Page 109 of The Hallmarked Man

‘What d’you know about Rupert’s ex-housemate, Zac?’

‘He tried to stiff a drug dealer for payment, then fucked off and let Rupe and Tish take the heat,’ said Albie darkly.

‘Who’s Tish?’

‘Zac’s ex-girlfriend. The dealer was threatening her as well as Rupe. Trying to get to Zac through them.’

‘What’s Tish’s full name?’

‘I never knew her surname. I only met her once.’

Albie’s burger now arrived and he started eating immediately, clearly very hungry.

‘Rupert didn’t have much money, did he?’ asked Robin.

‘No. He sounds posh, but there’s nothing left in his trust fund. All the money went on paying for his boarding school in Switzerland. Rupe needs to work if he wants to eat. Have you spoken to his aunt?’

‘My partner has.’

‘Rupe can’t stand her. He had a bad childhood. He was really unhappy at his boarding school and he didn’t like his aunt and uncle. He told me he never felt like he belonged with them. He wanted to get back to England and his mum’s side of the family. He really liked his Uncle Ned, but he died just after Rupe came back to the UK.’

‘What did Rupert do before he worked at Dino’s?’

‘Worked for an estate agents, then he was front of house at some restaurant in Soho, and then Sacha – you know Rupe’s Sacha Legard’s cousin?’

‘I did, yes,’ said Robin. ‘Are they friendly?’

‘I don’t think Sacha wants to get too friendly.’

‘Why not?’

‘In case Rupe wants things from him,’ said Albie owlishly.

‘What kinds of things?’

‘Dunno. Money? Premiere tickets? Hang out with his famous friends?’

‘Would Rupert want those things from Sacha?’

‘No,’ said Albie. ‘All he really wants is family. Sacha was the one who suggested Rupe went and worked at Dino’s, though. Sacha’s a member there. He said, if Rupe wanted a better job than the restaurant, he should ask Mr Longcaster, seeing as he was his godfather and everything.’

‘Did Rupert have much to do with Mr Longcaster before he went to work for him?’

‘He never even knew Mr Longcaster was his godfather before Sacha told him. Rupe’s aunt doesn’t like Mr Longcaster, but Rupe didn’t care what she thought about anything any more, so he went to the club and Mr Longcaster said, “oh, you’re Veronica and Peter’s boy?” and said he’d try him out for a bit.’

‘Mr Longcaster hadn’t been a very involved godfather, then?’

‘I think he’d forgotten all about Rupert until he turned up at the club.’

‘And did Rupert like working there?’ asked Robin.

She was moving the conversation gradually closer to Decima, but didn’t want to arrive there too quickly.

‘He thought the same as me,’ said Albie. ‘Bits of it are cool. You see some really famous people in there, and at first that’s interesting, but after you’ve been there a while you realise they’re just people. Some of them are OK and some are twats, you know?’

‘And that’s how Rupert felt about it, too?’

‘Yeah… you haven’t spoken to Mr Longcaster?’ Albie asked again.