The Body in the River (30 page)

The detectives gathered around Derek Short
’
s desk to see what tasks they had been given.

Brookes beckoned DS Rose and said,
‘
Get us a couple of coffees, Jacqui, and bring them to my office, we need to talk.
’

When she followed into his office he said,
‘
Take a seat.
’

Rose sat.

He gave her a hard look.
‘
In fifteen or so years you could be sitting on a selection board for chief constable somewhere. I
’
d hate for the board to bring up something in your past that might make them think twice before selecting you. I have a feeling that this thing with Silver may get a bit dirty. If it does, I have to know that everyone in the team is one hundred percent behind me and not worried about my methods. If you want out, now is the time to say so.
’

She returned his hard look and paused before answering. Finally she said,
‘
I take that as an insult, sir. I
’
m behind you one hundred and ten percent and I may even have a few sneaky ideas myself. Don
’
t you dare question my loyalty again,
sir
.
’

A huge grin spread over his face.
‘
I chose my words carefully, Jacqui; if I was questioning your loyalty I wouldn
’
t have been so honest with you, would I? I simply didn
’
t want you to commit to a course you might later be sorry for. OK, we know where we stand. Let
’
s get to it and bring this animal down. Although I don
’
t know what your dad would think of this.
’

The day passed quickly as the team went about their tasks.

At five pm, Brookes said to Rose,
‘
Now I
’
ve got something on with Fred this evening. We
’
re going to pay a visit to Silver
’
s strip club. I
’
m afraid it
’
s men only. So you take the evening off. I
’
ll see you in the morning.
’

*

At 9pm that evening, Brookes and Middlemiss sat at a table in Lynne
’
s restaurant in Limehouse. The two had eaten well but had drunk no alcohol. They wanted their wits about them for what they were to do. Middlemiss put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

He said,
‘
What do I owe for the meal, boss?
’

Brookes shook his head.
‘
That
’
s on me, Fred, I
’
ll settle with Lynne later.
’
He looked at his watch.
‘
Time we made a move.
’
He walked to the kitchen, gave Lynne a peck on the cheek.
‘
I could be late, love, depending on what we find at this sex club.
’
He
’
d told her where he was going and why.

She gave him a wonky smile and said,
‘
Behave yourself, and be careful.
’

‘
I will, love, don
’
t worry.
’

Returning to Leman Street, they met up with DC
’
s Stumpy Gerrard and Larry Foulds, who were both dressed casually. Nodding a greeting, Brookes produced a floor plan of The Venus Club in Shoreditch High Street.

He said,
‘
OK we
’
ll take two cars. The DS and I will go in first, introduce ourselves, and ask to speak to Silver. You two come in five minutes after and try to get a table where you can see the whole room. There
’
s a staircase here to the left.
’
He pointed as he spoke.
‘
Make a mental note of who and how many people go upstairs and when they come down again; if he
’
s got a knocking shop up there he
’
s breaking the law and we can use that against him.

‘
But don
’
t let on that you
’
re in the job or that you
’
re watching anything but the show. Unless there
’
s trouble and we need your back-up, you shouldn
’
t show out. Buy yourselves a drink but watch it; don
’
t spend too much just because you
’
re on expenses.
’
He smiled.
‘
What we
’
re there for is to get a feel of what
’
s going on and the man we
’
re up against.
’
He paused, realising what he
’
d said. He smiled.
‘
I said for what
’
s going on, not of the goods on offer.
’

He continued,
‘
You know what the law allows in these places. Sex shows. But no actual sex. If Silver is there I
’
ll speak to him. I want to unsettle the man and let him know I
’
m after him. His reaction should be interesting but I
’
ll not stand for any nonsense. All I want you two to do is observe what
’
s going on and watch our backs. If there is anything going on that shouldn
’
t be, make a careful note. Any questions?
’

Both the DC
’
s shook their heads.

Brookes turned to Middlemiss.
‘
Anything you want to add, Fred?
’

‘
Yes, boss.
’
He turned to Gerrard and Foulds.
‘
This man Silver is a hardcase; he
’
s used to getting his own way. He
’
ll have some heavies about. If things do get nasty, you two are there to help us. Otherwise just watch. OK?
’

They both nodded.

