Conspiracy

I have proceeded with the game with the assumption that I have, without know how or when, been to my apartment and retrieved my money and changed clothes to go undercover.
Now I am stuck, have talked to the young ladies in apartment 7 and the gents in 5 and 4 and seen the thugs go upstairs. I also went upstairs (again), dropped the clipboard and keep trying to enter the club but 'they' don't give me a chance to offer the 30 ($ or rubles?) but beat me up and throw me in the alley. What am I doing wrong?
Love, Betty Lou

Betty Lou, there are several conversations that you might have missed that would cause your problem. Check out this section from the walkthrough: SPOILER
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Enter apartments and speak with ladies in Apartment 7.
Opinion poll about opposite sex.
Go in apartment 7.
Not really a poll.
Investigating murders.
Need their help.
Ask about neighbours.
Talk to both women, be sure to get them to tell about Belussov in Lefortovo.

Go to apartment 5 and speak with Belussov about Lefortovo. He tells about Ryumin in apartment 4 spending 5 years on Wrangel Island.

Go to apartment 4 and speak with Ryumin about Wrangel Island. He tells about Systenko in apartment 6 and his meat market.

After leaving apartment 4, hear two thugs discussing their mugging strategy as they walk up the stairs to the EPC.

Go upstairs and drop the clipboard in the hall and enter the EPC.
Pay $30.00 to stay.