‘Did Gus force Aberman to sign the business over. What had Aberman been subjected to before he signed? What happened afterwards?’
‘Aberman, he was reluctant, but they wanted to get their money. I’ll swear on my mother’s grave that nothing happened to him.’
‘I pity your mother if she’s dead. Aberman, he’s forced to sign, and then he’s dumped in a river somewhere, or taken out to sea. Did he cry when you threw him over the side?’ Isaac said.
‘You’ve got this all wrong. Aberman’s out of the country.’
‘Where?’
‘He doesn’t send me postcards. Helen, she knew.’
‘She’s dead, so is Daisy. Mr Knox, there are too many coincidences pointing back to this place and to you. And why did Helen leave the club two days after Aberman vanished, Daisy within three months?’
‘She didn’t want to work here without Aberman, and Daisy, we got rid of her in the end.’
‘That’s probably the first truthful answer you’ve given. Daisy was a hopeless drug addict, probably too much for even this club to handle. Helen, why two days? Did she know the story, did you pay her off?’
‘I’ve told you the truth. What more do you want from me?’
‘Was Helen involved with Aberman?’
‘They were cosy.’
‘Sleeping together?’
‘Aberman was a snake.’
‘So why was Helen with him?’
‘I don’t know. You could have asked her if she was alive.’
‘Do you and your kind have any decency left in you? You killed Aberman, but you couldn’t kill Helen. We know of her hold over men. Did she have it over you? Did she have it over Gus?’
‘Helen was not as good as you make her out to be. Helen and Aberman made a good team, and then he’s not around, and Helen’s out of here in two days. We paid her up, it’s in the books.’
‘Aberman’s house?’
‘What about it?’
‘If the man’s got debts and the loan sharks...’
‘They’re businessmen, tough businessmen,’ Knox corrected Isaac.
‘Okay, have it your way,’ Isaac said. ‘These businessmen would not have allowed Aberman’s house to remain in his name. They would have wanted it as security.’
‘If they knew about it.’
‘They did. The man had parties there. Parties attended by the cream, sour probably, of the criminal classes.’
‘There was an agreement,’ Knox said. ‘If Aberman gave the clubs he owned over to them willingly, then the debt was absolved.’
‘And where does Helen come into this?’
‘Aberman made it clear she was to have the house if she wanted it.’
‘But it’s in Aberman’s name.’
‘Which proves he’s still alive, paying the bills.’
‘Why did he want to let Helen have the house?’
‘Aberman was a sentimental fool. He’d fallen in love with the woman, the same as that old man she married, the same as that old fool she was shot with.’
‘Was Helen capable of love?’
‘I wouldn’t know. She was a beautiful woman, but she never came near me.’
‘Why?’
‘Look at me. The manager of a strip joint.’
‘So was Aberman.’
‘Was he? The man had more than a few interests around here. He had plenty of money.’
‘Then why not pay his debts?’
‘He didn’t get the money in the first place by giving it away.’
‘Aberman’s dead,’ Isaac said. ‘We’ll find out what happened to him. In the interim, I’d suggest you tone down your activities here. Otherwise, there’ll be another raid, and the police won’t be walking out of here empty-handed.’
***
‘Look at this,’ Isaac said, pushing the opened letter across his desk to Larry. The two had just returned to Challis Street after visiting the Dixey Club.
‘Are you surprised?’
‘Not even a warning. I’m to present myself in two weeks for a disciplinary hearing.’
‘DCS Goddard can’t get you out of this.’
‘I should have been more careful with Caddick, but the man’s a bore. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about half the time, and the other half, he’s sucking up to Davies.’
‘What will you do?’
‘I’ll mount a vigorous defence.’
‘It’ll not work, and you know it. You told him what you thought of him, didn’t you?’
‘I did, and he’s kept out of the way for a few days. No doubt working overtime on setting up my impending demise.’
‘That serious?’
‘They have the power to stand me down.’
‘They could do that now.’
‘Not Caddick. He wants these murders solved. That’s why he’s going for two weeks. He’s hoping we’ll be close by then, and he can step in and take the glory.’
‘What about us?’ Larry said.
‘Solving these murders is always the best defence.’
‘You were shot in the shoulder once before, got a medal,’ Larry said.
‘Are you suggesting I do that again?’
‘Desperate times demand desperate measures.’
‘Okay, Larry, enough of your jokes. What did we reckon of Barry Knox?’
‘We should call in Bridget and Wendy.’
With the four in the office, Isaac took control. ‘Bridget, what do we have on Barry Knox?’
‘Minor hooligan. He’s been arrested for pimping, spent six months in prison before getting out on a technicality.’
‘Technicality?’
‘The arresting officer had falsified some entries in his notes. Apart from that, Barry Knox is clean. He’s managed a few clubs in the area, mostly seedy, and he’s been at Dixey’s since Aberman disappeared.’
‘And the women at the club, Wendy?’
‘One or two convictions against the oldest two for prostitution, nothing against the other woman.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘A sign of the times. The young woman is studying for a degree and paying off a mortgage. She needs the money, and casual work in a shop or with a catering company doesn’t pay the bills. She can get up on that stage, makes a few hundred for the night and survive.’
‘Escorting?’
‘Probably. They were honest about Helen and Daisy, gave some insights about Aberman.’
‘Gus, the heavy?’
‘According to the
