The sound of rustling stopped the argument in progress. “James, what are you doing here?” Cadeon asked.
He looked up. “What do you mean, what am I doing here? You told me I needed to come here and to come alone.”
“No, I didn’t,” Cadeon said.
“I got your call.” James frowned. He hadn’t given the call much thought. The call identity had recognised Cadeon’s phone, and he’d assumed the other man was the caller. He’d been distracted.
Cadeon pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’ve not made a call.”
They were all looking at each other. “What is going on?” Dane asked.
The envelope he’d opened the other day, and the pictures it contained, fell out of his pocket. He bent down, picking them up.
Dane moved over to him and snatched the picture from his hand, handing it to the two women. They gasped covering their mouths with their hands. “Oh no. He’s found us,” Isabella said. James still didn’t recognise the man in the picture.
“I can’t believe it is him,” Isabella said.
Everyone was frozen to the spot. The picture made the rounds throughout the room. Lucas recognised him as did Sean.
“What the f**k is going on?” James asked. Isabella and Rebecca looked like they’d seen a ghost.
Dane took the picture and stared at it. “I’ve seen him recently,” he said, staring at James.
“Why are you looking at me? I’ve never seen this man before in my life,” James turned to the women. They’d lost all of their colour, and the fear on their faces was obvious.
“He’s going to kill us.”
“Could someone please tell us what is going on?” Cadeon asked.
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
“That man is very dangerous. I’ve only seen him once or twice, personally. It was why I didn’t recognise him at the club the last time I was there,” Dane said. “That man is Daren Robinson. He’s the right hand man to Dominic Green’s boss, and he’s currently your f**king doorman.”
James took the photo from him. He didn’t know why Veronica had it, but he was going to f**king find out. Staring at the picture he saw the resemblance to Leo. “This man is Leo. He’s a well respected man and hard worker.”
“He’s a murderer just like me. I have one or two to my name. He has f**king hundreds of kills to his name. That man is the one who does all the leg-work for the main man. No one has seen the big boss. When he turns up, no one is left alive,” Dane said.
James squared up to him, staring at the other man. “How did you not recognise him before?”
“He’s had plastic surgery done. I swear to you, James, that man is Daren Robinson. His build and everything are the same. I don’t know why he’s here.”
“He’s been watching us this entire time,” Cadeon said.
Watching? Watching?
James charged out of the room.
“James, where are you going?” Stephen shouted. He heard them following him. Arthur was leaning up against the car smoking a cigarette. The moment he saw James, he got into the car and started the engine up.
He turned to the men. “He’s got Prudence. I asked him to watch her. I can’t believe I was so f**king stupid.”
James kicked the car then opened the door. “Drive as fast as you can. I don’t give a f**k what happens. You get to Ravage now.” He dialled his office number and waited for her to answer.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up.” James looked out of the rear view window to see several cars following him. He knew his friends were right behind him.
The call ended with his voice asking the person to leave a message. He cursed his own actions. He’d messed up and left Prudence with a worse criminal than Dane.
****
Prue stretched her arms above her head. She must have fallen asleep. The book she’d been reading lay across her chest. Her mouth had a horrible taste. Letting out a groan, she turned and sat up. She must have been asleep for a few minutes. Her head was groggy. She stood up and made her way out of James’s office.
The whole club was silent. It was eerie, and she moved toward the bar. Jermaine was no longer there.
She rubbed her arms wondering where everyone had gone. James had said he’d be back before she knew it. She glanced at the clock and saw it hadn’t been that long since he left. Her heart hammered inside her chest at the deathly quiet of the club. Everywhere she looked sparkled from the deep clean that James demanded from the cleaners he employed.
“Jermaine? Are you here? Hello?” She called out hoping for someone to answer her. Prue turned around to stare at the bar. No one was around. She was starting to panic. The club was huge, and she’d always been there when someone else was close by.
She walked backwards into a solid body. Prue turned to see Leo standing there.
“Leo, you scared me,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I thought everyone had gone.” He stared at her. She smiled at him and gestured around her at the club.
“I’ve never seen the club so dead before. Has James been in touch? I said I’d wait here, but I think it would be best if I went home.” She placed a hand to her rapidly beating heart hoping to calm her nerves.
“No, he hasn’t phoned.”
Leo was watching her. His arms were folded, and she got the feeling he was waiting for something. “Why didn’t you tell him?” he asked.
“What?”
“Why didn’t you tell James about the phone calls?” There was a gleam in his eyes. She frowned at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He laughed, shaking his head. When he leaned closer to her, she pulled back. Leo grabbed her by the shoulders tugging her roughly against him. He leaned close to her ear, and that is when she heard it.
The heavy breathing.
“That was you?” she asked.
A chuckle escaped him. Prue tried to break free from his hold.
“Let go of me.”
“I think you’re my answer. You see, I’ve known James for some time now, and he’s never cared about anyone the way he does you. I’ve worked for him for a year, but before then I had other people in place to watch him. Not one woman appeared on the radar. Not even a guy to use against him. Yeah, I think this will work.”
“Let her go,” Jermaine said. They turned to see Jermaine at the front of the door.
“I thought I told you to leave.”