Dangerous Lady (31 page)

270

Chapter Seventeen Benny watched as the man came into the room. It was the same man who had brought him some food earlier in the day. Benny smiled painfully, trying to get some response. In the fight that had occurred during Benny’s kidnapping, he had lost two teeth and acquired a large black eye. The man was also sporting a black eye so Benny thought that evened things up. The man ignored Benny’s smile and picked up the empty plate and cup. He checked that the handcuff which held Benny’s right hand to the bed post was secure. Then he left the room, banging the door behind him.

Benny tried to get comfortable on the bed. The muscles in his right shoulder were screaming. He reckoned that he had been in the room twenty-four hours. He could smell the urine that was in a bucket by his bed. He had just enough space to kneel up and urinate into the bucket. As yet he had not been allowed to open his bowels. Not that he fancied going in front of an audience, and he had a sneaking suspicion that was what would happen. He rubbed his shoulder with his free hand.

The room he was in was some kind of office, he was sure of that. It had the hollow feel that was peculiar to Portakabins and the like. It was definitely not a house that he was being kept in. He felt the giant swelling above his ,

eye and grinned - he had given them a run for their money. If they had not had the element of surprise he would have won the fight hands down. Now all he had to do was wait. He had been told briefly by his captors that he was being held until an agreement had been reached with Michael. He wasn’t too worried about it. He knew that he was worth more to his captors alive than dead. He just hoped that someone had had the savvy to tell his mum that he was not coming home for a few days. She would be worried.

He tried to settle himself back against the bedpost. His round boyish face had a dark stubble around the jaw; he looked terrible. He ran his tongue over his teeth. He wished they would let him have a wash and brush up. He hated this dirty feeling. The bed was filthy and it stank. It was also damp. In the corner of the room was a paraffin heater which gave out a sickly smell as well as a sticky cloying heat.

He decided then and there that when he got home he would find out the names of the people who had held him here and would personally give each one a good hiding. This place was a dump. He wouldn’t keep his dog, Driver, in conditions like this …

It never occurred to Benny that he was in any danger or that there was a good chance that he would never leave the room alive. Maura and Michael walked into the warehouse at six-fifteen. Geoffrey, Roy and Leslie were already there. Garry and Lee arrived at six-twenty. Geoffrey had put up a set of spotlights. From outside the warehouse still looked empty. Dopolis arrived, accompanied by two big men, at six-thirty-five.

The two men with him were, Michael guessed, just brawn merchants. He also noted, as did his brothers, that

272

they were both armed. Dopolis looked like a dark-skinned dwarf standing between them. The Greek nodded to them all, giving a half bow towards Maura.

It was freezing inside the warehouse. It seemed colder in there than it did outside. The snow was coming down harder and had decided to settle. In the bright glare from the spotlights they looked like characters rehearsing for a play. Dopolis was the first to speak. He cleared his throat theatrically. Dopolis had a taste for drama that spilled over into everything he did.

‘I am so glad that we could have this little chat. I hope that you have thought over my proposition.’

‘Where’s Benny?’ Michael’s voice was flat.

Dopolis laughed and Maura saw the tendons stand out in Michael’s neck. She touched his arm lightly to remind him that he was not to lose his temper.

‘Surely, Mr Ryan, you do not think that I would be so foolish as to bring him here? I must first find out how the land lies.’

Garry was staring at the three men in front of him. He stifled an urge to open his coat and blow them away with his shotgun. He could feel the sweat slippery on his palms.

Maura could sense the mounting tension. Her voice seemed to echo around the building. ‘We have decided that we like your offer, Mr Dopolis.’

The three Greeks stared at her in amazement. Surely Michael Ryan was not going to allow a woman to negotiate for him? ‘ v,

‘Young lady,’ Dopolis’s voice was gentle,-‘! have come here to do serious business.’

Maura’s voice was brisk. ‘I am well aware of that fact, Mr Dopolis. My brother has every faith in me as I am sure you will soon realise.’ She smiled. ‘Now, shall we get down to business?’ Mr Dopolis was nonplussed. That much was clear to everyone watching. Never in his wildest imaginings had he envisaged discussing business with a woman. He had heard that Maura Ryan was a very astute business woman but nevertheless, he was a Greek and Greeks did not allow their women to interfere in men’s business. It crossed his mind that this may be Michael Ryan’s idea of an insult. Women were for pleasure or for childbearing as far as he was concerned. Maura could read the expressions on his face as if they were written on his forehead in indelible ink.

