by T J Walter
He continued, ‘We’ve done this before with the drug dealer, Bronchi. Everyone said he was untouchable but we found a way of getting to him. Just as we will with this bastard. Our first task is to find out everything there is to know about him and his organisation.’
He grinned at DS Fred Middlemiss. ‘As you might put it, Fred, I even want to know which hand he wipes his arse with.’ He waited for the laughter to subside then went on, ‘We need to find the kinks in his armour and start to put pressure on him. Eventually he’ll break like a dry twig. Now I’ve got some ideas as to how we go about it but I’d like to hear yours. What do you think?’ There was a long silence.
Then Liz Foreman said, ‘When we got Bronchi, sir, we took out the men collecting the take from the brothels. Maybe we should we do that to Silver and his protection racket?’
‘That’s a possibility, Liz, it’s worth looking into. What else?’
Stumpy Gerrard said, ‘Is he into drugs, boss?’
Brookes shook his head. ‘Apparently not. Just about everything else but not drugs.’
Fred Middlemiss said, ‘But he must have some hobbies, boss. Maybe he does his money on the horses.’
‘Good thinking, Fred. As you came up with it, you can look into that. Any other thoughts?’ He looked round the room. There were no other suggestions. He said, ‘Right. I’ve given a list of areas to cover with DI Short, he’ll give each of you your task. Just so you all know what we’re doing as a team, I’ll give you my overview. We know where he operates from, The Venus Club in the East End. This is a downmarket nightclub; the waitresses are topless, the entertainment, strippers and the lowest and crudest comedians you’ll find anywhere.
‘DI Middlemiss and I are going to pay the place a visit this evening. I want to meet this man, look him in the eye, and let him know he’s got me on his tail. I’ll let you know what we find in the morning.
‘In the meantime, the collator at the local nick will have some info on him and his operation and one of the tasks is calling on him. But there’s more we need; we need to find out how his gang is organised. Who his lieutenants are, and his soldiers. He must have an accountant and he will have to keep records; who is he and where does he have his offices? Who does his enforcing now Smith is dead? What car does Silver drive? I understand he lives above the nightclub. Where does he socialise? Is there a woman in his life, does he have a family? What does he do with his money now we’ve taken out his money launderer? As Fred said, does he follow the horses, the greyhounds, whatever? I want to know all these things. Any questions?’ He waited; there were none.
He finished, ‘OK, let’s get at it. We’ll get together again at this time tomorrow with what we’ve found out.’
The detectives gathered around Derek Short’s desk to see what tasks they had been given.
Brookes beckoned DS Rose and said, ‘Get us a couple of coffees, Jacqui, and bring them to my office, we need to talk.’
When she followed into his office he said, ‘Take a seat.’
Rose sat.
He gave her a hard look. ‘In fifteen or so years you could be sitting on a selection board for chief constable somewhere. I’d hate for the board to bring up something in your past that might make them think twice before selecting you. I have a feeling that this thing with Silver may get a bit dirty. If it does, I have to know that everyone in the team is one hundred percent behind me and not worried about my methods. If you want out, now is the time to say so.’
She returned his hard look and paused before answering. Finally she said, ‘I take that as an insult, sir. I’m behind you one hundred and ten percent and I may even have a few sneaky ideas myself. Don’t you dare question my loyalty again, sir.’
A huge grin spread over his face. ‘I chose my words carefully, Jacqui; if I was questioning your loyalty I wouldn’t have been so honest with you, would I? I simply didn’t want you to commit to a course you might later be sorry for. OK, we know where we stand. Let’s get to it and bring this animal down. Although I don’t know what your dad would think of this.’
The day passed quickly as the team went about their tasks.
At five pm, Brookes said to Rose, ‘Now I’ve got something on with Fred this evening. We’re going to pay a visit to Silver’s strip club. I’m afraid it’s men only. So you take the evening off. I’ll see you in the morning.’
