‘What’s up, Tony? You seem twitchy.’ Jake was surprised at the way Tony was patrolling the room. ‘Everything’s going great. There are more coppers here than in the whole force. God, has every station in the country turned up for free booze and food? Even Columbo is here.’
‘I know, that’s what I can’t understand. There is just something I can’t put my finger on. Maybe I’m being paranoid. Call it gut instinct, but something isn’t right. And where the bloody hell is Sharon?’
‘I told you, she is at her mum’s. The woman’s ill, Sharon can’t not be with her ill mother just because the commissioner is having a party.’ Jake was trying to stress the point about Sharon’s mum while apologising at the same time. He gave up. He could see Tony was in no mood for pleasantries.
‘I need to go and have a chat with that inspector. This jigsaw puzzle just doesn’t fit.’ Tony walked over and stood at the inspector’s side.
‘Are you having a good time, Inspector?’ He flashed his most charming smile and held out his hand to shake the inspector’s, but he was horrified by the reception he got.
‘I am, Mr Lambrianu. The question is, are you? Well, it’s not midnight yet. Enjoy it while you can.’
‘Meaning?’ Tony’s stomach flipped and he felt sick. This hadn’t been paranoia. Something was wrong. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was just after 11 p.m. Not quite midnight.
‘I had better go, Tony. Leave you to the fun and games.’ He gulped back his drink. The sneering smile on the inspector’s face made Tony’s blood run cold; he watched him leave.
Tony walked around the room in a panic, watching everyone, but he was at a loss. What exactly was he looking for?
‘Mr Lambrianu.’ One of the waitresses walked up to him and wanted his attention. He couldn’t be bothered with their complaints or moans. He had business to deal with.
‘Mr Lambrianu,’ the waitress persisted.
‘What!’ he snapped. ‘What is it that cannot wait?’
‘Sorry, sir. It’s just that you were looking for Sharon earlier and I have just seen her go into one of the booths.’ With that, she walked away.
Sharon was here and no one had seen her? ‘Jake. Do you know where Sharon is at this moment?’
‘Yes.’ Jake was a little tipsy and smiled in a drunken way. ‘I told you, she is with her mother. Why?’
‘And you haven’t seen her come in here?’
Jake shook his head.
Sweeping his hair back in usual fashion, Tony stormed off and walked around the dance floor again. Everyone was in high spirits, dancing and laughing. He decided to check the booths. After opening the private doors, he stood in shocked horror at the sight before him.
There was Sharon and three men. One of them he recognised as the young man she had been flirting with the other day. They had cocaine lined up on the table in front of them. There was a pile of it at the side of them and each one of them had a straw and was sniffing it. Trying to remain calm, Tony walked in and shut the door behind him. They were all drinking champagne. What a cosy sight.
Sharon did not seem dismayed by this, but then he noticed her dilated pupils and realised she was so full of the stuff she didn’t care. Now it all made sense. What had Jake said? Mood swings? The inspector had made a point of looking at Sharon when he had talked of a drugs raid.
‘Mr Lambrianu!’ One of the men had the sense to jump out of his seat and stand up. He was shocked at being caught in the act.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Tony said, through gritted teeth. ‘Don’t you realise we have the whole of the Metropolitan Police Force on the other side of this door?’ Tony tried his best to hold his temper. He didn’t want to cause a scene or for anyone to hear him shouting.
One of the men spoke up. ‘What’s wrong, Sharon? You said it was okay and that he knew.’
Tony looked around at the room and the four of them with white powder on their upper lips and noses. Cocaine had been spilt on the floor, it was everywhere, even on their jacket sleeves where they had leaned on the table to snort it.
‘Know what, Sharon?’ Tony grabbed hold of her hair and pulled her head back. ‘What is it he thinks I know, you fucking bitch?’ The snarl on his face spoke volumes to the others.
The frightened young man blurted words out, speaking more out of fear than common sense. ‘We sell it here. You know that. You have known it for months.’ The man turned his head to look at Sharon.
