Free The Labyrinth of Drowning by Alex Palmer Page A

they should. Where does the money go? Do you split it with the owners?’
    Lynette put down her glass. ‘That’s it from me. Good night.’
    ‘Walk away from here and I’ll have you arrested.’
    Lynette, half on her feet, slumped back into her chair, tired and frightened. Her make-up seemed to be slipping away.
    ‘How can you have me arrested?’
    ‘There’s plenty in what you’ve told me tonight. Harbouring an illegal immigrant for starters. Deprivation of liberty. Now let’s do this the easy way. You answer my questions. You get looked after.’
    ‘What do you think I can tell you? I’m just front of house. That’s all.’
    ‘How much do these workers get paid?’
    Lynette looked away. ‘They don’t.’
    ‘You take the money.’
    ‘I take a percentage. Do you know how old I am? I’m fifty-three. If I don’t get some money together, what I am going to live on ten years from now? The fucking old-age pension?’
    Grace ignored this. ‘Why are these workers doing this? There must be something in it for them. Is it a visa? For them or their families?’
    ‘I don’t know what the deal is. Some of them have other jobs as well, I’m pretty certain about that. They come in, they work a set number of shifts each week, they go home. I handle it. That’s all.’
    ‘Do you know Jon Kidd? The man who was at the reception desk when I left.’
    ‘That little shortie? I’ve never seen him before. And that’s a fact. I never have.’
    ‘Who brings these workers in to meet you?’
    ‘They come themselves.’ Lynette took a mouthful of wine. ‘They say they’re here to work for Amelie. I know what that means and I look after them from then on. The money they make gets recorded separately against their names. I send it off to the accountants. They deal with it and then I get my bit at the end of the month. In cash.’
    ‘They just front up out of the blue? You don’t know they’re coming.’
    ‘All right. I get a note from the accountant. It comes in a sealed envelope. If they don’t front, I have to send a letter back saying so.’
    Someone tells them they’d better be there if they know what’s good for them, Grace thought. And if they don’t or won’t listen to that advice, what happens then?
    ‘Do they always turn up?’
    ‘Yeah,’ Lynette said. ‘Except one. That was just a month ago. Another African girl. I had her picture. She was a stunner.’
    ‘Do you still have the picture?’
    ‘No, I sent it back when she didn’t turn up.’
    ‘What was her name?’
    ‘I wasn’t given a name. I don’t get names for any of them and I don’t ask. We settle on a working name when they get there.’
    ‘What happened to the one who didn’t turn up?’
    ‘I don’t know and I didn’t ask.’
    ‘Why didn’t Marie handle these workers?’
    ‘Because she doesn’t know her arse from her elbow.’
    ‘But you do. You’ve been in this business for years. How long have you been working at Life’s Pleasures? Has this been going on all the time you’ve been there?’
    ‘All my fucking life, it feels like. Three years.’ Lynette had stood up. She was crying. ‘Yes, it’s been going on the whole time. I got paid for it, didn’t I? You can have me arrested now. I don’t give a shit. I’m walking away. I need to get some sleep.’
    ‘One last question. Did Coco have a wedding ring when she was with you?’
    ‘Is that a joke? What would she do with that?’
    And she was gone, leaving behind an empty glass and carafe and a full ashtray.
    Grace walked out to her car, passing a man a distance away from her on his way in. She glanced at him but he was heading for the bar. In her car, she rang the control centre.
    ‘Did you get that conversation?’
    ‘We did,’ the operative replied. ‘What’s the request now?’
    ‘We need to pick her up for questioning ASAP. Her movements need to be monitored and Clive needs to be notified as well. We should pick her up before tomorrow morning at the latest