The Club

by Mandasue Heller

  ‘Hate to say it,’ Ruth said when Jenna had explained everything. ‘But it looks like this manager chappie might be right about it being more trouble than it’s worth trying to sell. A surveyor would be duty-bound to report a dangerous structure to the local authorities. And, let’s face it, my love, your father was a one for cutting corners – bless him – so you could be opening a very large can of worms if you proceed with the idea of selling.’

  ‘Great,’ Jenna muttered. ‘So I’m stuck with it.’

  ‘Is that really such a bad thing?’ Ruth asked quietly. ‘Your dad wanted you to have it more than anything in the world. We were discussing it after his first heart attack, a couple of months ago, and he told me—’

  ‘Sorry?’ Jenna interrupted. ‘Did you just say his first heart attack?’

  ‘Ah . . .’ Ruth murmured guiltily. ‘Sorry, my love. You weren’t supposed to hear that.’

  Jenna felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. ‘Why didn’t anybody tell me?’

  ‘Because he didn’t want to worry you,’ Ruth told her gently. ‘You’d had a hellish few months, but you seemed to be on the up and he didn’t want to drag you back down.’

  ‘Did he think I was so wrapped up in my own problems that I wouldn’t want to know something like that?’ Jenna gasped incredulously. ‘Christ, Ruth, I wouldn’t have given any of that a second thought if I’d known that my dad needed me. I’d have come straight home to look after him.’

  ‘Which was precisely what he didn’t want,’ Ruth chipped in firmly. ‘He couldn’t bear the thought of forcing you to play nursemaid to a dying man. You’ve been doing so well since you left home, and he knew how happy you were – apart from the boyfriend situation, of course. He desperately didn’t want you to lose all that.’

  ‘But I’ve lost it anyway,’ Jenna told her. ‘I’d already decided to move on and start again.’

  ‘So, why not here?’ Ruth suggested smoothly. ‘All he ever wanted was for you to be secure, and leaving you the club was his way of guaranteeing that. Claudia’s husband runs his own business, so he didn’t want her to have it. And, anyway, he knew that if you went for it, you’d be as passionate about it as he was.’

  ‘Doesn’t look like I’ve got much choice, does it?’ Jenna murmured resignedly. ‘But how am I supposed to pay for it?’

  ‘Oh, that’s the easy bit,’ Ruth told her breezily, sounding pleased that Jenna was coming around to the idea. ‘You honour the debts before anybody takes legal action. Then, once you’ve got a clean credit rating, you use the club as collateral and secure a bank loan to finance the work that needs doing. Simple.’

  Jenna’s head was spinning by the time she came off the phone. But now that she’d told Ruth she was willing to give it a go there was no turning back. She just hoped it was going to be as simple as Ruth had insisted it would be.

  Phoning the bank, she made an appointment for the following morning. Then she called Fabian and told him what she’d decided, and asked him to meet her at the club at noon tomorrow. Then, lastly, she took a deep breath and rang Vibes.

  ‘Oh, right,’ he murmured disappointedly when she told him that he should come for the rest of his things tomorrow if he liked. ‘I take it you’ve decided to sell, then?’

  Smiling, Jenna said, ‘No, I’ve decided to keep it. If all goes well with the bank, I’ll be getting the builders in as soon as possible. I just thought I’d better warn you, because I didn’t think you’d want your stuff in there while they’re ripping the place to pieces.’

  ‘For real?’ Vibes sounded delighted. ‘Oh, man, that’s so cool! Anything I can do to help?’

  ‘Well, there is something, actually,’ Jenna said, nervous now, because it was a big favour she was about to ask of him. ‘Fabian reckons it could take about four months to get everything done if we started now, so I know I’ll probably lose most of the staff because they won’t be able to hold out for that long. But I really, really don’t want to lose you, so I was wondering if you’d consider keeping your diary clear for when we reopen? Only thing is . . . I, er, don’t think I’d be able to pay you a full wage while the work’s being done.’

  ‘Hey, don’t even worry about that,’ Vibes told her without hesitation. ‘Money ain’t an issue for any of the DJs, ’cos we all do other residencies on our free nights. You just do what you got to do, and let me know when you’re ready for me. To come back, that is,’ he added quickly, kicking himself for sounding like he was hitting on her. ‘Anyway, four months is perfect timing for the party.’

