Breaking the Circle (22 page)

‘Ah, Dania,’ she said. ‘There’s been an unfortunate accident, but I have dealt with it. We won’t mention it again.’

Maya edged round the door and stood on the landing. Sonja smiled.

‘Well, thank goodness somebody is looking like a dream. Stefan will be here soon and we don’t want to upset him, do we?’

Her face set into hard lines as she stared at Maya.

‘No,’ Maya replied quietly. ‘We do not want to upset him.’

Sonja nodded. ‘Good. So you will finish your make-up and you will see to it that you look perfect. And then you will make sure that Annika looks perfect.’ Her eyes narrowed.
‘Do you understand?’

‘Yes, I understand.’

Going back into the room, Maya took a deep breath and walked quickly to the bedside, then she leaned over and gently smoothed back Annika’s blonde hair.

‘Annika, stay quiet. Don’t shout or scream. You have to be brave. You have to save yourself.’

For a split second, Annika opened her eyes, dazed and untroubled, then pain and grief shadowed her face. ‘Tanya,’ she whispered.

‘I know, I know it’s horrible,’ Maya said, putting her hand on Annika’s cheek. ‘But you have to get up. You have to get dressed and come to the club. It’s
your only chance. Do you understand?’

Annika closed her eyes. ‘Yes,’ she said.

Maya leaned closer, whispering, ‘Listen. I want to help you. My real name is Maya Brown. My mother is with the police. I came to get information so the police can find you. I’m sorry
I couldn’t save Tanya. I’m so sorry.’

Annika’s eyes opened wide. ‘You are police?’

‘Not me, but my mother. Well, she isn’t exactly. . . It’s complicated, but please believe me, I’m trying to help. Don’t say anything to the others. For tonight we
have to act as if nothing has changed, we have to pretend everything is OK. Can you do that?’

Annika’s eyes were full of tears. Maya pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to her.

‘You have to be brave. Please, do it for Tanya.’

Annika wiped her eyes and shook her head. ‘I cannot, I cannot,’ she said. ‘What have they done with her?’

‘I don’t know. Tomorrow they will say she had an accident, but I hope that, by then, you and all the other girls will be safe.’

Zena led Annika back to her room. Alone again, Maya finished making up her face and tidying her wig, as if she were preparing to go on stage. She hardly recognised the
glamorous young woman who stared back at her. Smoothing the dress down over her hips, she wondered how she was going to avoid Stefan’s advances.

There was a tap on the door and Sonja came in, dressed in black, her mouth carefully re-done with bright red lipstick, her bobbed hair looking darker than ever, its edges swinging in a curtain
of shimmering jet.

‘Ready?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Come with me.’

Maya swallowed hard and took a nervous step forward. The mirrors on all sides of the room reflected her image – tall, elegant in gold high heels and shimmering silk, blonde hair
immaculately shaped, make-up carefully smoothed and burnished – she was the front cover of a magazine.

Stefan was waiting. His eyes devoured his new protégé as she floated down the stairs. ‘Hm, good, very good,’ he said. ‘You look beautiful, Dania.’ He
directed a questioning glance at Sonja. ‘She is young, yes?’

Maya’s heart raced. She held her breath while he eyed her closely.

‘She’s nineteen,’ Sonja said.

A smile spread over Stefan’s face. ‘Then that is perfect,’ he said. ‘You did well.’ He took Maya’s hand. ‘You come with me. Sonja can travel with the
other girls.’

He led Maya outside to a silver Mercedes and opened the door for her. ‘There you are, princess,’ he said.

Driving along unfamiliar streets, Maya looked for landmarks. She saw the Elephant and Castle, then they passed over Westminster Bridge. From there she knew the route into Soho. It was a tense
ride. When they stopped at traffic lights she imagined opening the door and escaping. Then it would all be over and she’d be safely at home in the flat with Gran. Her hand twitched. She
glanced along the busy streets. She could soon get lost in the crowd if she ran away, but she couldn’t do it. She had to see this thing through, rescue the girls and help to break Omega.

Her mind snapped to attention as Stefan began to ask her questions. How had she arrived in England? Where had she been living? She remembered to speak in broken English and invented details
which she hoped sounded convincing – a desperate, cramped journey in a petrol tanker, an address for a refuge which couldn’t be found, the promise of an English husband which never
materialised.

