*FIRST DRAFT* The Cover of Darkness (DCI Morgan Chester Series)

Chapter Eight

The frontage of the brothel was far from Cole's expectations. A façade. The town house had a freshly painted brown door. The curtains were drawn across the windows. Cole had seen many brothels since he joined the SCU, but this was the most sophisticated. He walked up the pathway and tapped his knuckles against the door. Footsteps approached.

"Go away." A voice called abruptly from the other side of the door.

"Anton Declan, I'm here to talk to you," Cole demanded.

"We're closed." The voice responded.

"You can let me in, or I could break down your door. Your choice." He shrugged. The locks on the door clicked and the door flew open. A tall man with auburn hair and a face full of freckles appeared. His eyes carefully scanned Cole and his shoulders stiffen with his eyebrows raised.

"I said we're closed." Anton spat.

"Because one of your girls was killed last night?" Cole asked and the man's grey eyes widened.

"Who are you?" His tone getting bitter.

"I'm Detective Inspector Cole Dawson. My team is investigating the murder of Yolanda."

"Come back with a warrant." He went to go close to the door, but Cole stopped it with his foot.

"Do you not want to catch whoever killed one of your workers? I'm sure it has caused a leak in your cash flow?" he questioned sternly.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"DCI Morgan Chester sent me." Anton sighed and opened the door letting Cole enter. He noticed the living room to his left. A leather corner sofa placed against the wall facing the wall-mounted television with an Xbox underneath. Two girls relaxed on the sofa watching a daytime chat show.

"Kitchen." He instructed, and Cole followed him through the narrow hallway. Cole whistled in appreciation as they entered the kitchen through a frosted glass door. Two bouncers close behind him.

"Is this necessary?" Cole smirked as he sat on the barstool at the graphite kitchen island. Anton sat opposite him with the same smirk played on his lips. Cole assessed him cautiously; he would not slip up as easily as Cole anticipated.

"I'm a businessman Detective. They go wherever I go; especially with company around." He explained and offered Cole a drink which he declined. "Make your questions quick."

"Straight to the point. I like it. What was your girl doing in Camden Market this morning?"

"She was part of the night group. They operate the borough. We have strict rules here."

"Treading on some toes aren't you?"

"Business is no walk in the park Detective. Sometimes you have to break a few bones and stab a few in the back to get to the top." He shrugged.

"There's another shop in Camden Market- "

Anton interrupted him. "I am aware of that place. Not my fault they're customers prefer what I have to offer." He explained and Cole glared at him.

"One of the girls was attacked. She was found next to Yolanda."

Anton's facial features softened, and eyes fell to his hands. "Is she dead too?"

"She survived. She is recovering in hospital and is assisting in this investigation." Cole explained and Anton sighed in relief.

"We're not cold-hearted bastards Detective. We look out for our girls. It's upsetting to hear another girl almost perished." He paused. "Please excuse my cold demeanour moments ago. Trying to process the loss of a member of this family."

"Didn't know family meant risking their lives to bring you money." His voice was cold to Anton whose facial features tightened.

"Next question." He ordered. A grin played on Cole's face.

"Have you noticed anything suspicious recently"

Anton paused and rubbed his chin. "There was this kid, pretty fucking annoying may I add. Keeps trying to get in here and bugs the girls on the streets. Started as some joke until he cornered one of the girls one night."

"Do you know who he is?" Cole asked and Anton nodded to one of the bodyguards. He exited the room and returned with a plastic folder, he placed it in front of Cole.

"Took matters into my own hands. All the dirty peeper's details are in there. Waste of time though as we scared him off." Anton explained calmly. Cole slipped the plastic folder under his arm.

"Do you have any enemies Mr. Declan?"

"Please call me Anton. Who doesn't have enemies? They'd be pretty fucking stupid to touch my girls."

"Could I speak to some girls? We need all the information we can gather?" Cole asked and Anton nodded.

He introduced him to the two girls: Laura and Hanna, in the living room. Cole took a closer look at them, both girls were happy and healthy with no sign of abuse or even drug use. Laura was closest with Yolanda, and they stayed in the same room. Hanna worked the street with Yolanda and occasionally hung out to watch television and drink tea. He asked to see Yolanda's room and Anton declined but had items belonging to the girl brought down to him.

"You seem to run a tight ship." Cole spoke amused.

"I show the girls respect and care for them, and they return the offer. I keep them clean and make sure they're fed, and in return they earn money for me." He shrugged and extended his hand which Cole shook. He politely thanked Anton for his time and slipped him the business card before he left. Cole was close to his car when one of the bodyguards called out for him.

"Detective, can we talk?" He asked. Cole clocked he was from East London by the cockney slang on his tongue. He rolled his eyes after his plan to quickly get away had been dampened.

"Get in the car," Cole ordered as he threw the bag of Yolanda's belongings in the backseat, and they climbed in. They sat in silence until the bodyguard sighed.

"She used the market to cut through to meet someone." He finally muttered.

"Another punter?"

The bodyguard shook his head. "No, to meet me."

"Mixing business with pleasure is never a good thing man." Cole chuckled.

"It's not like that!" He shouted and quickly composed himself. "Yolanda wanted out. Between the two of us we created a plan for her escape. She missed her family for fucks sake."

"Missed her family so much, yet she sneaked into London to work here?"

"She wanted to be a singer. They made her believe she could be once she got to England." He bit his lip.

"You didn't think to go searching for her?" Cole questioned.

"Anton had a job for me; I couldn't raise suspicion I had something planned. We only got back this morning and one of the girls told us about Yolanda." Tears brimmed his eyes and his hands balled into fists. "It's all my fault."

"Could have met somewhere safe." Cole shrugged. "Anyway, thank you. This could be useful to us."

"Do you think he'll attack again?" He stammered.

"It's possible. Be more vigilant with who you let in." Cole warned him and the bodyguard nodded as he opened the car door and climbed out. Cole watched him vanish back to the house wiping his eyes and straightening his jacket. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled Morgan.

"I've got some information that could be useful. I'll meet you back at the office." He briefly told her before he hung up. Unaware of the small girl with matted blonde hair that watched as he drove away from a small window at the top of the house.