The Dark Star - Descent Pt. 06

Entering the bedroom via the staircase I stand there my breath nasal and heavy. I'm raging as Hannah nonchalantly turns her head towards me as she steps out of her skirt and places it over a chair to the side of the wardrobe on which her jacket already hangs. Her long toned legs encased only in black hosiery.

"I can't trust you though can I," her eyes bare into me as she unbuttons her blouse revealing pale skin and a black bra underneath, her tone no calmer than down stairs. "I mean you fucking stole 20 grand from my Fathers account not so long ago"

"Step Father" I correct her deliberately provoking her "And I paid that back ...in full ....within hours if I was dishonest why would I even tell you about it."

"You can't see it can you can't see how immoral you fucking are how that fucking poisonous relationship with that club means more to you than anything .....far more more than our relationship obviously "

She's close now up in my face her angry warm breath on my face. The fire in her belly barely restrained. The blouse falls open revealing her toned physique but my rage and anger at her accusations and insults is all that fills my mind. How dare she?

"Naturally." My all too honest response.

Her right hand moves swiftly, too swiftly for me as she swings and catches me full and hard across the face with the palm of her hand, slapping with an impressive strength and an instant sting of pain.

The slap echoes around the room as Hannah stands there I feel the sting searing across the left hand side of my face. My eyes meet hers and she brings her hand over her mouth shaking her head. "I'm....I'm ...so so sorry"

Her apology riles me further as the red mist descends. I rub my hand over my jaw and up the side of my face a small trickle of warm blood where her fingernail has caught just below my eye.

Stunned silence now fills the room. As I step forward she steps back. Once again tears fill her eyes "I didn't mean it ....I didn't mean it..... I'm tired... I'm emotional.... it's been such a shit of a day and I've just let everything get on top of me and ..."

Hannah reaches out to me and in an instant I grab her hand. I use my strength and grab her wrist. Pirouetting her around; no sooner does she face the large King Size Bed than I've forced her face down on to the thick white duvet. She gasps out for breath in shock as I fall heavily on top of her.

Pinned under my body weight I pull harshly at the waistband of her tights. Then rip open the black nylons between her legs.

"Logan what are you?" Hannah gasps in shock looking back at me with fear in her hazel green eyes.

Pulling down the loose front of my lounge pants I position my instantly hard length against her; my full body weight on top of her as I press my hips forward. Breathing heavy I don't say another word.

"No Logan ..... please no Logan"

**********

I lay there on my back breathless my chest rising and falling heavily. Reaching over and taking a drink from a glass of water left there on the bedside table from the night before. The small sip enough to quench my thirst despite the stale taste.

Hannah lays beside me face down on the bed with her back to me. Her blouse still pulled down off the back of her shoulders. Sweat soaks both our bodies as she breathlessly curls up on the bed.

Placing the glass back on the bed side table I roll over and contemplate pulling the duvet over her as she shivers a little. Instead I place my left arm around her body as I spoon up against her, pressing my body heat to her body.

She flinches a little as I kiss the back of her shoulder "Make up sex is so fun" I gently chuckle.

"Never... never do that again" she whispered quietly on a shuddering exhale of breathe "You never do that again"

Chapter Six; Under Suspicion

I watched on the CCTV as Errol stood before the two of them deliberately positioning himself between them and the main door in to the club from the reception area. Watching them flash ID cards for the second time then witness Jamie approach them. There was something about them that screamed Police even if I had no idea what was going on.

I slip my dark grey suit jacket over my white shirt and head from the office down into the club. The place is heaving as ever for a Friday night. Jessica my head Bar Steward passes me with her customary flirtatious smile in a short black dress I can't help but admire the long legs I'd do anything to get between; I return her smile weakly. Playing it cool with her was hardly a tactic that's as likely to gain me the reward I sought from the blonde, even if it was the tactic I'd adopted of late. It was a source of much frustration that I still hadn't managed to break down her defences. Perhaps the fact I'd slept with nearly half her co-workers did paint me in a bad light.