Stefan laughed. ‘So, you thought you’d get yourself an English husband. English men are lazy slobs. You have to cook and clean for them. You are better off workin’ for me,
eh?’

He put his hand on her thigh. She felt its warmth through the silk of her dress and tried not to shudder or shift away. A loud burst of music signalled a call on his mobile.

‘Excuse me,’ he said, politely, clipping a listening device into his ear. His tone became sharper and more businesslike as he spoke. ‘Yeah, yeah. No. Don’t you speak to
him. Tell him I’ll be there in ten.’

He switched off. ‘Business,’ he said to Maya. ‘All the time, business. It’s a very important time for me. Soon I will be the top dog.’

He caressed her thigh again. This time Maya couldn’t help pulling away. He laughed.

‘I get the message – plenty of time for that later. You gotta get to know me first, eh? I can tell you’re a classy lady. But I tell you this – if you are mine then nobody
else will touch you. That’s worth somethin’, isn’t it?’

She reached out and touched his hand, giving him what she hoped looked like a genuinely warm smile. ‘That is worth everything,’ she said.

When Stefan drew up in front of the club, the bouncer she’d seen before dashed out to open the door for her, then Stefan came round and gave her his hand. Walking into the club on
Stefan’s arm, Maya could see she had instant status; workers shouted respectful greetings and Stefan was all smiles. He obviously enjoyed being the big boss and having a glamorous girl on his
arm.

‘This is Dania,’ he said, introducing her to the barman. ‘Stunner, isn’t she?’

The barman, of course, agreed.

Stefan led her up the same stairs she’d climbed before, when Kay had taken her up to the client rooms, but this time, instead of turning into the long corridor, Stefan unlocked a door on
the first landing and Maya found herself in a big room, which seemed to be sitting room and office combined. It was lit by glittering chandeliers and a thick-pile, zebra-print rug stretched between
a drinks cabinet and a long, white, leather sofa. White blinds covered the windows and on a large shiny desk stood a monitor, showing views of the club’s interior, the entrance and pavement
outside.

Stefan gestured to the sofa. ‘Make yourself comfortable. I’ve got a few calls to make. Can I get you a drink?’

‘Er . . . just some juice,’ Maya said.

‘Nonsense, have a gin and tonic. How do you like it?’

‘Ice and a slice,’ Maya said, remembering a woman at the bar when she was on holiday, and hoping she sounded convincingly adult. She also hoped she wouldn’t have to drink it
all – it was important to stay alert.

‘All right?’ Stefan asked, standing over her as she took a sip. She nodded. He caressed her fake hair. ‘Be with you in a minute, princess.’

He wandered to the other side of the room, accessed some messages on his mobile and then called someone. ‘What’s up?’ he asked. The answer wasn’t to his liking. Maya saw
him tense, then he bellowed, ‘I don’t believe it! Too many incidents, too many friggin’ problems.’

He paced the room. ‘I know, I know. That little shit Gerard pulled a trick, and the girl, what’s the news on her?’ Pause. ‘No, the one you found tryin’ to nick the
bag at Gerard’s place, the one you let get away. She knows too much.’

Maya’s heart was pounding, sweat broke out on her forehead and trickled down her face. She sat rigidly as Stefan became more and more irritable.

‘She needs takin’ out.’ He waited a moment, listening, and then he roared, ‘Well, find her!’

Going over to the desk, he banged on the polished top. ‘We take delivery tomorrow. A change in venue would spook them. There’s too much to lose. I haven’t spent months
buildin’ up their trust to throw it out the window. We can do it. As long as everythin’ goes to plan we can turn it around in thirty minutes tops.’

A remark from the speaker at the end of the phone elicited another angry response. ‘Bring him up here. I want to see him. Bring him up now.’

Giving an impatient sniff, he went over to sit at the desk, banging the flat of his hands down and breathing heavily. Maya was motionless, hoping to be invisible, too scared to think what would
happen if Stefan found out her true identity.

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. At Stefan’s bidding, in came two people she instantly recognised – one was Ginger, her tormenter at the warehouse, and the other
was Zac.

