For Your Own Protection(38)

Where the hell is Harvey?

Matt found a fiver, and the woman stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans.

‘You’re Matt, aren’t you?’

‘Yeah, how did you—’

‘Harvey just texted. Asked me to look out for you.’

‘That was good of him.’

She thrust out a hand. ‘My name’s Harmony. Harmony Taylor. I’m Harvey’s cousin.’

He took her hand. ‘Matt. Matt Roberts. Lovely to meet you, Harmony.’

‘I only work here a few nights a week for the extra money, and ’cos I enjoy the vibe. Mostly ’cos of the vibe, ’cos the money’s pretty rubbish. I run a beauty salon, on the high street.’

‘That’s great.’

‘My parents own the shop – it used to sell bread, milk, fags, booze. But they wanted to retire, and last year I pitched the idea of a salon. It’s doin’ really well. You have a wife, girlfriend who might be interested? I can do a good discount for friends of Harvey.’

As ever when there was a reminder that he was no longer with Beth, he felt both sick and sad. ‘I’m on my own at the moment.’

‘We do men’s treatments too. Though it’s mostly women. You interested?’

‘Maybe.’ Matt smiled, and took a first sip of his drink. He grimaced at the sour taste. ‘What is this?’

She grinned, as if she’d been expecting this. Maybe that’s why she was hanging around. ‘Bitter lemon and vodka.’

Matt inspected the bottle for the first time. It was called ‘Lemon Blast’ and there was a picture of a beach flanked by palm trees. ‘It’s very lemony.’

‘Very vodkary too,’ she joked. ‘Don’t drink too many too quickly. I don’t wanna be havin’ to pick you up off the floor. And I’m tellin’ you, you don’t wanna be lyin’ on that floor – I have to clean it, so I know.’

Matt was looking at the ingredients on the back of the bottle. As well as vodka and lemon, it was also part energy drink. He looked over again at the heaving dance floor, a mass of human movement. No wonder they could keep that up.

‘I’d better keep workin’,’ Harmony said. She looked at the door, an unspoken thought playing on her mind. ‘Hopefully he’ll be here any minute. In the meantime, enjoy the music.’

And with that, smiling at him over her shoulder, she wove expertly through the people, almost dancing as she went.

Matt felt alone again, and his mind returned to the thought of the cocaine in his pocket. He thought about bailing – abandoning his drink, walking out and going home. He could give Harvey his drugs back another day. But just as he considered his options, a hand took hold of his and tugged him forward.

‘This way!’

Matt was too surprised to resist the pull of the woman, who led him to the dance area. There she looped her arms around his neck, dancing seductively. ‘C’mon, mister, show me what you can do!’ she giggled.

Matt began to move in time with the woman, or at least made an attempt to. The dance floor was so full it was hard to step more than a few inches without risking treading on someone’s toes. The woman fixed her wide eyes on his, and he smiled back uncomfortably.

Where the hell is Harvey?

‘You’re not too bad at dancin’,’ the woman said. She leaned in close to his ear. ‘You’re quite cute, you know,’ she whispered, her breath making Matt’s skin tingle excitedly. ‘The name’s Rochelle.’

Matt felt himself flush, but then a large figure loomed in from the left, pushing at Matt’s chest.

‘What the hell, man? What the hell you doin’?’

The guy pushed him again, and Matt fell back into some dancers as he was caught off balance. ‘Sorry, sorry,’ he said, as the dancers glared at him before they shifted away from the trouble.

The man took a step forward, right up into Matt’s face. His nostrils were flaring, his eyes wide and zoned in on his target. ‘I asked you a question, man. What you doin’ with my woman?’

‘Oh my days, Tyrone,’ the woman pleaded over the music. ‘It was nothin’. Just a bit of fun.’

‘Shut up,’ he said, dismissing her. ‘I’ll deal with you later. Now I deal with him.’ He jabbed a finger into Matt’s chest. It felt as though an instant bruise was blossoming at the point of impact.

‘Please, Tyrone, don’t do anythin’ stupid. You remember what happened last time.’

Matt didn’t want to find out what had happened last time, and he definitely didn’t want a practical demonstration. He searched desperately for a way out. ‘Look, I’m really sorry. I’d better be going now.’ He moved to walk past and, to his surprise, the man let him pass. Matt didn’t turn around, and he didn’t run. He took care to maintain an even, relaxed pace as he picked his way through the crowd, towards the exit. He thought he caught a glimpse of Harmony watching him, off to the right, but he didn’t look round to check. He reached the door and stepped out into the night air, nodding a goodbye to the doorman and thanking his lucky stars he’d got out of there.

Matt looked left and right, then across the road. There was no sign of Harvey. What the hell had happened to him? Deciding it was best to put some distance between himself and the club, Matt hurried down the street.