As I approach the main entrance I see Errol stood there still blocking the way. Jamie dressed in a short silver dress and black knee high boots walks towards me and mouths the word, "Detectives."

"Code Purple." I reply on a hushed tone as we pass one another.

"Already issued." was her curt reply, she didn't stop disappearing amongst the clubs clientele to diligently ensure that all protocols were being followed. Damn she was efficient.

The presence of two detectives at the front door had me panicking. Was a full raid moments away? Issuing a code purple indicated that all activity deemed to be suspect or illegal ceased within the club. By now all the hostesses should have already deposited the menu of narcotics they carried to supply to clients in the designated drop spots. 2 of Errol's team would be collecting the stashes of narcotics and moving them out of the building at haste. It was for this very reason all quantities of drugs into the club were kept to a nightly requirement. Running out wasn't good for business; although being caught in possession of kilos of 'Columbian' was far worse. The escorts would, no doubt much to their disapproval, assume the roles of glass collectors; the best dressed in the business I darkly mused. The private rooms where unknown depravity could take place would be being emptied on the excuse of a suspected evacuation; small fire in the kitchen would be the excuse so as not to draw complaint or panic.

The two of them step past a clearly flustered Errol who apologetically offers "Sorry Boss....it's the Police."

"No need to apologise Errol....thanks for your efforts." I'm shaking the hand of the Wiry Grey Haired male in a cheap suit and polyester tie before we've even introduced ourselves. I take the lead with a firm grip. "Logan Hughes Manager of the Dark Star ....and you are?"

"Detective Paul Chadley," he flashes me his ID as if I don't trust him but equally he does this so swiftly that I barely get time to break my eye from the awful moustache he sports on the ID. "And this is Detective Isabelle Drake"

My eyes meet the hazel eyes of the dirty blonde haired young detective. It's such a cliché what they say about the police getting younger, but she looks barely a day over 20 with a slim body hidden beneath a long dark beige overcoat. I shake her hand much more gently than his. "Good evening Miss Drake or is it Mrs? I smile and she smiles back. She's attractive.

To her obvious annoyance Detective Chadley cuts across our brief exchange "Like I say this is Detective Drake."

As he answers for her an overemphasis being placed on the word Detective. I spot a twitch of annoyance from her; his pedantic manner obviously doesn't sit well with her.

"Well Detectives," I offer barely able to keep a lid on my sarcasm "I'm guessing you didn't come here for the Cocktails....shall we head to my office?"

**********

They sit the opposite side of my desk from me and almost in unison slide their cards placed side by side on the desk in front of me; they really were worried I'd forget their names.

Detective Chadley undid his cheap suit jacket. Drake sat crossed legged in the chair next to him. It was all I could do not to cast an eye up her legs.

"I'm guessing I know the answer .... but can I get either of you a drink" I take the heavy glass decanter and pour myself a brandy. Mildly panicked at the coke residue I spot ingrained into the desk before me, making a mental note that I really should clean up more often.

"We're fine" Chadley answers for them both, again, holding out the palm of his hand for extra schoolteacher like emphasis. "Now Mr. Hughes...."

"Please" I interject "Logan's fine"

"Mr. Hughes" he reiterates and I try not to smirk "Were here as we are investigating the disappearance of a Miss Emily Winters"

I match the grey haired Detectives gaze with my poker face as I recall how in this very office, stood literally on the spot he sits I'd given Emily, against her will to the Albanians. My mind jumps to the last time I'd seen the brunette as she'd been lay there in the back of that Shipping Container while I'd dragged Jamie from the grips of Ballock. I look to them both sternly.

"Still no news about her?" I respond with a sincerity that near surprises myself.

"No," states Chadley, as Drake takes a notepad and silver pen from her hand bag and starts scribbling down notes.

