is to embracing new cultures,’ she said.
‘To new cultures,’ the two men replied in unison before downing their shots. Sadie allowed herself a smug smile. It was going to be a very funny night.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Sadie and the two men were comfortably settled into the upstairs flat. Sadie had stripteased to buy some time and was down to just her underwear and heels. She could see Ron was beginning to feel the effects of the pill, but he was still trying to fight them.
‘Now you both get undressed. I want you naked, now,’ she ordered in her deepest, sexiest voice. They immediately obliged, ripping off their clothes, not in the slightest bit shy. Jimmy sported a raging hard-on, but Ron was only about halfway there. Sadie guessed the drug had hit his system a lot faster than Jimmy’s. Everyone was different. Still, it shouldn’t be long before they were both out cold.
The men approached her and Ron started fondling her breasts from behind, whilst Jimmy grabbed her waist and started kissing her. Ignoring his evil-smelling breath, Sadie got into her role and kissed him back, grinding against Ron.
Suddenly she pushed them both away and stepped to the side. ‘I want you to lie on the bed. I have a sexy surprise in store for the both of you. Go on, lie down.’ She waited whilst they did as she asked.
‘You sexy minx, come on – come and play,’ Jimmy called.
‘Oh, I will. But first, I’m going downstairs to get some ice. Wait here. Don’t start without me.’ She blew a kiss and shimmied back into her top and skirt.
Leaving the front door to the flat on the latch, she walked downstairs to the doorway that led out to the street just beside the front door to the club. Nathan was waiting just outside, a plastic bag in his hand. She greeted him and stepped out beside him. She lit a cigarette and sucked in the smoke, relaxing as the nicotine hit her system.
‘Is that what I think it is?’ she asked, pointing towards the bag. He nodded. They exchanged a look and both burst into silent laughter.
‘They not out yet?’ Nathan asked.
Sadie looked at her watch. ‘Getting there but I’d give it five more minutes to be sure.’
‘You definitely gave them enough?’ he checked.
‘Definitely,’ she confirmed. ‘Gave them the highest dose. They’ll be out like babies.’
‘Clearly you have little experience with babies,’ Nathan replied with a snort. ‘Because they don’t sleep much at all.’
‘Well, I’m glad I don’t have any then. I like my sleep,’ she replied. Sadie stubbed out the cigarette and flicked it away. ‘Come on, let’s see how they’re doing. Stay behind in the hall when we go in, just till I’m sure.’
They crept back up the stairs to the flat and Sadie closed the front door behind them.
‘I’m back, boys, but without the ice, I’m afraid,’ she called out as she walked in. ‘The bar is really busy—’ She trailed off and grinned broadly as she entered the bedroom. Both men were sparked out naked on the king-size bed. She poked her head back out to the hallway. ‘Come, they’re asleep.’
Nathan came in and got straight to work. Stripping off his clothes, he handed the digital camera to Sadie. She laughed as he dropped his boxers and saw that he had an erection.
‘Really? This excites you that much?’ She snorted.
‘Don’t be silly,’ he replied. ‘I took Viagra earlier. I wanted the pictures to look as real as possible. I’ll deal with this’ – he pointed down – ‘afterwards.’
He approached the bed and prodded Ron with his finger. The man grunted slightly but didn’t move or wake. With a grin, Nathan pushed him over onto his front. Jumping in between the other man’s legs, he positioned himself so that it looked as though they were doing the deed. Sadie snapped away. After several fake positions, they repeated the process with Jimmy.
‘Go on,’ Nathan said, ‘pass me it.’
Sadie giggled and pulled the Russian hat out of the bag. ‘I can’t believe you brought this – you crack me up!’
Nathan put it on and posed with the men a few more times before he threw it back. ‘OK,’ he said, ‘now for the finale.’
With a little help from Sadie, Nathan positioned himself in the middle of the two men, with Ron spooning him and Jimmy’s hand placed on his face as though in affection. Nathan closed his eyes and posed as though he was asleep with them. As soon as Sadie got the last shot, he stood up to put his clothes back on.
‘I can’t wait till they see these pictures. I wish I could be a fly on the wall, see their faces,’ he said, his tone full of glee. ‘But I think it’s safe to say you and I should stay well away from this neck of the woods for a while.’ He shrugged his top back on and wrapped his arm around Sadie’s shoulders as they walked back out of the flat.
‘Who likes it around here anyway?’ she answered, wrapping her arm around his waist. ‘I love our little corner of Soho. Fuck everywhere else.’
‘Me too, my darling,’ Nathan said with a warm smile, ‘me too.’
45
The door to the bedroom opened and Tanya flew forward, ready to scratch their kidnapper’s eyes out, but she stopped short and started backing up as she caught sight of the gun in his hand.
‘You fucking arsehole,’ she spat as he pointed it at her.
‘Nice to see you too, Tanya. Feisty as your welcome has been,’ he replied, his expression amused. ‘I thought I might need this with you around. Now let’s just get some things straight.’ He lowered the gun now that Tanya was sitting back beside Anna. ‘You are my guest for the foreseeable future. You’re here to help Anna with her pregnancy.’ He smirked at Anna as he said this. ‘Because apparently she can’t cope alone. I’m armed, so is my associate Diego and neither of us will hesitate to shoot you if you play up. We are in the middle of nowhere, there are no other people or buildings for miles, so an escape attempt would be pointless.’
He reeled all of this off as if he were relaying a shopping list. ‘You will be allowed downstairs for a short time each day, so long as you cause no trouble. If there are any problems you’ll be confined to this room and life can be made much less comfortable. Are we clear?’ He paused and waited for an answer.
‘Crystal,’ Tanya growled through gritted teeth.
‘Good,’ he said with a nod. ‘In that case, feel free to make your way downstairs for lunch.’ He moved aside and waited until the two women filed out past him. Tanya shot him a scathing look as she went by, but she said nothing more.
‘Oh, one more thing,’ he said. They paused. His dark eyes glinted coldly. ‘In case you were still thinking about trying to leave, you should know that I’ve buried several pressure-triggered bombs in the ground around the house. If you did somehow get through the doors and past our guns, there is a high chance of you being blown to smithereens. So I really wouldn’t risk it if I were you, girls.’
Tanya let out a slow breath and narrowed her eyes at him hatefully. Anna felt her heart sink. This was unexpected. How were they supposed to get away now? She swallowed her disappointment and looked away.
Pushing past him, Anna held her tongue and led Tanya down to the big, cosy kitchen where Izobel was laying out their lunch on the table. Tanya paused just inside the door as she caught sight of the girl, anger colouring her face.
‘Tan, come on, you know she had no choice.’ Anna laid her hand on Tanya’s arm. She had told Tanya all about Izobel and Diego’s predicament, but naturally Tanya still harboured some resentment.
There was a tense few seconds as Tanya warred with herself. Izobel cast her eyes down and focused on straightening the cutlery. Eventually Tanya took a deep breath and walked forward to take her seat at the table.
Anna breathed a sigh of relief. There was no point Tanya arguing with Izobel, even though she did understand how her friend felt. She had felt the same when she had first arrived, but it wouldn’t get them anywhere now.
‘This looks lovely, Izobel, thanks,’ Anna said, sitting down opposite Tanya.
‘It’s wild mushroom stroganoff with jasmine rice. I used to cook it for my mother a lot, back home. It was one of her favourites.’ Izobel shot a wary look at Tanya.
Tanya took a bite and raised her eyebrows in surprise. ‘Wow, that’s really good,’ she said.