  ‘Sorry?’ Jenna said, not understanding what he was getting at, because she hadn’t mentioned a party.

  ‘It’s September now,’ Vibes explained. ‘So four months would take us to the beginning of January – and what better night than New Year’s Eve for a reopening party? You’d have plenty of time to plan it, and you could invite all the local celebrities. It’d be fantastic publicity.’

  ‘I don’t know any celebrities,’ Jenna admitted, disappointed because it really had sounded like a great idea.

  ‘Leave that to Fabian,’ Vibes told her knowingly. ‘I guarantee he’ll come up trumps. But do yourself a favour, and tell him it was your idea.’

  ‘What’s wrong with telling him the truth?’

  ‘Let’s just say I know enough about him to know he’d be more receptive if it came from you.’

  Shrugging, Jenna said, ‘Okay, whatever you think best.’ Then, ‘Right, well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’

  ‘Looking forward to it,’ Vibes said softly. ‘Later, Princess.’

  Smiling, Jenna said goodbye and hung up. What a lovely man. And what a lucky lady his wife was, because she obviously had nothing to worry about, judging by the way he’d corrected himself just now to make sure that Jenna didn’t think he was flirting with her. She really respected him for that.

  And resented Jason all the more.

  But she wasn’t going to think about him any more. From now on, she was going to put all her time and effort into the club.

  Her club.

  2

  Jenna was standing with Fabian inside the club-room door, greeting people as they arrived. She’d been convinced that none of the celebrities he’d invited would turn up, sure that they’d have far better things to do than try out what was in effect a brand new club, on the biggest night of the year. Amazingly, most had decided to chance it – which was a huge relief. And somebody had obviously tipped the press off, because several photographers had set up camp across the road and were busy snapping everyone who came in – which would be fantastic publicity when the papers hit the stands in the morning, just as Vibes had predicted.

  All in all, everything seemed to be going really well so far. But Jenna was particularly impressed with Fabian now that she’d seen him in action. He’d been indefatigable in the gruelling months leading up to this, taking on every challenge with gusto. Jenna had done her bit, but Fabian had far surpassed her in energy and imagination. And he was totally on the ball tonight – which was a minor miracle, Jenna thought, considering he’d been at the club from early this morning, making sure that everything and everyone was ready.

  His customer-service skills were exceptional. He’d known every one of the guests’ names without once referring to the list and had treated them all like old friends, subtly adjusting his manner to suit their individual status: respectful to the older, more established stars, like Glenda Jackson and John Savident; suave and sophisticated for Victoria Beckham’s group; cool and flirtatious with Charlotte Church and her gal-pals, the pretty girls from Coronation Street, and the three blondes who arrived with Chase Mann – but not too much so with the latter, in case they came back at a later date celeb-less and expected preferential treatment; then matey with Chase himself, having met him a few times previously.

  ‘You really enjoy this, don’t you?’ Jenna said when they’d wished Chase and his entourage a Happy New Year and had one of the waiters escort them to the VIP lou
nge.

  ‘Usually,’ he replied, adding quietly, ‘but not always. Hope you’ve got a tissue handy.’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘The Honourable Drakes.’ He nodded towards the main doors, where an older couple were just entering. ‘He’s got the sweatiest hands I’ve ever come across – and it’s not pleasant, be warned.’

  He wasn’t wrong, as Jenna soon discovered when Leonard Drake made a beeline for her and grasped one of her hands between both of his. They were fat, wet, and very hot – it felt like being swallowed by an enormous slug.

  ‘You must be Jenny,’ he gushed. ‘I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you.’ Sighing loudly then, he shook his head sadly. ‘Terrible business, your father going like that. He was a good friend, and I shall miss him terribly.’

  ‘Me too,’ Jenna said, not bothering to correct his mispronunciation of her name as she slid her hand free. ‘I must apologise for not inviting you to the funeral,’ she said then, ‘but I hadn’t had a chance to go through my dad’s papers at that point, and I wasn’t sure who his friends were – other than those I knew personally, of course. I hope you weren’t too offended?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Leonard assured her, beaming widely. So much for Avril’s snipe about James Lorde not regarding him as a friend! ‘I’m just delighted to be here now. And very honoured that you thought to invite me.’

