BETRAYED. Jacqui Rose

spoke to the barman, his voice soft and even. ‘A double scotch and the same again for my friend.’ Turning back to Del, Milo gestured his hand to the man groaning on the floor, and smiled. ‘Forgive my men. As you see they’re very loyal and sometimes a little, how shall I say it? … A little too enthusiastic for their own good.’ With that, Milo kicked at the bloodied man who staggered up, stumbling and holding onto his face in an attempt to stop the blood flow.

      Del watched Milo carefully as he signalled for him to sit back down. He was a cool character, he’d give him that much. Always playing his cards close to his chest. Milo was a nasty piece of work. He’d seen him in action. Cold, ruthless and calculating but he chose his fights carefully. And unlike Del, Milo was clearly able to think first and react afterwards.

      He wasn’t sure if he could trust Milo, but that was the nature of the business they were both in. Always looking behind your back. Always trying to be one step ahead. And he’d rather deal with Milo than with Teddy.

      Teddy had got greedy – both for money and in his liking for powder. He seemed to be on the edge, which made Del very nervous. The man was a loose cannon and in the business they were in you couldn’t afford to be one, or for that matter to be around one. Not if you valued your life.

      Del knew he had to distance himself from Teddy if he wanted to stay on top. The man had been all right at first. Another bent copper looking for his cut of things, and Del, like some of his associates, had been happy to pay him his due to keep the law off his back and run out any toerags who thought they could come on the turf.

      It’d made his life easier. One less thing to worry about, but that had been then. Del didn’t need the likes of Teddy now. He was too big for that. He had his own men watching his back. And so great was his reputation around the country, even his enemies weren’t fool enough to try and take him on.

      The main problem was that, somewhere along the line, Teddy had decided he wanted to be bigger than him. It was clear the man had become dissatisfied with the wad of money, drugs and girls that had been placed freely in his hand each week by Del and the other faces and dealers of Soho. He’d wanted more and now he was going to get nothing. Greed would be Teddy’s downfall and Del for one wasn’t prepared to go down with him.

      Putting his glass down, Del spoke to Milo.

      ‘When’s the shipment hitting the Costa?’

      ‘Any day now. Are you still going over there this week?’

      ‘Perhaps, or I might leave it to my men to deal with it,’ Del answered in a non-committal manner. Even though he was in business with Milo, he didn’t want the man to know all his comings and goings. It was safer that way. The less people knew what he was up to the better; that’s the way it’d always been and that’s the way it’d carry on.

      Looking at the time, Del got up. ‘Shit. I’ve got to go, but Milo, sort those girls out. I don’t want to be having this conversation again.’ He nodded his head towards Milo’s sidekick who was slumped in the corner. ‘Take him to Doc’s in Wimpole Mews and have him send me the bill.’ Without waiting for a reply, Del walked out of the club.

      From the other side of the darkened room the emergency exit door opened and Teddy Davies walked in. His face was flushed and sweaty from the quiver he’d just taken, but he felt good. Very good. Del Williams had thought he was going to pull a fast one and keep him out of the loop; well that was his first big mistake. And his second? Trusting Milo Burkov.

      Sitting down at the table, Teddy smiled at Milo. ‘Thanks for meeting me Milo. I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while. I’ve got a proposition for you; I was hoping we could come to some sort of arrangement.’

      12

      Julian Millwood suppressed his laughter as he walked up to one of the other residents of his estate. Gary Cole. He brushed his brown curly hair out of his eyes as he spoke.

      ‘Gal. Have you got a moment?’

      With hollow eyes, Gary nodded, listening but struggling to concentrate on what Julian was saying.

      ‘I’m sorry Gary, about Julie. She was such a sweet kid. If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.’

      Gary nodded but said nothing, and with his head down he failed to notice the slight smirk on Julian’s face.

      ‘Well, I’ll let you get on and like I say, Gal, just let me know if I can help in any way.’

      With large purposeful strides, Julian turned away, a huge grin appearing on his face.

      Walking towards Camden Road, Julian opened another shirt button, exposing the mass of brown chest hair. He wasn’t sure if it was the heat of the summer that was making him sweat or just the thought of it