Page 5 of Savage Redemption

“Oh. You mean you want me to play? To perform?”

“Yeah. What else?”

She’d been imagining all sorts of ‘what else’, primarily to do with sex trafficking, prostitution, exploitation, and white slavery. A lively gig at a party, and well-paid at that, now this was a whole new kettle of fish. She set her plastic cup down on the pavement.

“Where is this party?”

“Pub in Islington.” He handed her a tattered card. “Can you be there at eight? Play till around one?”

She examined the disreputable-looking card. She’d been past this place several times but never ventured inside. It alwaysstruck her as seedy, but she wasn’t proud. She could cope, just the once. “I guess. Five hundred, did you say?”

“That’s right. Half up front, the rest at the end of the gig. That suit?”

Too right it fucking suited. That was her fare home, right there, with a few quid to spare.

“What sort of music does your friend like?”

He waved airily. “Oh, just about anything. We’re not fussy. Eight o’clock, then? Don’t be late.”

She pocketed the two hundred and fifty quid he shoved into her hand, then watched him make his way down the road, weaving between the tourists. He disappeared into the crowd thronging the pavement.

Rosie picked up her violin and bow. Her busking career was drawing to a close, but since she was already there, she had time to earn a bit more cash before making her way over to Islington.

The Exeter Arms hadn’t improved since the last time she passed. Rosie arrived at around quarter to eight and took stock from outside. Grubby paintwork, windows that hadn’t seen a chamois for several decades if she was any judge, and three black bags full of rubbish dumped next to the front entrance.

Rosie reconsidered this plan, and were it not for the fact she had already been paid half the fee up front, she would have turned and marched away. But Rosie was honest. A deal’s a deal. She stood aside to let three men get past her, then followed them inside.

It was dark, and smoky. If she thought the squat smelled bad, this was in a whole different league. She dreaded to think what cocktails of illegal substances changed hands here. The place was busy, but she didn’t spot any women at the bar or any of the tables. The entire clientele was made up of men, for the most part well-dressed and clearly here for a good time. Theywere drinking, laughing, and shouting at the huge wall-mounted television showing an American football match. No one took any notice when she entered.

Rosie made her way to the bar and caught the eye of the server slopping ale into pint glasses.

“I’m here to perform,” she shouted across the bar. “A party?”

He leered at her and finished serving his customer before looking her up and down with proper attention.

“Perform? Is that it?” he sneered.

She held up her guitar. “I’m a musician.”

He grinned. “Yeah. Right.” He shouted over his shoulder into the back room. “Hey, Lenny. Some more of the entertainment just walked in.”

His choice of words puzzles her. Didn’t the guy at Tower Hill say the band had let them down? Was she not the only performer after all? Rosie already had a bad feeling, but all her antennae were waggling suddenly.

“Hey,” she said, “maybe I’ll just be getting off…”

He leaned across and lifted a section of the bar, then gestured with his thumb. “You’re in there,” he told her indicating that she should go through to the back.

“No, really. I think I may be in the wrong place. Sorry to bother you.” Rosie span on her heel ready to leave but let out a startled shriek when the barman grabbed her by the arm and dragged her through to the rear of the premises.

She stumbled into what seemed like a storeroom, to be confronted by the scruffy individual she met earlier at Tower Hill. He regarded her with satisfaction.

“You turned up, then?” he observed.

“What the fuck…?” Rosie shook off the barman’s hand. “Get off me. What are you doing?”

The bar keeper ignored her. He left, slamming the door behind him.

She grabbed the handle and tried to follow him, but it was locked. Outraged and suddenly terrified, she whirled to confront the man remaining.

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