‘Let go of me, Tony, you’re hurting me.’ Sharon grabbed hold of his hand to loosen his grip on her hair. ‘If you don’t let go, I will shout so fucking loud all of that lot out there will come in here and see you attacking a woman. And let’s not forget all of this.’ After dipping her finger into the cocaine, Sharon licked it. ‘It’s all bought with your money, Tony. Now, fucking let go of me and go and lick the commissioner’s arse.’ Sarcasm dripped from Sharon’s mouth as her head swayed unsteadily.
Tony was stunned and rooted to the spot, still holding Sharon by the hair. He could see she had taken more than her fair share of the cocaine. She couldn’t even feel the pain of him nearly yanking her hair out by the roots. The last thing he needed was for her to scream out. The inspector had been right. They must have been watching them for months. Tony glanced at his watch. It wasn’t quite midnight and he had to work fast.
‘Stay in here. Do you hear me? We’ll sort this later.’ Letting go of Sharon’s hair, he walked out and shut the door behind him and mopped his brow. Feeling the panic rise in him, he felt sick. It felt almost like a set-up.
Now he had to think on his feet. There was no time to plan. He walked down the hallway towards his office as calmly as he could, without attracting too much attention. He smiled at people as he passed them, then entered his office and shut the door. He was trying to breathe calmly. He was angry and wanted blood. But first he had to sort this mess out and there wasn’t much time.
As he looked up at the ceiling, a thought occurred to him. It was worth a try and for now it was all he had. Pulling out the chair, he stood on it. He wobbled slightly and tried steadying himself. The last thing he needed now was to break his neck.
Taking out his lighter, he held it under the smoke alarm. Immediately, the piercing noise of the alarm filled the room. He left the room and ran down the hallway and back to the party, where he smashed the glass on the fire button alarm.
Instantly all the alarms came on, sending piercing bells throughout the club. People stopped what they were doing and turned to look at each other. Suddenly all the sprinklers in the ceiling started spraying out cold water over everyone.
There were screams and howls as everyone ran for the exit. Panic filled the room as everyone ran for it. Some were slipping on the floor, which was now sodden, and falling to their knees. What only a few minutes ago was a bustling dance floor now looked like a swimming pool. People were scrambling over each other in panic while water rained down on them. Now it was time for Tony to act.
‘Sorry, folks,’ Tony shouted, trying to gain their attention. ‘Can everyone slowly make their way to the exit? The staff will help you.’ Looking towards the bar staff and waitresses, Tony pointed his thumb in the direction of the soaking crowd. He was drenched. Water was dripping off the end of his nose. Brushing his wet hair back, he scanned the room for Francesca. Then he spotted her running out of the toilets.
‘Francesca! Francesca!’ He shouted over the screaming crowd, trying to make himself heard. Seeing her look at him, he waved his arm and pointed to the exit. ‘Get out … now.’
She started pushing her way past people then bent down and took her shoes off. Her hair, which had been up, now hung wet around her shoulders, and her make-up was smudged.
‘I’m not leaving you here, Antonias. Come with me,’ she shouted, as she was pushed and shoved backwards, almost falling to the floor. Thankfully, he saw Julie; she was wet through, and she looked at him with a curious expression, then she grabbed Francesca by the arm and pulled her away from the
crowds of people, towards the exit.
Tony looked around at the sodden night club. His pride and joy. It was ruined. But he’d had no choice. He felt despair as he watched people push and shove each other. The bouncers were forming an orderly queue and trying to create calm. Everyone knew their jobs. The fire safety officers were already on it, sorting everyone out.
‘What the fuck has happened?’ Jake was at Tony’s side, soaked to the skin.
‘You play with fire, Jake, you get your fingers burnt.’ Tony ignored the curious frown on Jake’s face. Now was not the time to explain. ‘Come on, let’s see what’s happening outside.’ Looking once more around the almost empty club, Tony felt sick to his stomach. Well, at least whatever cocaine powder was around had now been washed away. Everything was wet and ruined. But, most of all, there was no sign of drugs and that was the most important thing.
Walking outside, Tony could hear sirens. That would be the fire brigade. Everyone seemed to be shivering from the night air and the wetness of their clothes, and looking and checking for their partners to make sure they had got out safely. Women were crying and some were complaining about their dresses being ruined.
Hearing the sirens come closer, Tony looked up to see three police cars and a police van. Curious, he turned to Jake. There were more sirens in the background, which he presumed would be the fire brigade.
