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.’Edgehill said: ‘Really, Adrian, that’s exactly how—’Pellotte stretched his left hand forward to reach Edgehill and gave his arm a slight squeeze.It might have been intended to proclaim everlasting friendship and trust.Certainly it might.Or, then again, it.‘You and I – we share a Whitsun background, Larry,’ Pellotte said.‘Adrian sees that as a kind of brotherliness, with all the privileges and responsibilities it brings,’ Dean said.Edgehill said: ‘Yes, but—’‘Adrian is famed as one who recognizes help from a friend, Larry.What he’s saying is, all right, The Insignia of Postponement talk produced an impact.As long as this was confined for Rupe Bale and the Sandine woman to the discussion on your programme – possibly spreading to other items on the night – OK.It looks as if it will get him a juicier job.So far so grand.We know sex sells, and this was an element.However, we don’t want the special quality of their first encounter to get built in to the series, if they jointly run a show.It should be cultural, intellectual, not pube-based – i.e., not a threat to the Rupert-Dione relationship, a flaunted mockery of the Rupert-Dione relationship.’Pellotte nodded.Dean said: ‘Adrian is devoted to his daughters and desires Dione to be lastingly happy with Rupert Bale in Wandsworth or St John’s Wood, or any equivalently non-Temperate part of London.And we know – absolutely know – we can rely on you, Larry, to see that a father’s hopes for his dear daughter are not trampled.’ Dean’s voice softened, took on a vast, spiritual solemnity.‘Larry, consider: might there one day be children for Dione and Bale, a dearly cherished family? Adrian, in his position, is accustomed to thinking beyond the immediate to the long-term.What I would unashamedly call the dynastic, in this case.He must protect the future.’ Dean paused, making sure Edgehill appreciated the immensity.Then, with congratulation in his tone, Dean said, ‘Adrian remarked to me, before we set out today: “This is one for Larry Edgehill.Only he can assist us.He will earn our regard – will be eager to earn it, despite recent unseemliness.” Adrian never misjudges.How would he be where he is otherwise? How would he be so esteemed, so revered?’NineEsther had a call on her office phone.‘I’m Belinda.’‘Right.’‘Most likely you know he was at Tribe, this dead one – the one on the kids’ slide, but not sliding anywhere, Gervaise Etcetera – oops, that’s cruel! It might take a while going through the tapes, but you’re going to find me, aren’t you? I’ll be on club CCTV talking to him when my boyfriend was in the toilet, and after that.So, look, I don’t want your people tracking me down and a platoon coming around my house with questions, or where I work, or at the club.Ask anyone on Temperate – you’ve got to be careful who’s knocking your door.The same on Whit, I expect.This is very visible, while they’re knocking and waiting and looking friendly, not smashing the door down today, and like they expect info.Anyone can tell it’s police whatever clothes.So, I decided to ring.Sort of get in first? He wouldn’t like it – your people at my house, and he’d be sure to hear.He didn’t like it at Tribe, talking to him, to Gervaise Etcetera.’‘The boyfriend?’‘It wasn’t a long-time thing, him and me, but he thought he had like ownership.I played along, for a while.’Crude as snot, was he? Esther left it unspoken.‘Nor my parents wouldn’t want it – heavies at the house, asking things,’ Belinda said.‘You live on Temperate?’‘Even if your lot came in a plain car – it’s not good.This would be a topic.Man or woman cop, it wouldn’t matter.And I don’t want to come in there, to the nick.This also could be seen.Or you’ve got officers in the building who might put a word to where I wouldn’t like to have a word put – Harold Perth Amesbury.’‘No, no, it wouldn’t happen.’‘Which you’ve got to say.But it might.I fancy living a bit more of the future, you know.It’s not guaranteed though.’‘Well, I’ll meet you somewhere away from here and from Temperate.Give me a place and time.’‘Just you?’‘Just me.Belinda what? I’m Esther Davidson.’‘Yes.’ Belinda said a friend ran a hairdressing saloon, Scissors Movement, off the estates, but not far.There was a back room for tea-making and stores.Iris didn’t mind if they used it.Belinda had told her that Esther worked in debt management, and that her parents would worry if they thought she had problems.‘Iris doesn’t know much about police, but put on something a bit gaudy so you don’t seem plain clothes.’ Belinda might get something done to her hair before or afterwards to make the visit look ordinary and reward her friend.That would be only decent.‘You could, too, if you like.She’s pretty good.Customers of all ages.’‘Well, perhaps,’ Esther said.‘Better than spilling it all on the phone.’‘Much.’‘As long as it’s one-to-one.’‘It will be.’‘Making poke-about visits to my house and work and Tribe definitely unnecessary?’‘Definitely.’Esther arrived a couple of minutes before Belinda at Scissors Movement.She must have decided to have her hair done after the meeting, not before.Leatherette, tubular armchairs.They sat opposite each other near the gas ring.Esther wore a purple T-shirt with ‘Pamplona’ in silver letters across the front.Iris made them tea.The shelving behind Belinda had a scatter of fresh towels, bottles of shampoo and dye, a green first-aid box, spare bits of equipment, a tattered Hello! magazine.That sweet, slightly acrid hairdresser smell.‘This Gervaise – cool name, yes? – this Gervaise, he was asking questions and coming out with names, just like they were just ordinary names.Casual? You don’t go around speaking names in Tribe, not the sort of names he was speaking,’ Belinda said.‘Men.Their names.They’re not gay, but I asked him if he was, because of an interest in men, but I guessed he wasn’t.I knew he must either be pissed or media.When I asked him if he was gay, it was really to shut him up, spouting these names, spouting these names to me, like I’m going to help him with them.I mean, he’s only just met me, or hadn’t really met me properly at all, just bumped into me.It’s dangerous.People don’t like it.’‘Which people?’‘The people whose names he was asking about.’‘These would be people from the Temperate firm, would they?’‘You know the names.You’re chief of detectives.You must know these names, even though you can’t.even though they.even though they and the firm keep going all right.’‘Camby.Laidlaw.’She stared at Esther for a couple of seconds but didn’t speak or give any sign in her face.‘You’d recognize these people?’ Esther said.‘Of course I’d recognize them.Any regular at Tribe would recognize them – what they looked like, why they’re there.But I didn’t let on to him I knew.That could have made it look like I was helping him.I wouldn’t want that, would I?’No, you wouldn’t, Belinda.Again, unspoken, though.‘At Tribe, you should be careful not to get tied in with people you don’t know.’‘Obviously.’She stopped, sat back hard in her chair and pointed a finger at Esther.‘Hey – you don’t ask what we talked about,’ she said.‘You know already, do you? He left notes? That’s what they do, his sort.Reporters.They write stuff down, or on a laptop.In the press and on TV they said he was a reporter [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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