Page 81 of Perfect Night
They left the bar and headed for Charing Cross Road. There would hopefully be a bus they could jump on to Camden. They could get the Tube, but it was a faff and traffic didn’t look so bad. Luck seemed to be on their side as a number 24 approached the bus stop. A quick jog and they were on it. There were seats available, but they leaned against the side of the bus in the standing area.
“That was Eric then, was it?”
“Don’t go there. I’ve no idea what all that was about.”
“Seems pretty obvious to me. He was jealous.”
“He’s off limits.”
“Why?”
“He’s my bosses younger brother. And he just got jilted at the altar. It’s too messy.”
Charlie pondered what Langdon had said.
“I can see your brain trying to find a loophole. Stop it. And do not tell Jason about this. I don’t need him trying tohelpin the way he does.”
“I don’t keep secrets from Jason.”
“He knows you’re back in the UK, then, does he?”
Charlie scowled at Langdon. He would speak to Jason later, but for now he had things he needed to do, and he wasn’t ready for his well-intentioned friend’s flapping.
They spent the rest of the bus journey going over their plan. Before long, they’d arrived and made their way to their destination. Charlie was shocked to see Paolo standing outside.
“What are you doing here?”
“Ask him,” replied Paolo.
“He’s going to go with you to the police. Today. No pissing about, Charlie. You need to do this now.”
“No, I’ll do that next week. I have other things to do first. I can’t deal with that now.”
“Didn’t you say he saw a different boy every night?” asked Paolo.
“Fine, but let’s get this over with first.”
Charlie pressed the buzzer and announced himself. The door opened, and he headed up the stairs, followed by his friends. The apartment door was on the latch when they got to her floor. He’d have taken the lift, but it was a tight squeeze and always stunk of piss. There had been a moment of regret when he reached the seventh floor. Not a flicker of any exertion from Langdon or Paolo. He got his breath back before walking into Lucinda’s flat.
“Charlie,” she beamed. “Ooh, and we have Langdon, and who is this Latin god? Are you bringing me new recruits?”
“I just wanted to give you a heads-up about something.”
She gestured for them to sit down. Although the flat was in a council tower block, it was clear the woman had money. There were gadgets everywhere, and she was dripping in jewels. Lucinda was the stereotype of a brothel madame.
“Out with it, then.”
“Did you give my private number to Jeremy?”
“Of course not. I don’t give any of my boys’ numbers out. The last thing I want is the client cutting me out of my commission.”
Of course that was her priority. Nothing to do with their safety. But, given her response, he believed her.
“Well, he got it somehow, and keeps contacting me from different phones. I block one and he uses another.”
“What’s he asking you for?”
“What do you think?”
