Page 101 of The Hallmarked Man
‘A bit,’ repeated Todd.
‘What was his accent like? Did he sound like he was from Doncaster?’
‘Wouldn’ know ’ow that sounded,’ said Todd.
‘He couldn’t have been Scottish, and faking an English accent?’
‘Don’t fink so.’
‘Or trying to sound more working class than he was?’
‘One of them’s posh, is ’e?’ said Todd, gesturing towards Strike’s pictures.
Strike ignored the question.
‘What did you and Wright talk about?’
‘Freemasons,’ said Todd promptly, grinning again. ‘’E asked questions about ’em, all the bloody time.’
‘Are you one?’ asked Strike.
‘Hahaha,’ said Todd. ‘Not me, guv.’
He buried his face in his pint and drank a couple of inches before setting it down again.
‘D’you think he got interested in Freemasons after starting workat the shop, or was this something he’d been interested in before he was hired?’
‘Dunno. ’E was def’nitely into it all, though. Wen’ an’ looked round Freemasons’ ’All, in ’is lunch hour.’
‘Really?’ said Strike.
‘Oh, yeah. I was walkin’ down Great Queen Street, just goin’ to one of me ovver jobs, an’ I seen Wright goin’ in there. I says to ’im, next time I seen ’im, “find any sacrificial goats?” Hahaha.’
‘And what did he say?’
‘Said ’e wanted to see Temple Seventeen.’
‘Why?’
‘Dunno, ’e wouldn’t say. Just said “I wan’ed to see it”. After I found out ’e was Knowles, though, I fort, “Temple Seventeen my arse, ’e was up to sumfing to do wiv the silver ’e was gonna nick”. They’ve got a museum in there, in Freemasons’ ’All, an’ a shop, wiv books in it. I fort, “’e was lookin’ stuff up. Tryina find out what it was all worf, that Whatsit silver.”’
‘Did you tell the police Wright had visited Freemasons’ Hall?’
‘Yeah, ’course,’ said Todd smugly.
‘Did Wright ever tell you someone might come looking for him?’
‘No,’ said Todd, ‘opposite.’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘I fort there was a guy watching the shop. I seen ’im ’angin’ around a few times. After I seen ’im the fird time, I told Wright, keep an’ eye out for ’im. Big guy, same kinda size as you. Just ’angin’ around. But when I told ’im, Wright said ’e’d seen ’im, an’ ’e worked at the Connaught Rooms. Didn’ give a toss. After, I fort, “accomplice, wannit”.’
‘Did you tell Pamela or Kenneth about this man?’
‘Didn’ wanna worry ’em. Anyway, it was Wright’s job, ’e was s’posed to be security.’
‘What about the police, did you tell them about this guy?’