"As I told your colleague at the time..." I sit back in the chair as I continue. "The last time I saw Emily was when she left here that night after her shift. It was in this very room in fact. She stuck her head around the door to say goodbye after putting the nights takings in the safe."

"That was Uniform ....given the time that's passed we're now investigating her disappearance along with 2 other local girls"

Well I know nothing about them that's for sure is the thought that bounces around my head. At least I don't think I do.

"I wish I could give you more but that's all I can tell you. Emily was scheduled for a few days holiday before the weekend so the first I was aware was when your Officer came knocking on our door that Friday morning... she was due at work that night you see"

Drake pauses considering my reply. I know he doesn't trust me. That's his job. He probably trusts no one.

"Don't get me wrong we appreciate all that .....did you have any luck with the CCTV footage from around that time?"

I shake my head "Afraid not ....the Hard-drive was irretrievable. We've nothing for most of that week or the weekend before.....the downside of the digital era. Wasn't it easier when we had old fashioned video recorders?"

"You'd be surprised how conveniently they went missing," Chadley states with a shrug.

"I've the invoices here," I retort non plussed by his dig. The documents sat in my filing cabinet. I'd paid a contact who worked in technologies for them to be falsified alongside of a not inconsiderable sum to destroy the files for a 9-day period. "...Cost me a pretty penny and then some."

I hide behind the lie behind a partial truth.

Detracting from this fact I continue. "Emily is well liked around here ...we even set up a Just Giving page for her family"

"Very considerate," Drake speaks for the first time her voice soft and appearing sincere.

"Well one of the girls in the cloakroom did actually," I hasten to add not wishing for them to assume the donations were in guilt. "I've made sure that what she would have been paid in wages is actually transferred there weekly."

"Doesn't change the fact that you were one of the last people to see her does it Mr. Hughes?" Chadley offers.

"No," I reply. "No it doesn't..."

Unsurprisingly he's like a dog with a bone. I keep my cool keep my expression neutral but before I can respond any he interrupts.

"This Club has a very bad reputation Mr. Hughes. Drugs and Sex and a debauched lack of moral ethics. You can't be expected to know everything that's goes on here night in night out I appreciated but.....as owner many might say you're guilty by association"

I refuse to rise to his bait and simply nod gently

"You sound just like my Girlfriend." I offer with a smirk.

Detective Drake speaks again. "Was Emily involved with anyone via the club .... a Co-worker a member of the public ...anyone?"

I smile weakly "Well you know we had ...a thing" I surrendered that information to the first Officer "That'll be in your notes if your man did his job right. It was a fling... nothing more... over in a couple of days... caused a bit of gossip here but Emily and I were honest about it. ....I was recently divorced she was 20 years younger than me.... it was only ever casual. That was months ago when this place first opened"

Drake doesn't respond other than scribble notes at speed.

"We understand you're shall we say ....close with plenty of your Staff Mr. Hughes and many of the Clientele" Chadley cut back in.

"I can give you details of all the shall we say dalliances I've had if you want to make notes" Fuck they knew their stuff, or gave the impression they did. Was someone here talking to them? "You met my ex-girlfriend... Jamie when you were downstairs"

I'm not sure why I lie, other than to make a point about relationships associated to the work place "Some people don't like workplace relationships... I find they fit conveniently."

"We aren't here for a rundown of your relationship History Mr Hughes." Charley clarifies and I smile weakly at him, not even sure if he bought my lie about Jamie in the first place. I curse myself for trying to interject such a ruse.

"Are you seeing anyone at present?" Drake asked pushing her hair behind her ear as she looks up at me.

"Well that's a loaded question given his previous statement"

The devil on my shoulder cries out to ask why the attractive Detective is enquiring about my relationship status but I bite my tongue on such ill advised suggestive behaviour, before I honestly gush. "As he says... I'm not sure of the relevance but yes ...yes I am. Hannah Walker she's an Accountant ....it's nice to be with someone not connected to this place. It's a labour of love at times... and well I spare the sharing of personal details

The exchanges continue for a good 5 minutes longer. Going back over the night of Emily's disappearance, as they were classing it, before Detective Chadley almost abruptly closed the meeting with the statement "You're most cooperative Mr. Hughes. We thank you"

Standing from behind the desk I walk around and usher them both towards the door.