*
At 9pm that evening, Brookes and Middlemiss sat at a table in Lynne’s restaurant in Limehouse. The two had eaten well but had drunk no alcohol. They wanted their wits about them for what they were to do. Middlemiss put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
He said, ‘What do I owe for the meal, boss?’
Brookes shook his head. ‘That’s on me, Fred, I’ll settle with Lynne later.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Time we made a move.’ He walked to the kitchen, gave Lynne a peck on the cheek. ‘I could be late, love, depending on what we find at this sex club.’ He’d told her where he was going and why.
She gave him a wonky smile and said, ‘Behave yourself, and be careful.’
‘I will, love, don’t worry.’
Returning to Leman Street, they met up with DC’s Stumpy Gerrard and Larry Foulds, who were both dressed casually. Nodding a greeting, Brookes produced a floor plan of The Venus Club in Shoreditch High Street.
He said, ‘OK we’ll take two cars. The DS and I will go in first, introduce ourselves, and ask to speak to Silver. You two come in five minutes after and try to get a table where you can see the whole room. There’s a staircase here to the left.’ He pointed as he spoke. ‘Make a mental note of who and how many people go upstairs and when they come down again; if he’s got a knocking shop up there he’s breaking the law and we can use that against him.
‘But don’t let on that you’re in the job or that you’re watching anything but the show. Unless there’s trouble and we need your back-up, you shouldn’t show out. Buy yourselves a drink but watch it; don’t spend too much just because you’re on expenses.’ He smiled. ‘What we’re there for is to get a feel of what’s going on and the man we’re up against.’ He paused, realising what he’d said. He smiled. ‘I said for what’s going on, not of the goods on offer.’
He continued, ‘You know what the law allows in these places. Sex shows. But no actual sex. If Silver is there I’ll speak to him. I want to unsettle the man and let him know I’m after him. His reaction should be interesting but I’ll not stand for any nonsense. All I want you two to do is observe what’s going on and watch our backs. If there is anything going on that shouldn’t be, make a careful note. Any questions?’
Both the DC’s shook their heads.
Brookes turned to Middlemiss. ‘Anything you want to add, Fred?’
‘Yes, boss.’ He turned to Gerrard and Foulds. ‘This man Silver is a hardcase; he’s used to getting his own way. He’ll have some heavies about. If things do get nasty, you two are there to help us. Otherwise just watch. OK?’
They both nodded.
‘OK,’ Brookes said, ‘we’re on our way.’
In the car, he said to Middlemiss, ‘You’re probably wondering why I haven’t let the local nick know we’re paying a visit, Fred.’
Middlemiss pulled a face. ‘I think I can guess, boss, but tell me anyway.’
‘I hope it’s not so but just in case the locals are a little too cosy with Silver, I didn’t want him warned we’re coming.’
Middlemiss nodded. ‘That’s what I thought. I’ve heard nothing on the grapevine but I agree with you, we can’t be too careful.’
‘Good.’
*
The journey took them twenty minutes in the light evening traffic. Middlemiss found a spot to park fifty yards from the club’s entrance. They showed their warrant cards and were allowed in.
The room was large and square in shape, with a bar along one wall and a stage against the one opposite. Tables and chairs were dotted about the area in between. The décor was dark burgundy-coloured wallpaper
and a red carpet. Mirrors hung with tinsel lined the walls, all adding to the glitz. On the stage were three chrome poles stretching from ceiling to floor; the rear of the stage was covered in purple drapes. A woman wearing just a G-string writhed around the pole at the front of the stage to a rhythm and blues tune coming from some hidden source.
The place was half-filled with men, mostly in the forty to sixty age group, and just a sprinkling of youngsters. Some had their eyes fixed on the dancer; others seemed deep in conversation with their companions, apparently ignoring her. The only other women in the place were topless waitresses. Two burly men in evening suits stood, one on either side of the stage, hands clasped in front of them as if protecting their testicles; both men looked bored.
One of the waitresses approached the two detectives with a plastic smile on her face. ‘A table for two, sirs?’
‘No thanks, we’re here to see Mr Silver. Give him this and tell him I want to talk to him.’ He handed her a business card. ‘We’ll wait at the bar.’
