in?”
“Not yet but…hang on.”
They both watched as a very well dressed and overweight man casually strolled up the small set of steps to the front door and rang the bell. A few seconds later the door was opened by a shadowy figure and Jez was sure he caught a glimpse of blond hair. The well dressed man smiled and stepped inside, the door slowly closing behind him. Within the hour another three men - all similarly dressed in expensive clothes with flashy watches on their wrists - knocked on the door and were admitted.
“What the hell is this?” frowned Mikey.
“I know what it is, I own a few of them myself. It’s a high class brothel,” replied Jez.
“What? Alex has never mentioned it. Why all the secrecy?”
“He knew I wouldn’t be impressed by him encroaching on my territory, but he isn’t usually shy about treading on people’s toes. Something’s all wrong about this.”
“Hold on, what have we got here?” said Mikey, peering through the windscreen.
“Is that Stephen Strang, Rachel and Ryan’s business rival?”
“Looks like him. I can’t stand that wanker, he was born an arsehole and got bigger. He was also pretty pally with Alex.”
Strang had been Ryan and Rachel’s main competitor when they’d lived in Manchester and he’d tried to snatch more than one lucrative deal out from under them, including the casino, but he’d never been able to outsmart them.
They watched as Strang beamed at the face behind the door before walking inside. The man who had gone in first exited, strolling down the street looking considerably more relaxed.
“I think we should have a word with Strang,” said Mikey.
Jez nodded in agreement.
They had to wait two hours for Strang to emerge but when he did he too looked happier and more relaxed. He got into his Porsche parked on the opposite side of the road and they followed him back to his office. They gave it five minutes before going inside and announcing themselves to the receptionist.
“Yes?” smiled the blond behind the desk, flashing them both her best smile.
“We’re here to see Stephen Strang,” replied Mikey, returning her smile.
“I’m afraid he’s given instructions not to be disturbed.”
“Trust me, he’ll want to be disturbed. We represent Rachel and Ryan Law. They have a business proposal for him.” Mikey knew Strang wouldn’t be able to resist such a proposition.
“Alright, I’ll try,” she replied.
Mikey admired the cute way her nose crinkled up when she smiled. He shook himself out of it. Amber was his girl, no one else.
The receptionist spoke into the phone then hung up with a surprised look.
“Gentlemen, you may go on up.”
“Thank you,” said Jez, giving her a wink, eliciting a coy smile from her.
They took the lift up to the third floor. Stephen Strang was waiting to greet them at his office door.
“Please Gentlemen, come in,” he said pleasantly. He seated them before his desk and offered them both a scotch, which they declined. Strang retook his seat, rubbing his hands together. Mikey was amazed that he was such a successful businessman, he wasn’t even trying to hide his eagerness.
“So, what’s this deal Ryan and Rachel have for me?”
“Nothing,” said Mikey coldly.
Strang’s smile faltered. “Excuse me?”
“They don’t have any offer for you, they think you’re a turd. We’re here because we want to know where you’ve just been.”
“I don’t see how that’s any business of yours.”
Mikey got to his feet and planted his hands down on Strang’s desk, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat. “Do you know who we are?”
“Yes,” he replied, swallowing hard.
“Then you should know that it would be wise to answer all our questions. We saw you go into a building on Brown Street two hours ago. You knocked on the door and it was opened to you by a blond. We also know the building is owned by Alex Maguire. What we want to know is what goes on in there.”
Strang appeared
“Not yet but…hang on.”
They both watched as a very well dressed and overweight man casually strolled up the small set of steps to the front door and rang the bell. A few seconds later the door was opened by a shadowy figure and Jez was sure he caught a glimpse of blond hair. The well dressed man smiled and stepped inside, the door slowly closing behind him. Within the hour another three men - all similarly dressed in expensive clothes with flashy watches on their wrists - knocked on the door and were admitted.
“What the hell is this?” frowned Mikey.
“I know what it is, I own a few of them myself. It’s a high class brothel,” replied Jez.
“What? Alex has never mentioned it. Why all the secrecy?”
“He knew I wouldn’t be impressed by him encroaching on my territory, but he isn’t usually shy about treading on people’s toes. Something’s all wrong about this.”
“Hold on, what have we got here?” said Mikey, peering through the windscreen.
“Is that Stephen Strang, Rachel and Ryan’s business rival?”
“Looks like him. I can’t stand that wanker, he was born an arsehole and got bigger. He was also pretty pally with Alex.”
Strang had been Ryan and Rachel’s main competitor when they’d lived in Manchester and he’d tried to snatch more than one lucrative deal out from under them, including the casino, but he’d never been able to outsmart them.
They watched as Strang beamed at the face behind the door before walking inside. The man who had gone in first exited, strolling down the street looking considerably more relaxed.
“I think we should have a word with Strang,” said Mikey.
Jez nodded in agreement.
They had to wait two hours for Strang to emerge but when he did he too looked happier and more relaxed. He got into his Porsche parked on the opposite side of the road and they followed him back to his office. They gave it five minutes before going inside and announcing themselves to the receptionist.
“Yes?” smiled the blond behind the desk, flashing them both her best smile.
“We’re here to see Stephen Strang,” replied Mikey, returning her smile.
“I’m afraid he’s given instructions not to be disturbed.”
“Trust me, he’ll want to be disturbed. We represent Rachel and Ryan Law. They have a business proposal for him.” Mikey knew Strang wouldn’t be able to resist such a proposition.
“Alright, I’ll try,” she replied.
Mikey admired the cute way her nose crinkled up when she smiled. He shook himself out of it. Amber was his girl, no one else.
The receptionist spoke into the phone then hung up with a surprised look.
“Gentlemen, you may go on up.”
“Thank you,” said Jez, giving her a wink, eliciting a coy smile from her.
They took the lift up to the third floor. Stephen Strang was waiting to greet them at his office door.
“Please Gentlemen, come in,” he said pleasantly. He seated them before his desk and offered them both a scotch, which they declined. Strang retook his seat, rubbing his hands together. Mikey was amazed that he was such a successful businessman, he wasn’t even trying to hide his eagerness.
“So, what’s this deal Ryan and Rachel have for me?”
“Nothing,” said Mikey coldly.
Strang’s smile faltered. “Excuse me?”
“They don’t have any offer for you, they think you’re a turd. We’re here because we want to know where you’ve just been.”
“I don’t see how that’s any business of yours.”
Mikey got to his feet and planted his hands down on Strang’s desk, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat. “Do you know who we are?”
“Yes,” he replied, swallowing hard.
“Then you should know that it would be wise to answer all our questions. We saw you go into a building on Brown Street two hours ago. You knocked on the door and it was opened to you by a blond. We also know the building is owned by Alex Maguire. What we want to know is what goes on in there.”
Strang appeared
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