She began to talk in her best no-nonsense voice.

‘You have offered to buy out our holdings in the East End for half a million pounds. We shall accept that offer with good grace. But only with the proviso that you work, indirectly of course, for us.

‘We would only expect to be consulted on major issues. Everything else would be down to yourself. We shall keep our interests in the warehouses and the property …’

Dopolis seemed to have gathered his wits together.

‘My dear girl, the half a million includes all this.’ He gestured around the warehouse with his arms. ‘I have a pressing need for these old warehouses myself. I want -‘ he paused for effect, ‘everything you own from Dagenham to Tower Bridge. I want everything you have in Katherine Dock, East Dock. Around London Dock. I want all you possess on the Wapping Road, in, Whitechapel and Shoreditch. I want Bethnal Green. In short, I want it all.’

Maura, Michael and Geoffrey were flabbergasted. Dopolis smiled coldly. ‘Do not insult me by trying to negotiate with me. I have given you my terms. I would never work for you!’ He spat out the words like bullets from a gun. ‘I want it do you hear me? Every little bit, lock, stock and barrel. And if we can’t settle this amicably then we will fight you. Will fight you to the death.’

274

He put a pudgy hand to his breast. ‘I came here for an answer to my terms, that’s all. Nothing else.’

‘What about Benny?’ This from Leslie, who was dying to start a fight.

‘What about him?’ Dopolis shrugged. ‘He is my bargaining point. While I have him, I also have you.’

Michael stepped towards him, causing Dopolis to retreat; a fleeting expression of fear crossed his sallow face.

Michael pointed at him. ‘You can’t just demand, mate.’

‘Oh, Mr Ryan, that’s where you’re wrong. While I have your brother I can demand all I want. And I will tell you something, Mr Ryan … I have a man behind me who is so big that he would scare even you. Yes, even you! I am a trusted friend of this man and I can tell you now that he has much money and arms to fight you with. I know you are a force to be reckoned with but I have at my disposal a larger, more dangerous force. Do you understand what I am saying?’

Dopolis had a demonic look on his ugly face. In his temper he had spoken so forcefully that long strands of spit hung from his lower lip.

‘Listen, mate.’ Michael went to him. As he walked he clicked his fingers and Geoffrey, Roy, Leslie, Garry and Lee brought out their shotguns from beneath their coats. Maura stepped back from them. Despite herself she was getting frightened. She had never thought it would get this far.

Michael picked Dopolis up by his camel hair overcoat, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing at all. ‘You are beginning to get on my wick. Comprendez? Or whatever it is you bubbles say.’ He threw Dopolis on to the filthy floor and turned to the minders. He could see they were frightened. ‘Don’t even think about getting your little pop-pops out. You’d never walk out of here. So

just button your mutton while I tell your short-arse little mate here the score.’ He went to where Dopolis was sprawling on the cold floor, his face like thunder. Grabbing him by the lapels of his coat, Michael dragged him upright and pushed his face down to his.

‘You tell your Mr Big that if my brother ain’t home by ten o’clock tonight, I am coming after him. If as much as one hair is harmed on Benny’s pretty little head, I will kill you all. Slowly and painfully.’

He punched the Greek to the ground again. Dopolis watched as Michael took a length of lead piping from his pocket. He tried to scramble away. Michael brought the piping down on his legs.

‘You want everything, do you? All that I’ve got? Don’t want much do you, you wanker?’ He brought the lead down on Dopolis’s elbow and a powerful crack echoed around the warehouse. The two minders were staring, fascinated, at Michael Ryan in action. Leslie and Lee giggled as they heard Dopolis try to stifle a scream.

‘Well, you’ll get nothing, mate. Not a brass razoo, as the Aussies say. You’ve got more chance of getting a dose of clap off the fucking Pope than you’ve got of getting a job off me cleaning out toilets. You made a fatal mistake, Mr Dopolis. You were stupid enough to annoy me. I want me little brother and then I’m coming after you and your Mr Fucking Big. So you had better start saying your prayers, OK?’

