Macmillan and his suits, Visa and Delta, turned up. Hopefully, he thought, with Nicoletta.
And then there was Claudia to think about. She would be attending the dinner at the Grand Hotel in honour of the Lithuanian Ambassador. As would Chief Superintendent O’Donnell and maybe even DCI Gates. Brady knew he would have to keep a low profile when he turned up there. The last thing he wanted was Claudia getting involved. Or his superiors. At least not until he got Nick out of the frame.
Brady put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it with his red refillable lighter. It reminded him of Claudia’s hair.
He dragged heavily. He knew he had to kick the habit before the habit kicked him hard; hard enough to land him in the morgue.
He exited the car and looked up and down the street before locking the door. He had every right to be paranoid after what had happened to him over the past few days. He walked across Brook Street, heading for the Promenade.
Loud raucous shouts and laddish banter greeted him before he turned the corner onto East Parade.
‘Bloody stag parties,’ he muttered, dragging on his cigarette.
Business was looking good for Madley, noted Brady. He could see why it was such an attractive prospect for Ronnie Macmillan. Coachloads of young men with a disposable income on a weekend away. Weighed down with cash and a burning desire to spend it on a good time: alcohol, coke and a ride between the sheets. If Ronnie Macmillan opened up a lap dancing club adjacent to a hotel, he could cater for every stag party’s needs and desires in one place.
Brady ignored the jeers as the lads, ranging from their early twenties to thirties, playfully jostled one another as a mobile phone showing some lewd footage was passed around. Brady knew that the emergency services would have their hands full later on. Faces glassed, broken noses and bust ribs … as the night progressed the list of injuries would go on.
He walked past them and up to the Blue Lagoon. The doors were locked, as expected. The place didn’t open until 10:00pm. Brady banged on the doors.
He could see the barman, One-Eyed Carl, sorting out the bar. He looked up and saw Brady. He then picked up the phone and made a call.
Brady knew who he was calling; Carl was loyal to Madley. Always watching his back. Brady could see Carl’s mouth move as he spoke to his boss. Then he hung up the phone, picked up the keys from behind the bar and walked over.
‘You’re early,’ stated Carl as he locked the doors behind Brady.
He had his eye on the two coachloads of trouble parked up next door. The last thing he needed was them thinking this place was already open.
He followed Brady back to the bar.
‘Can I get you something?’ he asked as he picked up a tea towel and started polishing a perfectly clean pint glass.
‘Coffee would be good,’ answered Brady. ‘Black, no sugar.’
What he would give for a pint or a shot of Scotch. But he knew that he needed a clear head. Especially later on.
Carl gave him a look of disbelief. He knew Brady liked to drink. Served him most weekends.
‘Still at work,’ explained Brady. ‘And I’ve fucked off my boss enough today without him having another reason to sack me.’
Carl nodded and went over to the coffee filter machine. He poured Brady a steaming black coffee and brought it over.
‘Thanks,’ said Brady.
Carl gave him a questioning look.
‘Madley’s waiting for you,’ he reminded.
‘Let me drink my coffee first. Madley won’t be going anywhere.’
He could now understand why Madley had brought in armed help from London. He had put Weasel Face’s profile into the central database and come up with some unsavoury details. Madley’s new henchman had unnerved him when he had seen him at the lighthouse yesterday. Enough for Brady to want to do some digging.
He’d discovered that the guy was a hired killer. No surprise there. He had only been out of prison for four months after executing (it was the only word to describe the killing) a client of Johnny Slaughter’s who hadn’t paid his debts. Brady shuddered at the details he had read about the way the bad debtor had been tortured before a gun was put to his right eye and the back of his head blown off. Weasel Face had spent eight years inside and was now out on remand because of good behaviour. Gone were the days, Brady bitterly mused, when life meant life. Instead, scum like Weasel Face could be released back into society in his late thirties with a prosperous career ahead of him in the world of violence and brutality.
‘Where’s Gibbs and the new boy?’ asked Brady, making polite conversation.
Carl gestured towards the ceiling, indicating that they were upstairs with Madley.
Brady was surprised. This wasn’t like Madley. He wasn’t easily scared.
He took a mouthful of coffee realising that this was bigger and nastier than he’d first realised.
Brady then looked at Carl who was still polishing the same glass. But all the time he was watching Brady’s every move. As well as keeping an eye on the doors.
‘Carl? I need to ask some questions.’
Without looking at Brady, the barman stopped polishing and put down the glass. He turned and walked off to the kitchen, returning with fresh limes and a dangerous-looking knife and cutting board.
Brady watched. And waited.
Carl then threw the knife in the air, caught it by the handle and in one fast, furious movement swiftly chopped the limes. Finished, he aggressively stuck the knife’s blade into the board and then looked at Brady.
Brady liked Carl. He just had a way.
Carl shot him a dangerous smile. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘What did Adamson ask you?’
‘Shit is what!’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘Why?’
‘Because your boss is in it up to his neck. That’s why.’
Carl didn’t react.
He never did. That was part of what Brady liked about him. He just got on with whatever crap was thrown at him. Including having his eyeball ripped out by a clenched hand punching him with a car key.
‘I told him shit. He asked shit. I told him more shit.’
Brady looked at him and nodded. He expected as much. Carl saw everything that was going on around him. And he would have known that when Weasel Face showed up, things were going to start getting nasty. For all of them.
‘Who was she talking to at the bar, Carl?’ asked Brady.
‘I told him I didn’t see anything,’ Carl replied with a laconic smile. ‘Find it hard enough to keep my eye on the job as it is.’
‘Yeah? But I’m not Adamson,’ replied Brady.
‘I may only have one eye but I’m not blind. You’re still a copper,’ answered Carl, losing the smile.
‘Not tonight I’m not. And not where Madley’s concerned either.’
Carl studied him.
He was only in his early twenties but he had an air about him. One that said that he had seen it all. Even with one eye he was a handsome guy. Never short of female attention. Tall, with tousled curly dark blond hair and an unshaven look to match. Always sharply dressed though. Smart black suit, white open-neck shirt and sharp shoes.
Barman, receptionist and prime look-out – he did it all. Without effort.
Brady watched as he picked up a new, equally clean glass and began methodically polishing it. Without looking Brady in the eye, he started to talk.
‘Visa and Delta were in. Throwing money around. Acting like they owned the place.’