  Holding her hand away from her dress in case the sweat stained it, Jenna smiled. ‘My dad wouldn’t have been happy if I’d neglected his friends.’

  ‘Especially not such an eminent one as Mr Drake,’ Fabian chipped in, his eyes twinkling as he noticed what Jenna was doing with her hand. ‘He was an MP for many years,’ he went on – seemingly full of admiration, although Jenna was sure she caught a hint of a mocking tone as he added, ‘and quite the local celebrity, too. There was a time when he was never out of the papers or off the TV.’

  ‘That was some time ago now, I’m afraid,’ Leonard murmured wistfully. ‘Seems they only want young, pretty faces on screen and page these days.’

  ‘Probably a blessing that you retired when you did, then,’ Fabian said soothingly. ‘Give you a chance to relax and get your privacy back. And I’m sure you’re happier to see more of your husband, Mrs Drake?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ Avril lied. Turning to Jenna then, she said, ‘I’m Avril. Very nice to meet you, dear.’

  ‘You, too. And I hope you have a lovely time with us tonight.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure we will.’ Avril smiled, but the dullness in her eyes didn’t escape Jenna. ‘I think we’ve taken up enough of your time,’ she said then, linking her arm through her husband’s. ‘Shall we, Leonard?’

  Calling one of the waiters over to escort them to their table, Jenna watched as they walked away, wondering how an overweight, overly sweaty, rather unattractive man like Leonard had ever managed to net himself such a refined, lovely-looking wife.

  ‘How well did he and my dad actually know each other?’ she asked Fabian when they’d gone. ‘I invited him because his name was in Dad’s address book, but I don’t actually remember Dad mentioning him.’

  ‘They were friends,’ Fabian said. ‘But I think it was more of a business-contact kind of thing. Drake’s the son of one of your dad’s old college mates.’

  ‘My dad went to college?’ Jenna glanced up at him with genuine surprise in her eyes. She hadn’t known that. But then, she had discovered a lot of things that she hadn’t known since coming back, and this was just the latest in a long line of revelations.

  ‘He was very intelligent,’ Fabian told her. ‘But he liked people to think he was a simple man, because then they wouldn’t have too many expectations and he’d be free to get on with what he loved.’

  ‘The club?’ Jenna said, knowing that was what her dad had loved above everything.

  ‘Among other things,’ Fabian said, with no intention of elaborating, because he doubted that Jenna wanted to hear about her dad’s extracurricular activities at the lap-dancing clubs he frequented outside of Zenith.

  ‘So, he met Leonard through his dad?’ Jenna asked now.

  ‘Yeah, Drake senior introduced them when your dad bought the place, because Leonard was working in the town hall at the time and your dad needed help getting the liquor licence pushed through.’ Lowering his voice now, Fabian added, ‘Don’t quote me, but I got the impression it might not have been entirely above board.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Jenna snorted, sure that her dad would never have been involved in anything less than legal. If there was one thing she did know about him, it was that he respected the police and the law above all else.

  ‘Just the impression I got.’ Fabian shrugged. ‘Could be wrong.’

  ‘I’m sure you are,’ Jenna said with certainty. ‘So, what about Mrs Drake?’

  ‘Typical celebrity wife,’ Fabian said, scathingly. ‘Got used to hubby being the Tory poster boy, and wasn’t too happy when his looks went and his career hit the skids and they were pushed out of the limelight. I met them last year when we hosted some old judge’s retirement party in the boardroom, and she was miserable as sin that night, too.’

  Pursing her lips thoughtfully, Jenna said, ‘I thought she seemed more sad than miserable.’

  ‘Same thing, isn’t it?’ Fabian gave her a sly grin. ‘Anyway, wipe your hands. You’re about to meet a real live movie star.’

  ‘Oh?’ Raising an eyebrow, Jenna looked around. ‘Who?’

  ‘Melody Fisher.’ Fabian nodded in the direction of the group who were just entering the foyer.