She almost gasped out loud.

Don’t give me away, Zac. Don’t say anything
.

Her mind was breaking into pieces, her body was shaking. With a massive effort, she managed to fake indifference, to avert her eyes, lean back nonchalantly on the sofa, pick at some pistachio
nuts and sip her drink. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ginger had Zac in a firm grasp, leading him over to the desk.

‘Sit down,’ Stefan ordered and then, leaning forward so that his eyes were fixed on Zac’s frightened face, he rapped, ‘So, what’s the story here, Ginge?’

Ginger puffed out his chest. ‘Sonja saw this kid outside the office early this evening, peering in through the window. He reckoned he was looking for his sister. Then he turns up at the
club, trying to get in. Lucky Sonja saw him. “Somethin’s going on with that kid,” she says.’

Stefan got up, went round the desk and stood in front of Zac. ‘You lookin’ for Gerard?’ he asked.

Zac looked down, saying nothing.

‘Not talkin’, boy?’

Zac still said nothing. Maya flinched as Stefan grasped a handful of his hair and pulled his head back. ‘You lookin’ for trouble?’

Zac’s eyes were wide, his mouth tightened into a frightened grimace, but he made no sound.

‘Speak, boy, or I’ll cut your tongue out,’ Ginger said, stepping close and flashing a flick knife in front of Zac’s face.

‘Like I said,’ Zac managed to say in between gasps and croaks, ‘I was lookin’ for my sister.’

‘So why did you come to my office?’ Stefan asked. He let go of Zac’s hair and Zac flopped forward.

‘I didn’t know it was your office,’ Zac answered, looking sideways. ‘I was lookin’ everywhere. My sister left home, got this idea about being a lap dancer,
makin’ a load of money. My mum was frantic so I started lookin’ in Soho, scoutin’ the clubs.’

‘How old are you?’

‘Fifteen.’

‘You workin’ with Gerard?’

‘I don’t know any Gerard.’

‘You one of his gang?’

‘No.’

‘You know Creek?’ Stefan grasped Zac’s throat and Zac made a horrible choking sound. Maya put her drink on the table and eased off the couch, ready to fly to his aid, but
suddenly Stefan let go.

‘See to him, Ginge. Can’t afford no cock-ups before tomorrow.’

Ginger grabbed Zac and pulled him from the chair. Zac half turned, his eyes darting round the room, as if looking for an escape route. Maya leaned forward, met his glance and in that split
second she knew he’d recognised her.

But he said nothing. She gave grateful thanks
.

Well done, Zac. You’re a loyal friend, and brave. It must have been so tempting to shout out to me, but you didn’t. And you found me. You’re incredible. I hope they don’t
hurt you. Please believe me, I’m so sorry I got you into this
.

While Maya was worrying about Zac, Stefan poured a drink for himself and came to sit beside her. He seemed restless, tapping his feet, scratching at his neck and sighing.

‘Sometimes my life is tough, you know. People just want to make trouble for me.’ He took her hand and squeezed it. ‘You not goin’ to let me down, are you, Dania?
You’re my princess.’

Maya tried to look relaxed and smile reassuringly. ‘I will not make trouble. I am a lucky girl with you,’ she said.

Stefan slipped his arm around her shoulders and moved in for a long, lingering kiss. When he paused to breathe, Maya broke away from him, quickly picking up her drink and rinsing the fizzy tonic
round her mouth.

When she put the glass down, she tried to make her voice sound casual as she asked Stefan a question. ‘That boy, what will you do with him?’

‘Who?’ Stefan gave her a bewildered look.

‘The kid who was in here just now. Will you make him talk?’

‘Nah. He’s no threat,’ Stefan laughed. ‘Just a young punk. We’ll let him go after tomorrow.’

‘Why after tomorrow?’

He stroked her shoulder. ‘You ask a lot of questions.’

‘Sorry. This is a new world for me.’

‘Yeah, I understand. I like it. You’re intelligent. Play your cards right and you could be very useful to me – beauty and brains, good thing. Tomorrow’s a big day. Been a
long time in the plannin’. Big operation that will put me on top. Nobody can touch Omega then. Creek can go drown himself. Omega will control everythin’.’