Police jumped out of their cars and stopped in their tracks, seeing all the people on the pavement. One by one, they looked at each other, waiting for an explanation. Then the officer in charge walked forward.
‘Mr Lambrianu. We have reason to believe that you have been dealing and importing drugs into your nightclubs.’ Ignoring the fracas outside of the club and the fire engines, the officer in charge started to read Tony his rights.
Ralph walked towards Tony. ‘What the hell is going on here? It’s a fire alarm. Why is he under arrest?’
The commissioner walked up to the arresting officer, wanting to make his presence known. The officer in charge paled at the sight of the commissioner. No one had known he was going to be there. It had all been arranged at the last minute. ‘Who are you? What the hell are you doing here? Can’t you see all these people need help? Now, what is all this about?’
The commissioner was fuming. Not only had his party come to a dramatic halt, but he was soaked to the skin. His best police uniform, with all of its shiny buttons and emblems, was ruined, and now he was being accused of drug taking?
‘Sorry, sir.’ The woman officer in charge of the raid paled at the sight of the commissioner. Her voice wobbled as she tried to speak. ‘We didn’t know you were having a party here tonight, sir. But we do have good reason to believe that Mr Lambrianu has been selling drugs on these premises.’
Other fellow police officers came forward and heard the argument. Now it was becoming heated. Looking across the arguing police and the silent crowd that were now looking on at the scene before them, Tony caught sight of the chief inspector, AKA Columbo, who seemed to be there as a spectator. He had been right, and in his own way he had tipped Tony off as best he could. Whatever Tony had chosen to do with the information had been up to him.
‘It’s okay, Commissioner. I will go with them and answer any of their questions. I have nothing to hide. Especially not in this wet suit.’ Now composed, Tony turned on the charm and smiled at them all innocently.
‘You will do no such thing, Mr Lambrianu. You have enough to deal with here.’ The commissioner was adamant Tony was going nowhere. He looked embarrassed and horrified at his hosts being accused in front of all these people, and having them hearing the accusations. Some were checking their mobile phones were okay and, if so, they were taking pictures. The fire crew were already inside the nightclub and in charge of the situation.
Best of all, the newspapers had heard the call about the supposed fire at Lambrianu’s. This had made them turn up in their droves. They all got tips from emergency calls if there was any juicy scandal. This just got worse and worse. But for Tony, it got better and better!
‘Do you want me to do a drugs test? Is that it?’ screamed the commissioner at the arresting officer. ‘Get out of here and take this farce with you. I will speak to you and your superiors tomorrow.’
The red-faced woman could do nothing else but walk back to her car. All the other officers had tried making themselves useful helping the crowds.
‘My car is at your disposal, commissioner. Please, take your wife home, it’s been a long night.’ Ralph waved his chauffeur forward and made him give his coat to the commissioner’s wife.
‘Of course,’ Tony shouted towards what was left of the diminishing crowd who were already hailing cabs, ‘any expense due to damage to your clothing and personal items will be duly paid for by me. Please don’t let all of this spoil your night.’
‘Let’s go home, Tony. It’s been a hell of a night. And your suit is stuck to you like a second skin. Come on.’ Francesca, who was shivering with cold, linked her arm in Tony’s.
‘No, you go. I have to see things are secure here.’ He knew Francesca would argue the toss, so he appealed to Julie. ‘Tell her, Julie. I have to see to things here.’
‘Absolutely. Fran, come on, get in the car, you’re shivering. He’s got to see things are locked up. And don’t tell him he is wet through and that suit is sticking to him. God knows you can see through it. He probably thinks it’s another kinky game. Well, just for the record, Lambrianu, it isn’t doing you any favours clinging to you like that. If anything, it just goes to show how cold it is out here.’ Julie’s comforting laugh put Francesca at ease and made her get into the car. Julie watched Tony look down at his crotch. Raising one eyebrow and smiling he knew she was right. It most definitely was cold!
‘Right, Tony, are you going to tell me what all this farce was about?’ Ralph looked angry. He had kept up his brave face long enough and now he wanted to know what was going on.
