Strike decides to ask for Shanker’s help in persuading Kurt Jordan Reaney to talk to him. He wants to speak face to face and offers to head over to East London. They agree ‘to meet later that afternoon in an East End café well known to both of them’ (chapter 32).

‘Pellicci’s, which lay on Bethnal Green Road, was an East End institution: a small, century-old Italian-run café where the art deco wooden panels gave the incongruous feeling of eating chips in a compartment on the Orient Express’ (chapter 33).

‘Strike chose a corner seat with his back to the wall, ordered coffee, then reached for an abandoned copy of the Daily Mail a previous diner had left lying on the table beside his’ (chapter 33).

Whilst waiting for Shanker, Strike reads an article about Landon Dormer and Charlotte’s attendance at a fundraising dinner. The article includes a photo of Charlotte which Strike examines at some length.

Shanker arrives and also orders a coffee. Strike tells him about Jordan Reaney, and Shanker agrees to help. He waives his usual fee as he owes Strike a favour in return for Strike finding Angel’s father.

Shanker wants to order food, but declines to look at the menu, ordering a bacon roll.

Strike then asks Shanker for his thoughts about the gun used to shoot Kevin Pirbright. Lucy calls with an update on Uncle Ted which prompts a conversation between Strike and Shanker about kids and family.

Strike pays for the coffees and bacon roll and then leaves the cafe, heading up Bethnal Green Road.

He catches the Tube back to Central London from Bethnal Green Tube station.

Pellici’s is located here: