Page 232 of The Hallmarked Man

Of intuition likewise…

Robert Browning

Balaustion’s Adventure

Notwithstanding Robin’s offer to forfeit her own free time so that they didn’t have to sacrifice their own, adding Albie Simpson-White to the roster of people who needed following by the agency caused a degree of exasperation among the subcontractors. Robin knew they felt that trying to keep an eye on Plug, the house in Carnival Street where they believed a dangerous dog or dogs were being kept, and Plug’s dog-breeding and -fighting associates in London and in Ipswich, while also watching Mrs Two-Times and filling the gaps in the silver vault case the two partners couldn’t cover alone was quite enough work to be getting on with.

Predictably, Kim Cochran was the person most open about her disdain for the new job. Robin suspected Strike must have told the subcontractors that following Albie was Robin’s particular wish, because she’d overheard Kim saying to Shah, ‘So we’re just traipsing around after this Simpson-White in case he leads us to his missing mate?’ Then, catching sight of Robin in the inner office, Kim had given yet another of her little laughs and said,

‘Well, stranger things have happened. Maybe I’ll win the lottery this week, too.’

I wish youwouldwin the bloody lottery. Then maybe you’d leave,thought Robin angrily on Sunday at midday, while following Albie from his flat to the Tube. She was supposed to be passing the job to Kim in a couple of hours’ time, and if there were any more supposedlyfunny comments during the handover, she thought she might well be putting the woman firmly in her place.

Fortunately, the weather remained as cold as ever, which made Robin’s choice of a beanie and a scarf in which she was hiding most of her face seem perfectly natural. As she’d already met Albie, she was also wearing a black wig and a pair of glasses. Albie hadn’t even looked at her; he was listening to music on his headphones, one of his large feet tapping along in time. Robin was therefore temporarily free to think about the two-bedroomed house she and Murphy had viewed on Wednesday.

It stood at the end of a terrace – which meant it received plenty of light – would need little renovation and was convenient for the Tube. Murphy still had misgivings about the size, but when Robin reminded him of how much above their maximum budget the three-bedroomed house in Wood Green had gone for, he agreed to put in an offer on this one, which had been accepted that Friday.

Robin was relieved the decision had been made, and told herself that this feeling was happiness. She’d even phoned her mother and told her that she and Murphy were moving in together, and Linda had been predictably delighted, although after expressing her pleasure she’d confided that Martin and Carmen were rowing non-stop, which Linda thought was the cause of baby Dirk’s fretfulness. This hadn’t helped Robin’s now almost constant state of anxiety and guilt. She still hadn’t sent either of her new nephews presents.

Ever since the man in the green jacket and gorilla mask had threatened her, she’d been jumpy, constantly checking behind her for any sign of being followed. The number of things she wasn’t telling Murphy was also weighing heavily on her conscience. Strike’s theory about Malcolm Truman interfering in the investigation to protect the Freemasons was starting to look worryingly credible, and Robin could only imagine what Murphy’s reaction was likely to be, should they manage to prove that it had been Danny de Lion in the silver vault, and that the lead investigator had deliberately tried to obfuscate his identity at the urging of a masonic friend.

Albie got off the Tube at Notting Hill Gate station, and Robin followed him up Pembridge Road and round a corner, where he entered a pub called the Sun in Splendour, which had a curved, bright yellow frontage. Robin texted Kim her location, then entered the pub to see Albie sitting alone at a table, drinking a pint.

Robin didn’t dare get too close to him, so she ordered herself a tomato juice and remained at the bar, intermittently watching Albie in a mirror, and looking at her phone to bolster the impression of a woman waiting for a tardy friend.

On opening WhatsApp, Robin saw she’d just received a new and very long message from an unknown number.

Hello this is Chloe Griffiths, Ian Griffiths’ daughter. Dad’s asked me to get in touch with you as like a character witness for Tyler Powell. I wasn’t going to but my boyfriend thinks I should tell you the truth, even if Dad doesn’t want to hear it.

I know Dad’s told you Tyler definitely didn’t have anything to do with that car crash and I’m not saying he did, but I know for a fact Tyler isn’t the nice sweet guy Dad thinks he is. Dad thinks anyone who likes Steely Dan and wants to learn the guitar must be a good guy, but Tyler isn’t.

He gets really pushy with girls when he’s drunk, he’s done it to lots of friends of mine. Dad feels sorry for him, he thinks Tyler’s desperate for love or something, because his parents aren’t very nice to him, so he thinks it’s all harmless but it isn’t. Anne-Marie only went out with Tyler a couple of times, and he started talking about them getting married. Dad thought that just showed Tyler wants a proper family of his own, but Anne-Marie was really freaked out by him being so intense and possessive when they’d only dated twice and Tyler was really angry she dumped him and was talking all kinds of shit about her.

Another girl I know called Zeta had a bad experience with Tyler as well but she never went to the police about it, even though a bunch of us said she should, but she said she had no proof. I don’t want to say what happened because she might not want to talk about it but you can try and talk to her. Her number’s 07700 942369.

Tyler and me were sort of friends when we first moved in opposite, because I used to feel sorry for him and my mum had just died and he was nice about that. He’s a bit slow, and I could tell he was unhappy at home, but then he started making excuses to come over to our house all the time and I think he only took guitar lessons with Dad so he could try and flirt with me. Tyler’s the type that thinks ifa girl’s nice to him she wants to get with him. When I told him I had a boyfriend he turned really nasty and stopped coming for guitar lessons and his gran started being horrible to me.

Anne-Marie was one of my best friends though and honestly half the reason I wanted to go interrailing was so I didn’t have to think about her dying all the time and also people were kind of ganging up on me too, because Dad was going round defending Tyler to everyone and people thought I must think the same because Tyler and I used to be friends.

I can’t prove Tyler did anything to the car that night, but him packing up and leaving Ironbridge is really weird, because he never wanted to live anywhere else before. Dad can’t complain I’ve told you the truth, just because he doesn’t want to hear it.

Seconds after Robin had finished reading this message, Strike called her.

‘Hi, where are you? Can you talk?’

‘Yes, I’m in a pub,’ said Robin, checking Albie in the mirror.

‘My old SIB mate, Hardy, is going to be in town for a family wedding next week and he thinks he can wangle us a private tour of Freemasons’ Hall. Want to come and see Temple Seventeen?’

Robin hesitated. She had a great curiosity to see inside Freemasons’ Hall, especially on a private tour, but she remained angry at Strike.

‘No, we’re overstretched as it is. You stick with Semple and I’ll keep going on Tyler Powell. I’ve actually just had a message from Chloe Griffiths, Tyler’s ex-neighbour. I’ll forward it to you.’

‘OK,’ said Strike, who was disappointed about Freemasons’ Hall; he’d been certain she’d want to see it. ‘You’re seeing the new Land Rover this afternoon, right?’

‘Yes,’ said Robin. ‘I’d better go, I’m handing over to Kim in a minute.’

As she said it, she saw the subcontractor enter the pub.