The waitress walked away with a frown on her face. Brookes looked around him and felt dirty. He was no prude but preferred his sex with the woman he loved and strictly in private. Middlemiss followed his eyes.
‘Doesn’t make sense to me, boss. All this crumpet and all you can do is look at it.’
Brookes smiled. ‘Not my cup of tea I must admit, but lots of men seem to enjoy it. But we’re here on business, Fred.’
Middlemiss shook his head. ‘I wonder what he’ll make of our visit.’ He looked at his watch.
Brookes ordered two tonic waters, which cost him £10. He shook his head. ‘Jesus, Fred, this place really is a rip-off.’
In the next half hour, they sipped their drinks and watched what went on around them. Apart from the pole dancers, other scantily clad women circulated around the tables, offering a naked dance in a private room for £50. Brookes noted they had two takers in that time; on each occasion the man went with the woman to a room at the side of the stage, returning ten minutes later with a smile on his face.
He’d noticed his two DC’s arrive five minutes after they had, take a table in a far corner of the room, and order beers.
Half an hour after their arrival there was still no sign of Silver. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the front door. A crowd of young men came in. They all looked to be in their twenties and appeared to be fit. They headed for the bar. Brookes moved away to make room for them. He pointed to two chairs at an empty table and he and Middlemiss sat down. The crowd of men stood at the bar, looking around them. Two of them started whistling at the pole-dancer doing her thing on the stage. The crowd were noisy but not troublesome.
A moment later, Brookes felt a hand on his shoulder. A voice in his ear said, ‘If you’re going to stay in this seat, mate, you have to buy another drink.’
Brookes looked up; it was one of the bouncers.
He said slowly, ‘I’ll give you ten seconds to take your hand off my shoulder.’
The bouncer smiled down at him. ‘Oh yeah, and then what?’
‘You now have five seconds.’
Suddenly Gerrard and Foulds were standing on either side of the man. Gerrard whispered something in his ear. The man let go of Brookes’ shoulder and turned towards the young detective. Seeing Gerrard was considerably shorter than his six feet he said,
‘You and who’s fucking army?’
‘How about the whole of The Metropolitan Police Force?’
It was at this point that Silver appeared beside the table, accompanied by the other bouncer.
He snapped, ‘That’s enough, Sid, leave this to me.’
The man backed away, stopping some five yards from the table, where he was joined by the other heavy.
Silver looked at Brookes, who had got to his feet. ‘What the fuck do you want?’
Brookes smiled. ‘I thought it was time we met. Detective Superintendent John Brookes. I’m the man who’s looking into your criminal enterprises.’
‘You cheeky fucker; is that supposed to scare me?’
Brookes shook his head. ‘No, I think you’re too thick to realise the trouble you’re in.’
Silver leant forward and poked his finger hard into Brookes’ chest. ‘Don’t you come in here mouthing off at me, you prick, I eat cunts like you for breakfast.’ He moved to take another poke at Brookes’ chest. A moment later, he was kneeling on the floor, writhing in pain. His right forefinger was clasped in Brookes’ hand, being bent back almost to the point of breaking. He uttered a deep groan.
Brookes smiled down at him. ‘That’s assault on police. It will do for a start. You are under arrest, Mr Silver.’ He then went on to read the caution. Then he looked sideways at Middlemiss. ‘Call for the van, Fred, we’ve got us a live one.’
Looking up, he saw Gerrard and Foulds confronting the two bouncers, who had moved forward.
Brookes raised his voice; ‘If you two also want a night in the cells, keep coming.’
The two men were obviously in a dilemma; they wanted to help their boss but dare not.
Brookes looked down at Silver. ‘Now I’m going to let go of your finger. If you make one move towards me or any of my officers, you will oblige me to hurt you. Is that understood?’
Silver looked up at him and tried to look hard. But he was in too much pain. After a moment’s defiance he nodded. As he scrambled to his feet, he was grabbed by Middlemiss, who had produced a pair of handcuffs and neatly slotted one onto Silver’s right wrist. Pulling that arm behind Silver’s back, he manoeuvred the man’s left arm there and slotted the other cuff to that wrist.
