Aaron was uncomfortably sure he was wrong about that. “I didn’t intend to bring you harm. In retrospect I was a fool, but I didn’t expect what’s happening now, or anything like it.”

“No, I dare say not. And as you say, lucky you were warned. How come restaurant proprietors are so helpful to you?”

“I’ve evicted a couple of tiresome customers, both here and at Shafi’s. I like to stay on the right side of good food.”

“Wise.” Joel had cleared his plate. He ran a piece of bread over the remaining sauce, with a look of regret that might have been because he’d finished, or because they had to talk about this again.

Aaron set himself to it. “So. You were watched that night, and shaken down. Who was this man?”

“He called himself Mr. Twigg. About my height, twice as wide, looked like a right bruiser. Broken nose, and something horrible had happened to his right ear.”

“A prostitute tried to chew it off when he assaulted her,” Aaron said. “Eddie Twigg, a close colleague of Darby Sabini. Blast: I was hoping someone was taking their name in vain. And are you going to see Darby?”

“I’m supposed to do that tomorrow. He’s expecting to hear all about you. I said to Twigg there was nothing to tell, that you were a miserable sod with no friends who had to pay people to eat with you , and I went for the free meal. He just laughed and said good story, tell it to Darby.”

Aaron made himself eat the last mouthful of veal, though it was more fuel than pleasure now. “Tomorrow. What will you say?”

Joel’s eyes narrowed. He shot a glance round then said, very low, “Well, I thought I’d mention that you gave me details of an ongoing case and then sucked my cock. That should sort everything out nicely for us both. What the hell do you think I’m going to tell him?”

Aaron wasn’t sure how this level of aggressive sarcasm could make him feel so warm inside. “All right, but you’ll have to give him something. Darby Sabini is an alarming man. You didn’t ask for any of this and you’re entitled to protect yourself.”

“I was rather hoping you’d protect me, actually. And I haven’t finished, by the way, because after Twigg left, as if today wasn’t shitty enough, I got this.”

He pulled out a letter. Aaron took it, murmuring thanks as Angelo came to take the plates away. It was in his cousin Paul’s hand.

Mr. Wildsmith

You are a liar, a scoundrel, and a slanderer. Your lies have damaged my reputation and caused me material harm and I intend to seek financial redress in the courts unless you make a full public apology and acknowledgment of your dishonesty in mutually agreed terms.