She wasn’t enjoying herself. Tonight the music seemed too loud, the lights too bright, and the crowds stifling. Plus, she no longer had the excitement of watching out for Glynn. Now that she had found out exactly what he was, he irritated her.

Adele had just fought her way back from the ladies to find that her barstool was now occupied and Peter had disappeared.

‘Where’s Peter?’ she shouted across to the barmaid, Paula, while dabbing her clammy cheeks with a tissue.

Paula shrugged and shouted back, ‘One of the bouncers wanted him for something. Don’t know what.’

‘Can you get me another drink, please? Same again,’ said Adele, who had decided to hang around for a bit longer to see if Peter returned.

Once she had her drink in hand, Adele turned round, her back to the bar, and watched what was going on in the club. Bored, she decided to leave if Peter hadn’t returned by the time she had finished her drink. She was draining the last of her brandy and Coke when she noticed a disturbance on the other side of the dancefloor.

*

Glynn was doing his rounds of the Golden Bell, checking everything was in order, when he spotted one of the bouncers, Barney, involved in an altercation with another man. He couldn’t identify the other man at first; he was only small and a crowd were beginning to gather around them.

It was only as he drew closer that he realised it was Little Gaz. Jesus! That was all he needed. Barney was a good guy to have working for you but sometimes he was just too keen.

He sped towards them, calling out as he approached, ‘What’s going on?’

Barney had hold of Little Gaz by his shirt collar. ‘I caught this little shit selling drugs and then he tried to do a runner,’ he said.

Little Gaz looked up and was met with one of Glynn’s piercing stares, which said, Keep your mouth shut or you’ve had it!

‘Leave him to me,’ said Glynn. Then he nodded at the crowd. ‘You take care of this lot. Tell them to fuck off out of it or we’ll chuck ’em out.’

Barney looked concerned for a moment, but the rough way Glynn handled Little Gaz and the size difference between them told him that Glynn was well capable of handling this situation.

Glynn marched Little Gaz across the floor, through the foyer and out into the street. Then he dragged him into the alleyway that ran down one side of the club. Once they were out of sight he let go of him.

‘What the fuck d’you think you’re playing at?’ he fumed. ‘I thought I told you to be fuckin’ careful.’

‘I was,’ pleaded Gaz. ‘I didn’t know that big bastard was watching, did I?’

‘Hand ’em over!’ demanded Glynn, referring to the drugs that Gaz was carrying.