| Mr. and Mrs. Dene | |
|---|---|
| Banker ; Socialite | |
 | |
| Species: | Humans |
| Family: | Regina Dene (Daughter) Stephen Dene (Son) |
| Status: | Alive |
| Appearances: | The Boy in the Smoke The Madness Underneath (Mentioned) The Shadow Cabinet (Mentioned) |
Mr. Dene and Mrs. Dene are the parents of Stephen and Regina. Mr. Dene is a banker. They are a very wealthy, upper class couple. Since the Shades theorise that the Sight is hereditary, it can be assumed that either Mr. or Mrs. Dene (possibly both) may have the requisite yet untriggered gene. Parenthood did not seem to suit them; neither appeared to mourn the death of their daughter Gina, and Mr. Dene was not above threatening his son Stephen with physical violence.
Biography[]
In The Boy in the Smoke, they forget to pick their son Stephen up at the end of the boarding school term. From then, it is evident that they don't care about their kids' welfare in all regards. They disapproved of Stephen's aspiration to become a police officer since they had sent him to such a prestigious school. They were more interested in Stephen coming to work at the bank. Because of this (and other factors), they have a strained relationship with their son Stephen. Their daughter Regina died young; when Gina died Mrs. Dene cried, but Mr. Dene talked about her death like their daughter was an investment that failed. When Stephen was offered a job in the police force, he called his parents to tell them the news. However, their reactions are left unknown.
In The Madness Underneath, Stephen takes the Shades to his father's golden-bricked flat while they seek refuge from Jane's cult. Mr. Dene supposedly uses it when he comes to London for work. It is implied that he is currently residing in Switzerland, and Stephen admits that he hopes this is the case. Later, when their son Stephen is put on life support, Callum lies to the doctors who are asking about his family when he tells them Stephen's "parents are dead". After the doctor departs, Callum then explains to the others that Stephen explicitly told him that if something happened, he did not want Mr. and Mrs. Dene to be contacted. So, when the doctor asks about contacting a relative, Callum also claims that Thorpe (Stephen's superior) is his uncle. Without their knowledge, their son's life support is switched off and he dies. They are not contacted.