‘Jesus. Sharon!’ Turning on his heels, Tony ran into the club. The fire crew were still in there, checking for anyone, and the sprinklers had been turned off. Soaked, limp food was left deserted on plates swimming in water. The place was ruined; it looked like a scene from the movie, Titanic . People had left their bags and personal possessions behind in the panic.
Running to the VIP booth, Tony opened the door. It was empty. Sharon hadn’t run out the front door, he would have seen her. Where the hell was she?
‘Sharon? What has she got to do with this, Tony? Why would Sharon be in one of the booths? She hasn’t been here all evening.’ Jake was finding it very hard to comprehend Tony’s actions. He seemed to be running around in circles like a cat on hot bricks.
‘Run up to the apartment, Jake, and see if she is there. Not now. Just do it,’ he shouted. All the while Ralph Gold stood there in his wet suit and watched Tony.
‘Are up going to tell me what is going on, Tony, or do I have to beat it out of you?’ Looking through his damp packet of cigars, Ralph found a dry one and lit it.
‘Just give me a minute, Ralph. Please, just wait.’ Tony looked up as Jake came back into the club.
‘No, she is not up there. Why would she be?’
Letting out a huge sigh, Tony realised now was the time to explain. ‘Find yourself somewhere dry to sit, fellas. Believe me, this is one hell of a story.’
Jake’s jaw dropped to his chest as Tony unfolded the story while Ralph sat there, stony-faced. ‘That is why I did what I did. It was the only thing I could think of that would wash that shit away. If they had come in and searched, they would have found that room with cocaine smeared everywhere and the four of them as high as kites. That is all that copper needed to throw the book at us.’
‘Well.’ Ralph’s quiet, calm demeanour showed his displeasure. ‘It seems Sharon has been having quite the time of it with her young man. Did you not suspect anything, Jake? Or, as usual, did you bury your head in the sand hoping it would go away? It’s not the first time she has shit on you, is it?�
� His question was more of a statement.
They all sat there, sodden to their skins, and the cold was starting to show on all of their faces. ‘Let’s go up to the apartment. We can get warm and changed up there. Let’s secure this place and call it a night.’ Tony was trying to sound in charge but was nervously waiting to hear Ralph’s wrath.
‘Okay. Good idea.’ Ralph stood up first and started walking towards the stairway to the apartment, then stopped short. The back exit door was ajar. ‘I would say that is where Sharon and her young lover made their exit. Wouldn’t you?’
Tony knew he was right. How else had Sharon got out without being noticed? He also knew that Ralph had emphasised the words ‘young’ and ‘lover’. It was obvious to Tony that Ralph blamed Jake for this.
Turning to look at Jake, Tony could see the pain in his face. His whole world had just crumbled. His wife had a lover and she was a cocaine addict. Poor bastard. And now Ralph was holding him to blame.
Nothing was said once they entered the apartment. It was dry up there and each of them in turn took a hot shower. The electricity was still on and Tony decided to make them all a hot drink to warm them up. ‘Don’t bother, Tony. I’ll have a brandy,’ said Ralph.
Tony had had enough. ‘Whatever is on your mind, Ralph, I wish you would spit it out. Let’s get it over with.’
Pulling his towelling robe closer around him and taking a sip of his brandy, Ralph sat down on the sofa. ‘This is going to cost me a lot of grovelling and a lot of money, making it up to the commissioner. If he hadn’t been here you would be in a police cell by now. Both of you. Drugs are not my thing, Tony, you know that.’ Tony was about to speak, but Ralph held his hand up. ‘You have asked me to speak, so let me speak. How have you never noticed that Sharon was passing drugs to your customers? More to the point, how was she doing it? Have none of your staff mentioned it? You’ve taken your eye off the ball, Tony, and it could have cost you your liberty. Find out from your staff what they know. And you, Jake. Bloody hell, man, you live with the woman. Okay, you have had your ups and downs, but nothing gave you any indication that things weren’t right? I don’t believe that. You just turned a blind eye to it all hoping she would come back. Show him that bloody recording, Tony. Yes, now is the time. You have had more than your fair share of time whilst you sorted things out in Italy. Now show him what that bitch is capable of.’ Ralph was shouting. He was angry and more to the point he was pointing at Jake.
Dirty Dealings Page 16