AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Meaning…?’
‘That he’s done something he’s worried he could be nicked for the moment he leaves jail.’
‘But he can’t have had anything to do with Daiyu’s drowning. You told me he overslept.’
‘I know, but he could have done any number of dodgy things that had nothing to do with Daiyu. He might be worried he’ll be done for what was going on in those Polaroids.’
‘You think he was one of them?’
‘Dunno. He could be the guy with the skull tattoo. He’s got a devil on his upper arm now, which could be covering up an old marking. Skull Tattoo was sodomising a man we know had a low IQ and possibly brain damage, so Reaney might be scared he’s going to be done for rape.’
‘Oh God,’ said Robin quietly, ‘it’s terrible, all of it.’
‘Of course, if it was him, Reaney could argue in court he was forced to do it,’ said Strike. ‘If the church really has got guns, someone could’ve had one trained on those kids in the pig masks and forced them to perform. I can understand why Reaney wouldn’t want the episode publicised, though. Rapists and paedos are bottom of the food chain, even among hardened cons.
‘Anyway,’ said Strike, remembering a little late that he wasn’t supposed to be encouraging his partner to focus on violence and depravity, but encouraging her to keep her mind on pleasanter matters, ‘go and eat cake and watch a film with your mother or something. That should keep her happy.’
‘She’s probably hidden my laptop while I’ve been talking to you. I’ll let you know if the police get back to me about Jacob.’
‘Do,’ said Strike, ‘but in the meantime—’
‘Doughnuts and romcoms,’ sighed Robin. ‘Yes, all right.’
92
The power of the inferior people is growing.
The danger draws close to one’s person; already there are clear indications…
The I Ching or Book of Changes
Relieved by the prospect of getting back to the investigation on Monday, Robin took the lift back upstairs to her flat. In the sitting room she quietly closed her laptop, with the intention of resuming work once her parents were safely tucked into the sofa bed that evening, then accepted a fresh mug of tea and a chocolate éclair from her mother.
‘What did he want?’ Linda said, sitting herself down on the sofa.
‘To tell me to take it easy and eat cake, so he’d be happy about this,’ she added, indicating the éclair.
‘So Ryan’s coming home on—?’
‘Next Sunday, unless he gets an earlier flight,’ said Robin.
‘We do like Ryan,’ said Linda.
‘I’m glad,’ said Robin, pretending she hadn’t heard the unspoken but not Strike.
‘He’s been very good about keeping us updated,’ added Linda, again with a silent addendum: unlike Strike. ‘D’you think he’d like children?’
Oh, for God’s sake.
‘No idea,’ lied Robin. Ryan had in fact made it perfectly clear he’d like children.
‘He always asks after Annabel,’ said Linda warmly, referring to Robin’s niece. ‘Actually – we’ve got news. Jenny’s pregnant again.’
‘Fantastic!’ said Robin, who liked her sister-in-law, but wondered why this information had so far been withheld from her.
‘And,’ said Linda, taking a deep breath. ‘Martin’s girlfriend’s pregnant, too.’
‘I didn’t even know he had a girlfriend,’ said Robin. Martin, who came immediately after her in birth order, was the only son who still lived with their parents, and had a patchy job history.