He smashed the lead piping into the man’s face, felt Dopolis’s nose collapse and smiled. The Greek was a bloody mess.

He looked to where the two minders were standing and said calmly, ‘Pick up him and take him home. He’s annoying me.’

The two men stood paralysed with fear. They had never

276

seen a look the like of which was on Michael Ryan’s face now. He had enjoyed every second. Mickey shouted at them: ‘PICK HIM UP AND PISS OFF!’ They did as they were told, their movements jerky and awkward in their fright. Carrying Dopolis between them, his legs hanging uselessly, they began to drag him from the warehouse. Michael called to them, and then standing in front of them pushed his finger into Dopolis’s broken nose. The bone and gristle were open to the freezing air. ‘This is just for starters. You wait until I really lose me rag. I want me brother. And I want him tonight.’ He jerked his head at the two men and they dragged Dopolis from the warehouse as fast as they possibly could. Michael pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from his finger.

‘Coo, Mickey … you scared me.’ ‘Listen, Princess, I might rant and rave but I would never hurt me own.’

‘What about if they grassed you up?’ This from Leslie, who always asked the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Michael stared at him nastily. ‘Why? Are you thinking of trying it?’

Leslie blanched. He dropped his gun in fright and Michael laughed.

‘No … No, Mickey. Not me. N-never!’

‘I was only joking, you nonce.’

Michael was on a high. He was always the same after a bout of violence. ‘Well, Maws, it seems your ideas about the docks are spot on.’

Geoffrey nodded. ‘This Mr Big, whoever he is, must want all this. It’s got to be something to do with all this chat about redevelopment. Why else would anyone want this heap of shit?’ Michael shrugged.

‘Once our Benny’s home we’ll rip this town apart. No one can hide from us. Not for long anyway. This has taught me one thing, though. If we’re going to keep any sort of order we must rent out the East End in little pieces. Geoffrey, I want you to keep your ear to the ground. See if any old wags are out and about looking for a bit of action. I’m getting sick of the lot of it. What’s it the Yanks call it?’ He laughed out loud. ‘A conglomerate. That’s what we’ll become - a conglomerate! Take a leaf out of the big knobs’ books. Get loads of little firms to do the shitty work. Only there won’t be any golden handshakes floating around!’

Maura was unnerved by how quickly Michael could forget what had just taken place. It was as if Dopolis had never existed. As if he had not been beaten to a pulp. She shuddered, and Lee put his arm around her.

‘You cold, Maws?’

Michael carried on talking. ‘I should have listened to you ages ago, Princess. We’re going legal at last. Should please Mother anyway. Let’s get back to the club. This place gives me the heebie jeebies.’

Ten minutes later they were all on their way to Dean Street. Maura and Michael travelled together and he talked to her all the time, not seeming to notice how quiet she was. They parked the Mercedes in Old Compton Street. For some reason Dean Street was xordoned off. There were people milling around everywhere. Maura and Michael saw that Geoffrey and the others had arrived before them. Maura walked up to Geoffrey. His skin looked grey in the twilight. She noticed police were everywhere. She heard the high screeching of an ambulance as it travelled along Shaftesbury Avenue. A large crowd had gathered, mainly bouncers and hostesses, a few punters and sightseers mixed in with them.

278

She felt Michael’s breath on her neck as he spoke to Geoffrey. ‘What’s going on here?’

‘It’s the club, Michael. It was firebombed.’ Geoffrey’s voice was dead. As if he could not really comprehend what had happened.

‘What!’ Michael and Maura spoke in unison.

‘I said it’s been firebombed.’

‘Is anyone hurt, Geoff?’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t know, Maura.’ She pushed her way through the crowd and stared at what had once been the entrance to Le Buxom. The wind was picking up and little flakes of snow were stinging her face. She could smell the burning.

Then her heart seemed to explode inside her chest. She felt her hands clench into fists and a breathlessness as if she had run for miles. Walking towards her, from the entrance of the club, was Terry Petherick. Even in the freezing cold she felt a wave of heat sweep through her body. He still had the same long-legged stride. The same dirty blond hair. The same lopsided grin. She was aware of her rapid heartbeat crashing through her body. For the first time in eight years she was seeing the man she hated. Only she did not hate him. She realised that she loved him … loved him with every ounce of her being.