Death & the City Book Two by Lisa Scullard Read Free Book Online Page B

he knows anything about this and what his subsequent instructions are, and find my way up to his 'bubble' overlooking the club.
    "Hey," he greets me, a lanky familiar face on the club circuit, who looks like he survives on Red Akuma and cigarettes, with the occasional Sambuca thrown in. "Have you seen this set-up? I have to co-ordinate four rooms at once plus the lobby. That's a ten-track mixer. You just know there'll be a cock-up when Eminem fades into The Birdie Song ."
    "Oh, you have different themes in each room?" I remark. "That's useful. Have you heard the rumours about tonight's Bond theme being changed on Facebuddy, then?"
    "Yeah, the manager wants me to read the crowd and play a bit of everything mixed with the Bond soundtrack, but the only thing I've found mixes with the Bond theme is the vocal from Ghostbusters . So I'm thinking of adding a post to Waffle that it's actually early Halloween this year." He skips through pages on his Blueberry. "Plus the customers can't actually get up here to talk to me, they have to post any song requests on the Zone internet Message Board, which pop up here on the screen. Meaning girls are going to be sending me pornographic texts all night, and the guys are going to be saying stuff like Oy Buddy Where's The Toilet LOL ."
    "At least you can lock the door and not be disturbed," I agree.
    "Yeah, that's a benefit, because I'm in an online Poker Tournament at ten, I'm on the finalist's table to win a million and a trip to Vegas," he grins. "I've already picked up ten grand this month. Two more matches, then I'm quitting here and moving to Trinidad & Tobago."
    Sounds like a good plan, I think. I wonder where Connor would go, given the freedom and the choice. I wonder where I would go.

    It's a mixed bunch in The Zone this evening. Most customers have taken the safe option of coming out dressed as themselves, in regular clothing. So by about 10:30 p.m. the staff are feeling uncomfortable and over-dressed, taking every opportunity to hide in glass-washing rooms, texting their friends saying how awful it is. And nobody has even asked for a Martini.
    Manager Diane from The Plaza turns up and manages to sneak in with Mgr Melanie, both showing a lot of airbrush-tanned cleavage and lip-gloss pout, for a nose around and to fondle as many doormen as they can. Apparently to remind them about free staff drinks later, and to reminisce about whatever happened during their lock-in last night. Rather brilliantly, though, as they loiter on the doorstep after their tour, saying a rather long goodbye to Salem and Hurst with a lot of one-sided flirting while I'm punching tickets, they're upstaged by Elaine arriving from Crypto out of the blue - on the back of Doorman Ben Trovato's Harley-Davidson.
    Dressed in Pussy Galore black leathers and a Whitesnake logo crash helmet, bearing a bottle of Rosé Champagne for Manager Stacie as congratulations. Salem calls Stacie to the door by radio, after Elaine says she'd rather not go in and disturb her. So she presents the Champagne to Stacie in front of The Plaza stalkers, who look as though they wish the pavement would swallow her up. Stacie invites her in, and Elaine says she'd love to stay but is off to an NME gig with Ben as V.I.P. guests of the band, who performed at Crypto before being signed with their new label. Stacie then invites her to the company's corporate dinner in London instead 'With Tiffany goody bags, darling!' before Elaine waves goodbye and roars off again, giving her doorman driver a squeeze that turns Diane and Melanie green.
    Stacie hugs her bottle of Champagne, looking very happy, and strolls back inside with the barest passing 'Hello' to The Plaza managers. Who have come empty-handed, and both look shell-shocked since the mention of the word Tiffany .
    I try to hide my smile, feeling very proud to see Elaine back on form. Ben's had a bit of a thing for Elaine from a distance for a while. I'm hoping she's getting over her fireman fetish, and