A few minutes later, the entrance door opened and two uniformed officers entered. Seeing the scene in front of him, the elder of the two smiled and moved forward.
Brookes recognised him and nodded a greeting. ‘Take this man to City Road nick, please, he’s been arrested for assault on police. I’ll follow you in my car; I’m the arresting officer.’
The PC’s eyebrows rose. ‘Yes, guv.’ He and the other PC led Silver away. He had gone strangely quiet.
The crowd of men at the bar had watched everything with interest; they cheered as Silver was frog-marched off. Whoever they were, they seem to have enjoyed the entertainment, thought Brookes.
*
Chapter 21 – What do we know so far?
‘What matters is what works.’
Late 20th century saying
In the car on the way to City Road Police Station, Middlemiss said,
‘Where did you learn that one, boss?’
Brookes smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. ‘Strangely enough it wasn’t from a kung fu film; it was on a self-defence course. It works a treat, doesn’t it, Fred? Provided you catch him by surprise. I hate to think what might have happened if I’d missed his finger.’
Middlemiss laughed. ‘Remind me never to poke you in the chest, boss; that looked bloody painful.’
‘It certainly brought him down to size, which was the point of the exercise. It’ll be interesting to see how he behaves in the magistrates’ court in the morning.’
Arriving at City Road Police Station, Brookes parked the car in the yard and led the way into the charge room. Silver was sitting on a bench bolted to the wall, put there for prisoners awaiting charging. The handcuffs had been removed, but a burly uniformed constable stood beside him. Silver gave Brookes what he no doubt thought was a hard look.
Brookes ignored it and spoke to the custody sergeant. He said, ‘I am the arresting officer, this is DS Middlemiss, who is a witness. Give me ten minutes to make my notes then I want him charged with assault on police. I’m not injured so there’s no need to call the divisional surgeon. Unless he complains about his right forefinger, that is. I had to restrain him from poking me in the chest with it. He was swearing and abusive. Once he’s charged you may want to keep him in a cell overnight until he cools down a bit.’
The custody sergeant nodded, trying hard not to smile.
Hearing this, Silver stoo
d up angrily, only to be pushed back down again by the uniformed PC guarding him. He was an inch taller than Silver, equally as well-built, and considerably younger.
Silver shouted, ‘You can’t fucking do this to me, I want a lawyer.’
Brookes looked at him. ‘Of course; the sergeant here will make sure you get your phone call, just give him the man’s number.’
An hour later, Brookes and Middlemiss had made their notes, read the details of the incident to the custody officer, and stood by whilst the man was charged. He was then allowed to make a phone call before being put in a cell for the night. Unless he was bailed, which was unlikely to happen at that time of night as finding a judge to hear the appeal would be difficult, he would be collected by prison van the next morning and taken to Thames Magistrates’ Court.
Brookes dropped Middlemiss at Leman Street to collect his car then drove the short distance to Lynne’s home in Limehouse. She had insisted he go there when he’d finished work regardless of the time. It was 1am when he arrived there and he tried not to wake her as he slid into bed beside her.
The next morning, his alarm went off at 6.30am as usual and he woke with a start. Getting up still feeling weary, he carried out his toilet, dressed, and made coffee. Lynne joined him while it was brewing, which was unusual for her as she was not a morning person. Rubbing her eyes, she sat on a kitchen stool opposite him.
She said, ‘Well, how did it go?’
He smiled grimly. ‘I ended up having to arrest him. He got aggressive, poking me in the chest.’
‘Surely you can’t arrest him for that?’
He lifted his tie and opened two buttons of his shirt and pointed. There was a small bruise in the middle of his chest just below the level of his shoulders. ‘That’s what he was thinking. He was trying to bully me. It seems because he’s a bully and a big guy with a lot of power and a heavy brigade to back him up, he usually gets away with it. But not this time. Now we’ll have some fun in the magistrates’ court.’