"Detective Drake ....I never fully answered your question earlier. Regarding Emily and any clientele here. I apologise it slipped my mind but there was a guy who attempted to do business with me when I first opened up but I turned him down.... he used to show up albeit irregularly with his associates. I've not seen him here for a while......Emily never used to like him, none of the girls did, but there was one night he got particularly touchy feely with her and had been pestering her for attention. I'm sorry to sound the chauvinist but at the time I thought that kind of thing just came with the territory here"

They both stop and look at me. I seize the opportunity to strike; divert attention away from me and towards the real animals in Emily's demise. I'd never forgive myself for not being able to do anything for Emily that last night I'd seen her at the Docks. Even an anonymous tip off would have been to transparent for the Albanian not to have assumed it was me who brought the Law to his door. The consequences of that were unthinkable. I'd moved away from the grotesque individual now having agreed the investment with Mancini and felt suited protected enough by the new arrangements.

"He only ever identified himself to me by what I believe was his surname ....Ballock"

They exchange knowing glances. It's Chadley who speaks first; his turn to lie "Not a name that means anything to us"

His use of the word us was a tell. How was he sure Drake didn't know of Ballock? How could anyone not know of the repugnant Ballock come to think of it.

"I think he's got a Shipping Company down in the Old Docks.... just thought I'd mention it " I add for credence as I lead the way walking them both back down the stair well and through the club. On route through the club we pass a striking looking curvaceous girl with dyed bright green hair, who's dressed in a black dress with black fishnets. Heavy tasteful tattoos run the length of both her arms. I can't help but meet her eye with a grin which she returns with a seductive smile as she struts confidently past me.

"Do you have a bathroom I can use?" Chadley asks

I point to the far corner, "Can't promise how sanitary it'll be on a Friday night."

Chadley leaves me stood there next to Drake. She's beautiful but there's something about this that still feels like a set up. Maybe I'm paranoid but leaving the pretty girl with the potential suspect. I'm not buying it.

Her eyes scan the club taking in the usual debauched revelry that persists. An awkward silence between us she shuffles her hands and I spot for the first time the tell-tale indent on the ring finger of her left hand where her Engagement and or likely her Wedding ring would normally sit. It was Mrs. Drake after all.

"It's busy" she states, as if in need to break the silence between us.

"Just how I like it" I reply coldly my eye following the green haired girl back through the room letting the awkward silence resume.

Moments later Chadley arrives back and before I know it I'm shaking their hands and looking over to the main doors with a nod to Errol. "You can see yourselves out from here I presume?"

"Please do let us know if you think of anything else" Chadley offers.

I answer with a level of sincerity "Please find her."

I nod as I let them walk away. The noose might have just tightened a little, but I was confident I'd d held my own. Handing them Ballocks name might have been a risk. But from what they seemed to know about me, about the Dark Star they'd know I'd dealt with him and more than likely that I no longer dealt with him.

Gio Mancini had indicated Ballock's empire was crumbling, it probably wouldn't help that I gave it a little nudge, with the all the subtly of a sledge hammer.

Dog eat Dog was the mantra I lived by. Survived by.

**********

An hour later I have Tori, the green haired girl stood handcuffed by the wrists and ankles on near enough exactly the same spot as Emily had stood. Her dress and tights slung over the arm of the sofa. Her voluptuous but toned body is completely naked as I walk around her studying the intricate details of the elaborate ink work that covers nearly three quarters of the 23year old's body.

She looks at me and gently bites the black lip ring set to the left of her lower lip.

"My boyfriend wouldn't approve of this" she seductively giggles.

I cup her jaw in my hand as I stand before her. "There's going to be lots happening to you in the next few hours that he won't approve of."