Bitter Sweet Read Online Free PDF Page B

be ab le to track his exact movements.’
    ‘Hold on. We? I’ve had enough. I’m in this business to make money. Cash. And to live a life which isn’t nine to five, not a life sitting bored at some desk with a bitchy boss, or some bald prat ogling my ass all the time. I’m free to run my life and organise my day as I please. Nor am I dependant on some boy friend or hubby doling out the cash.’
    ‘You’re absolutely right, Nina.’
    ‘Yes, that’s right, I am.’
    ‘And two rights make a . . .’
    ‘What the fuck?’
    ‘Because you’ll be pushed out of business – sidelined.’
    ‘Now just a moment—’
    ‘You live the life you do because of the order which exists around you. Maybe not the best order. The law’s not perfect.’
    ‘Damn right.’
    ‘Yeah,’ Mike said, nodding, ‘that’s right. But you take what you can get.’
    ‘Stop blathering. Spit it out.’
    ‘If this Albanian is part of a crew which has moved in, the whole escort business will spiral out of control and into the muck. Trafficking, pimping, coercion. You name it, that’s their game.
    ‘The clients – the good ones will start to run scared. They’ll worry they’re breaking the law, scared of being exposed, held to ransom.’
    ‘All right,’ I said. ‘What’s your plan?’
    ‘First a recap, okay?’
    ‘Yeah sure.’
    Mike scratched his ear. ‘Someone has been at the CCTV system. We don’t yet know who, but it wasn’t the maintenance company. I haven’t yet checked out the janitor, Alfred. Remind me to do that, okay?’
    I nodded.
    ‘There’s what?’ Mike continued. ‘Two sets of girls from south-eastern Europe working in the city.’
    ‘That’s right, and they’re both undercutting.’
    ‘You sure?’ Mike asked.
    ‘Oh yeah.’
    ‘Martha is quitting,’ Mike continued. ‘There are rumours about a crew muscling in on the trade. Everyone’s getting nervous. There’s a cop taking backhanders. And we don’t yet know what the score is with the Albanian who was here this morning.’
    At the mention of the Albanian, I started twiddling with the end of my ponytail. ‘He could be the ring leader,’ I said, looking at Mike. ‘You wait and see; the next thing we’ll have is a group of girls in this apartment block. Minders and pimps hanging about. The Albanian or some of his thugs coming and going, collecting the cash. Seedy.’
    Mike frowned. ‘If it comes to that the residents will complain.’
    ‘You must be jokin g. You don’t live here. This isn’t no leafy suburb with quaint cottages, gate lodges and gentlemen’s residences. This building is full of one and two bedroom apartments – full of students and young singles who work in the city. Will they complain? Will they even notice?’ I stood up. I needed to move. But above all I needed to think of something else. I’d had enough excitement for one day.
    ‘How can the students afford these rents?’
    ‘Don’t be naïve, Mike. Three or four students sharing – not even two hundred quid a month.’ I went into the kitchen and grabbed the bin bag. ‘Time to go. I’m taking this down.’
    Mike hurriedly packed his things and put the oversized mobile phone for tracking the Albanian into his jacket pocket.
    I lifted my keys. ‘Thanks, Mike,’ I said, giving him a smile. ‘I need to get my head cleared, okay?’
    ‘I would offer to carry the bag?’
    ‘I know you would,’ I said, heading down the corridor with the bag.
    Mike laughed. ‘You really are macho-emancipated.’
    I opened the door and smiled. ‘That’s right.’
    We had to wait ages for one of the lifts and then it was full. Mike and I squeezed in; the lift stopping on every floor. I almost got off on the wrong floor, my brain running over the confrontation with the Albanian, looking for any details I had missed. Had he really swallowed the dumb-escort charade?
    The lift came to a halt. The doors opened. I saw Alfred behind the counter in the foyer. I waved.
    ‘Hello, Nina,’ he