Fifty
It always seemed to surprise people that Ralph Massey was a morning person.
Obviously, back when he was working his falsies off on the drag circuit, going to bed late and not rising before Neighbours was par for the course.
These days, though – involved, as he was, in a very different sort of business – he was up with the lark more often than not.
Up and at them, getting a jump on his rivals and gaining whatever advantage those extra few hours might afford him.
Seizing the day, then squeezing the life out of it.
Still, because he understood better than most the demands that showbiz made on the time of those who embraced it, he was the one who was taken aback when the twins ushered a somewhat nervous-looking dancer into his office at the Majestic Ballroom at a little after eight-thirty in the morning.
‘Well, look who it is.’ He stood and threw his arms wide, before coming from behind his desk and bending to mwah-mwah the girl on both cheeks. ‘Nikki … how are you, darling?’
He didn’t know all of his singers and dancers intimately, certainly not the female ones, but he and Nikki Wallace had a little history.
She was by no means the most talented dancer he’d ever employed – far from it, in fact – but she was nice enough to look at, which he knew was important. If you liked that sort of thing.
‘Yeah, I’m good, thanks, Mr Massey.’
‘Ralph, please!’
Nikki Wallace reddened and said, ‘I’m good, Ralph.’
‘I’m stunned, to tell you the truth, seeing you up and about so bright and early. I thought all you young dancers were out taking pills and painting the town red every night after the show.’
‘Yeah, I go out clubbing now and again,’ Nikki said. ‘Can’t afford to do it very often though.’
‘Ah, now I understand,’ Massey said. ‘You decided to come and see me good and early to ask for a pay rise, did you?’
‘No, not at all.’
Massey arched his eyebrows. ‘No?’
‘No, but if you thought I deserved a few extra quid every month I wouldn’t complain, obviously … Ralph. But that’s not why I came to see you, I swear.’
Massey thought about it. ‘Everything good with Holiday Hoofers?’
‘Well, the audiences could be a bit bigger, I suppose.’
‘They will be.’ Massey was frosty. ‘Despite what the show’s called, we’re not in peak season yet. Nowhere near. But I meant is the show still working … artistically.’
Nikki reddened again. ‘Yeah, course. Well … the tap routines are killing it every night, and the Grease medley always works, but the big Whitney Houston number at the end of the first half – you know, the solo …’
‘Ah, yes.’ Massey nodded happily and began to sing ‘I Will Always Love You’; quietly and with great tenderness, conducting an invisible orchestra as he lost himself in the song.
‘I think that could maybe be improved a bit.’ After a few seconds, Nikki guessed that Massey was waiting for her to elaborate and raised her voice to be heard over his singing.
‘It’s just that the girl who dances that piece, Elaine …
and this is only my opinion, obviously, but I think she’s a little … clumpy.’
Massey stopped singing and widened his eyes. ‘Clumpy?’
‘Just a bit, maybe.’
‘Oh, we do not want clumpy. The punters most definitely do not want clumpy.’
‘No, right?’
‘Not at forty quid a ticket they don’t.’ He smiled. ‘So what, you think you could make a better job of it, do you?’
‘Well, now that you’ve brought it up, I think I could. Actually, I know I could, but that’s not why I wanted to see you either.’
Massey walked slowly back behind his desk and sat down. ‘So, why are you here then, Nikki?’
She took a step closer to the desk. ‘I had a visit from the police last night.’
‘Did you indeed?’ Massey leaned forward and steepled his fingers, the nails perfectly manicured. ‘Who did you smack this time?’
Nikki shook her head. ‘No, nothing like that, honest. This copper just wanted to talk to me, that’s all. Detective named Miller.’
‘Oh yes?’
‘They’re trying to find this bloke I had a fling with. Fella named Neil Battersby.’
‘Tell me more.’
‘He’s an ex-squaddie. Fit like, but a bit of a plank. I don’t know what I was thinking, if I’m honest.’
‘You were thinking he was fit, so why the hell not?’ Massey smiled. ‘I’m guessing it wasn’t his conversation you were interested in.’
‘Definitely not,’ Nikki said.
‘So, did Detective Miller say why they wanted to find Mr Battersby?’
‘He wouldn’t tell me exactly what Neil’s done, but it’s definitely something pretty serious.
I don’t think he’d have killed anyone, but it’s obviously a big deal.
Miller wanted me to tell him if there was anywhere Neil had ever mentioned to me …
like some special place he might have gone to lay low or whatever. ’
‘What did you tell him?’
‘That I couldn’t think of anywhere.’
Massey grinned. ‘Which was a big fat lie, correct?’
‘Course it was.’
‘Good girl.’
‘I’d never tell the old bill anything, especially after they tried to stitch me up with that Wetherspoons thing. Thanks again for persuading that slapper not to press charges, by the way, Mr Mass—Ralph. I won’t forget it.’
Massey waved her thanks away. It really hadn’t been a big deal, having taken no more than a brief visit from the twins to persuade the ‘slapper’ in question that the entire incident had been her own fault.
He would have found some way to call in Nikki Wallace’s debt eventually, but now it looked as though the means to repay him had fallen into her lap.
DS Declan Miller might well have done them both a favour.
‘See, I knew exactly where Neil would have gone,’ she said. ‘Always banging on about this place, he was. Took me there once, you know … so we could have a bit of fun outdoors.’
When she’d finished telling him, and he’d written it all down, Massey stood up, wrapped an arm around Nikki’s shoulders and escorted her to the door. ‘What can I say, Nikki? This information may prove to be useful or it may not, but either way, you won’t go unrewarded.’
‘Thanks, but there’s no need—’
‘So, I’ll look at possibly upping your wages in … six months or so. How’s that sound?’
‘Oh, right. But what about the Whitney Houston number?’
‘Well, I’ll definitely be having a word with … Elaine, is it? Let her know she needs to up her game.’ He saw the disappointment on Nikki’s face and stepped back as though he was shocked. ‘What, you thought I was just going to give her the push and slot you in, did you?’
‘No, I just—’
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Massey said. ‘I’m very pleased that you came and I’m inordinately grateful for everything you’ve told me.’ He opened the door and waited for her to step through it. ‘But nobody likes a grass, love.’