‘
OK,
’
Brookes said,
‘
we
’
re on our way.
’

In the car, he said to Middlemiss,
‘
You
’
re probably wondering why I haven
’
t let the local nick know we
’
re paying a visit, Fred.
’

Middlemiss pulled a face.
‘
I think I can guess, boss, but tell me anyway.
’

‘
I hope it
’
s not so but just in case the locals are a little too cosy with Silver, I didn
’
t want him warned we
’
re coming.
’

Middlemiss nodded.
‘
That
’
s what I thought. I
’
ve heard nothing on the grapevine but I agree with you, we can
’
t be too careful.
’

‘
Good.
’

*

The journey took them twenty minutes in the light evening traffic. Middlemiss found a spot to park fifty yards from the club
’
s entrance. They showed their warrant cards and were allowed in.

The room was large and square in shape, with a bar along one wall and a stage against the one opposite. Tables and chairs were dotted about the area in between. The d
é
cor was dark burgundy-coloured wallpaper and a red carpet. Mirrors hung with tinsel lined the walls, all adding to the glitz. On the stage were three chrome poles stretching from ceiling to floor; the rear of the stage was covered in purple drapes. A woman wearing just a G-string writhed around the pole at the front of the stage to a rhythm and blues tune coming from some hidden source.

The place was half-filled with men, mostly in the forty to sixty age group, and just a sprinkling of youngsters. Some had their eyes fixed on the dancer; others seemed deep in conversation with their companions, apparently ignoring her. The only other women in the place were topless waitresses. Two burly men in evening suits stood, one on either side of the stage, hands clasped in front of them as if protecting their testicles; both men looked bored.

One of the waitresses approached the two detectives with a plastic smile on her face.
‘
A table for two, sirs?
’

‘
No thanks, we
’
re here to see Mr Silver. Give him this and tell him I want to talk to him.
’
He handed her a business card.
‘
We
’
ll wait at the bar.
’

The waitress walked away with a frown on her face. Brookes looked around him and felt dirty. He was no prude but preferred his sex with the woman he loved and strictly in private. Middlemiss followed his eyes.

‘
Doesn
’
t make sense to me, boss. All this crumpet and all you can do is look at it.
’

Brookes smiled.
‘
Not my cup of tea I must admit, but lots of men seem to enjoy it. But we
’
re here on business, Fred.
’

Middlemiss shook his head.
‘
I wonder what he
’
ll make of our visit.
’
He looked at his watch.

Brookes ordered two tonic waters, which cost him
£
10. He shook his head.
‘
Jesus, Fred, this place really is a rip-off.
’

In the next half hour, they sipped their drinks and watched what went on around them. Apart from the pole dancers, other scantily clad women circulated around the tables, offering a naked dance in a private room for
£
50. Brookes noted they had two takers in that time; on each occasion the man went with the woman to a room at the side of the stage, returning ten minutes later with a smile on his face.

He
’
d noticed his two DC
’
s arrive five minutes after they had, take a table in a far corner of the room, and order beers.

Half an hour after their arrival there was still no sign of Silver. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the front door. A crowd of young men came in. They all looked to be in their twenties and appeared to be fit. They headed for the bar. Brookes moved away to make room for them. He pointed to two chairs at an empty table and he and Middlemiss sat down. The crowd of men stood at the bar, looking around them. Two of them started whistling at the pole-dancer doing her thing on the stage. The crowd were noisy but not troublesome.

A moment later, Brookes felt a hand on his shoulder. A voice in his ear said,
‘
If you
’
re going to stay in this seat, mate, you have to buy another drink.
’

Brookes looked up; it was one of the bouncers.

He said slowly,
‘
I
’
ll give you ten seconds to take your hand off my shoulder.
’

The bouncer smiled down at him.
‘
Oh yeah, and then what?
’

‘
You now have five seconds.
’

Suddenly Gerrard and Foulds were standing on either side of the man. Gerrard whispered something in his ear. The man let go of Brookes
’
shoulder and turned towards the young detective. Seeing Gerrard was considerably shorter than his six feet he said,

‘
You and who
’
s fucking army?
’

‘
How about the whole of The Metropolitan Police Force?
’

It was at this point that Silver appeared beside the table, accompanied by the other bouncer.

He snapped,
‘
That
’
s enough, Sid, leave this to me.
’

The man backed away, stopping some five yards from the table, where he was joined by the other heavy.

Silver looked at Brookes, who had got to his feet.
‘
What the fuck do you want?
’