  Jenna watched as the woman strolled in, pausing – seemingly innocently, although it just had to be deliberate, Jenna thought – directly beneath one of the overhead spots to light the cigarette that one of the men had just given her. Seeming not to notice that every male tongue was hanging out, she arched her lovely neck and blew her smoke elegantly into the air.

  ‘Stunning, isn’t she?’ Fabian whispered, folding his arms to watch the show.

  ‘Gorgeous,’ Jenna agreed. The woman had the most incredible figure she’d ever seen: tiny waist, endless legs, and amazing breasts. ‘I don’t think I know her, though.’

  ‘You will,’ Fabian assured her. ‘She was in a Sandra Bullock movie last year, and another with George Clooney after that. She’s being tipped for the big time, by all accounts. Definitely had surgery, though,’ he added conspiratorially. ‘But she’s been living in the States, and it’s practically compulsory over there, isn’t it?’

  Smiling, because that was exactly the kind of thing a woman would have said, Jenna asked who the men were.

  ‘Little one’s her boyfriend, Tony Allen,’ Fabian said, lowering his voice. ‘Don’t know too much about him except that he’s American. Big one’s rumoured to be a minder.’

  ‘Rumoured?’ Jenna glanced up at him amusedly. ‘By who?’

  ‘My sources.’ Tapping a finger to his nose, Fabian gave her a secretive smile. ‘Pays to keep your ear to the ground in this game, you know. How else do you think I found out they were here, and where they were staying so that I could send them an invitation?’

  Shushing her then, he stepped forward to greet the trio as they approached.

  ‘So glad you could make it, Ms Fisher,’ he cooed, reaching for Melody’s hand and lightly touching his lips to it. ‘And good evening to you, too, Mr Allen. Welcome to Zenith, and may I—’

  ‘Do I know you?’ Tony cut him off rudely, sizing him up and deciding that he was a creep.

  ‘Fabian King – manager of Zenith,’ he said, holding the smile in place despite taking an instant dislike to the other man. ‘And this,’ he gestured towards Jenna, ‘is the owner, Jenna Lorde.’

  ‘Owner?’ Drawing his head back, Tony gave Jenna a disbelieving look. ‘At your age? What are you – like, nineteen, twenty?’

  ‘I’m older than I look,’ Jenna assured him, amused by his straightforward manner.

  Melody had been busy ogling Fabian, who was the e
xact opposite of Tony. Fair, fantastic-looking, fit body. Catching the interest in Tony’s eyes as he looked at Jenna, however, she snapped her attention back to them, her rival-antennae twitching. Giving Jenna the once-over, she decided there was nothing to worry about. Tony liked blondes, not brunettes, and the tits were natural – and nowhere near big enough.

  Giving Jenna a wide smile, Melody stepped forward to make her presence felt, saying, ‘Yeah, me too. No one ever believes I’m not twenty-one any more.’

  ‘I can see why,’ Jenna lied, certain that Melody had to be at least thirty now that she could see her up close. And Fabian could be right about the surgery. But she was very attractive, even so. ‘You have beautiful skin. You’ll have to tell me your secret.’

  ‘Do you think so?’ Melody raised a hand to her cheek. ‘I thought I’d gained a few lines recently.’

  ‘Well, if you have, I can’t see them. And please tell me you have to suffer to keep your body in that kind of shape?’

  ‘Oh, you’re a doll,’ Melody purred, her face lighting up. ‘You and me are going to get along fine.’

  Baffled as to how a couple of words about nothing could bring Melody out of a mood so fast, Tony shook his head.

  ‘I don’t know what you just did, but thanks for doing it, ’cos I thought she was going to have a face on her all night. Pleased to meet you, Jenna.’

  Surprised by the contrast of soft skin and powerful grip when she shook Tony’s hand, Jenna said, ‘You, too, Mr Allen.’

  ‘Hey, it’s Tony to you,’ he scolded. Then, jerking his head, ‘And this here’s Eddie.’

  Glancing up at the man, Jenna said hello, then smiled nervously when he just stared unblinkingly back down at her. She didn’t know about Melody being a film star, but he looked like he’d just stepped off the set of The Sopranos. Tall, and quite muscular, he had an almost feral face, and the darkest eyes she’d ever seen.