Gypsy - Lesley Pearse [90]
Jack spotted a familiar face in the crowd ahead of him.
He had only seen Theo once, but his striking good looks were memorable, and in the Bowery such a man would stand out, even without his full evening dress, complete with top hat and a cloak.
Jack stepped right into his path. ‘Mr Cadogan!’ he said.
‘Do I know you?’ Theo asked, looking Jack up and down as if astounded that a man so roughly dressed should know his name.
‘No, sir,’ Jack said. ‘But I’m a friend of Beth’s, and she’s in great danger. I was just going down to Heaney’s to see her brother, and I spotted you.’
Jack half expected the man to claim he had urgent business and couldn’t stop now, but he didn’t. ‘In danger?’ he exclaimed. ‘Tell me what’s happened!’
Jack explained and added that he felt she was being held somewhere in the Bend and how he’d just come from there. ‘But sommat might have happened since I’ve been gone.’
‘Poor dear Beth.’ Theo sighed, looking genuinely distressed. ‘I had intended to go and collect her later this evening, I’ve been away in Boston for some weeks. But I’ll come with you now and perhaps with our combined force we can make that dreadful Heaney get her released.’
Heaney’s was packed as usual on a Saturday night and a negro pianist was acting as a substitute for Beth.
Sam looked wild-eyed and frantic, his customary bonhomie with the customers gone. ‘Thank God!’ he exclaimed as Jack and Theo came up to the bar. ‘I’d been thinking everyone had deserted me.’
Theo had a few words with him, but over the din of the drinkers Jack couldn’t hear what he was saying. Then Theo turned back to Jack, caught hold of his arm and pointed to the back-room door. ‘We’re going in there,’ he said.
Jack was somewhat bemused that the man he’d taken for an upper-class jackal who liked to scavenge in low places did appear to have some courage.
Theo didn’t even knock on the door, just charged in. Heaney was sitting at a table writing in what looked like a ledger. His eyes grew wide at the unexpected intrusion.
‘I hear you’ve had a demand from Fingers Malone for the return of Miss Bolton,’ Theo bluffed, his voice cold as steel. ‘You may have your reasons for not informing her brother what they are, but as her fiance´ I insist on knowing.’
Jack was fairly certain Beth had not become Theo’s fiance´e because she would’ve said so at Thanksgiving. While he hated the idea that this might be on the cards, he was glad Theo had come up with a good excuse for his intervention.
‘As the demand has been made of me,’ Heaney said, getting out of his chair, ‘it’s my feckin’ business.’
‘Not when a young lady is in peril,’ Theo snapped at him, and took a threatening step towards the older man. ‘Now, tell me what you know, and be quick about it.’
Heaney blustered and stalled.
‘How much does he want?’ Theo asked.
‘It isn’t the price so much as what could happen in the future,’ Heaney said, a slight whine in his voice. ‘He’ll think he can take everything I’ve got, beat me down and stamp on me. I won’t let him do that.’
‘I take it that means you aren’t intending to do anything,’ Theo said contemptuously. ‘You want to let her rot with Fingers, don’t you? What sort of snake are you that a girl’s life means nothing to you?’
‘Fingers won’t kill her,’ Heaney said quickly. ‘He wants her to play at his place.’
‘She will do that if you don’t lift a finger to help her.’ Jack spoke out, tempted to wring the man’s neck. ‘You’ve got to rally some of your men and strike back. Why not snatch his missus?’
‘That wouldn’t bother Fingers, he’d be only too glad to see the back of her,’ Heaney said with a shrug.
‘Well, get one of his henchmen then!’
‘I’ve checked out his place. He’s got it tight as a drum, his men are everywhere.’
‘You mean