Brady raised his eyebrows. ‘Come on, Trina. This is bloody Wallsend, not London!’
‘You think I don’t know that? Makes no difference though … The Dabkunas brothers are just part of a chain of command, Jack. From what Nick said, he answers directly to an ambassador … the Lithuanian Ambassador. As do the Dabkunas brothers.’
Brady stared at her. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
He suddenly remembered that Gates had mentioned that he was attending some fancy presentation talk at the Civic Centre tomorrow afternoon. The main speaker was the Lithuanian Ambassador, up on business from London.
But what business?
‘I’m scared, Jack. From what I’ve heard these brothers own their girls and if they don’t do as they’re told, then they get punished. They’d have no qualms about putting a bullet in Nick … or worse.’
Brady tried not to focus on what the Dabkunas brothers would do to Nick.
‘What do they do to their girls? How do they punish them?’ Brady asked, thinking of how Melissa Ryecroft had been murdered.
‘Ask Nicoletta,’ Trina said, her eyes on the booth in the corner. ‘Looks like she’s finished.’
Brady turned and watched as she walked towards them. With each step she was trying to rebuild the self- esteem and self-worth that the four businessmen had stripped bare.
‘It’ll cost you though,’ warned Trina. ‘Same amount.’
‘Fuck me!’ muttered Brady as he took his wallet out.
‘Cost you double if we were to do that,’ Trina said with a wry smile.
Brady ignored her and counted out the money.
‘No?’ she questioned with mock surprise, enjoying his embarrassment.
‘No,’ replied Brady, as he handed the cash over.
Luckily he had had ?250 on him. He’d been to the cash-point yesterday and had withdrawn ?300; part of which he’d spent that night. And seemingly the rest was going on expenses today. He knew she was fleecing him. But he had no choice but to pay.
Nicoletta quietly watched the transaction before sitting down.
Trina pushed the drink Brady had bought in front of her.
‘He wants to know about the Dabkunas brothers,’ Trina said.
‘Know nothing,’ Nicoletta replied in an Eastern European accent.
Brady looked at her. She was young, pretty and very, very scared. He hazarded a guess that she was about eighteen, nineteen, if that.
‘It’s okay,’ Trina said, taking her hand. ‘He’s a friend of mine, Nicoletta. Nothing’s going to happen.’
Brady saw her discreetly press some of the notes he’d just handed over into Nicoletta’s hand. Trina then tightly squeezed it.
Nicoletta looked at Trina. Her big brown eyes wide with terror.
‘No … they do …’ she mumbled, shaking her head.
‘Trust me. He can help you, I promise,’ reassured Trina.
Brady watched Trina, surprised by her gentleness.
Nicoletta nodded. But it was clear she wasn’t convinced.
‘Where are you from?’ Brady asked her.
She shot Trina a nervous look. Trina nodded for her to continue.
The girl gestured towards the ceiling and he realised that she must live in the apartment above the club.
‘I work … sleep … work …’ she answered, shrugging.
‘Do you live with anyone else upstairs?’ asked Brady.
‘Ronnie Macmillan, that’s who,’ angrily interrupted Trina.
‘What?’
‘Yeah … He owns this place and half of Wallsend by all accounts,’ answered Trina. ‘And he owns Nicoletta. Bought her from the Dabkunas brothers.’
‘Why did they sell you?’ Brady asked, curious.
‘I gift,’ Nicoletta quietly explained.
‘A gift?’ Brady asked, incredulous.
She nodded, making her long light brown hair fall into her face.
‘Why? Why would they make you a gift?’
‘Business … I …’ She shrugged, turning to Trina for help.
‘Macmillan took a liking to her and they handed her over to seal whatever deal it is they have going on,’ explained Trina.
Nicoletta nodded.
‘Why don’t you go home?’ asked Brady. ‘Back to your country?’
She looked at Brady, incredulous.
‘How?’ she questioned, an edge of anger to her voice. ‘No nothing … no money … nothing. They take … take everything,’ she said resignedly.
Brady thought of Claudia and her team.
‘I know people who can get you out of here. Who can get you back home,’ Brady offered.
‘They kill me,’ she coldly stated. ‘They cut sister’s hands and feet off … if … if …’
She dropped her eyes and played with the ice in her glass as she thought about her options.
‘I no go …’ she said with a tone of finality.
Brady didn’t like what he was hearing. Didn’t like what he saw – the bruising on her bare arms, on her shoulders and, he noticed, in the centre of her bare back, as if she’d been kicked. He also noted the recent purplish discolouring on her right cheek.
But what startled him more than anything was her eyes. They were cold. She had given up hope. She was living a nightmarish existence. Pimped by Macmillan but also expected to service him after she’d finished in the club. And if he felt pissed off, he kicked her around as if she were a dog.
Every part of Brady’s body screamed at him to just grab her and take her out of the place. Get into Conrad’s car and drive. Drive her as far away as possible from Ronnie Macmillan and his club. But he knew that wasn’t the answer. It was simple; she wouldn’t come without a fight. And that would result in getting them both killed. Fear was her captor. Fear that the men who had taken her would stop at nothing to hurt her. And if they couldn’t get her, then the next best thing would be her family back home.
The only way he could convince her that no harm would come to her or those she loved was by stopping these men once and for all.
‘Nicoletta?’
She looked at him. Her eyes distrustful. He was a man after all. Why should she trust him? As far as she was concerned, he was no doubt out to use her just as much as the other men in her life.
‘Have you been branded?’ Brady asked, not wanting to, but he had no choice. He needed to know.
Nicoletta looked from him to Trina, confused.
‘Show him your back. The bottom of your back,’ instructed Trina.
Nicoletta did as she was told. She turned in the seat so he could see the bottom of her back.
Brady noted that she had the identical ‘MD’ initials positioned below a scorpion.
This was much bigger than even he had imagined.
‘Do you know where they are? Where they stay? The brothers who did this to you?’ Brady questioned.
He looked from Nicoletta to Trina.
Trina shook her head, as did Nicoletta.
‘No … we watched … we …’ Nicoletta looked to the older woman for help as she gestured towards her eyes. ‘When move us.’
‘They blindfold you?’
She nodded at him.
Brady inwardly sighed. He knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
‘How do they transport you?’
